Bloor Homes Limited is an English housebuilder based in Measham , Leicestershire . It is Britain’s largest privately owned housebuilder.
45-446: Bloor Homes was established in 1969 by John Bloor . The 2000s was a particularly profitable decade for the first, the firm was selling 1,870 houses annually. In response to the 2007–2008 financial crisis , Bloor Homes transferred some of its unsold homes to the public sector , reduced its involvement in apartment construction and cut subcontractor payments. By 2012, it was reportedly building around 1,800 homes per year; six years later,
90-616: A County Review Order , Hinckley urban district expanded to include the ancient parishes of Barwell , Burbage and Earl Shilton and most of Stoke Golding . In 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972 the Hinckley urban district was abolished, becoming an unparished area in the borough of Hinckley and Bosworth . Since then, the civil parishes of Barwell, Burbage, Earl Shilton and Stoke Golding have been re-established. The core urban area remained unparished. Hinckley
135-557: A sixth form . North Warwickshire & Hinckley College, a Further Education college, is also in the town. The only other major college in the area is Heath Lane Academy ( Earl Shilton ). There are also many pre-schools (nurseries) such as St Peters Pre school little explorers, St Bernards, Flutterbies Hinckley, Smiles PreSchool, etc. Within Hinckley there is also Dorothy Goodman Special School that caters for both juniors and seniors with disabilities, with units integrated within other local schools. Simon de Montfort 's banner, described as
180-521: A decision which it attributed to commercial pressure. That same year, it became the first housebuilder to make use of a government scheme to partially-finance the transfer of unsold homes to the public sector . During mid 2009, after sustaining a £52 million loss, the firm announced that it would reduce its involvement in the construction of apartments; it also withdrew from a £35 million regeneration project in Cobridge, Staffordshire. By 2012, Bloor Homes
225-461: A memorable "Skirmish or Great Victory for Parliament". Colonel Grey with 120 foot-soldiers and 30 troopers from Bagworth House rushed to Hinckley and retook the town, routed the Royalists, rescued the cattle and released their imprisoned countrymen. No doubt the inhabitants of the town were as relieved as any when Ashby finally surrendered, as Vicars records, "a great mercy and mighty preservation of
270-633: A prominent part in the English Civil War . Its proximity to several rival strongholds—the royalist garrisons at Caldicote, Ashby de la Zouch and Leicester, and those of the Parliamentarians at Tamworth and Coventry —and the presence of parties of troops or brigands occupying several fortified houses in nearby Warwickshire, led to frequent visits by the warring parties. The local townsfolk were forced to decide whether to declare their allegiances openly or attempt to remain neutral—with
315-508: A range of former framework knitters' cottages, tells the story of the hosiery industry and contains some examples of framework knitting machines. Paynes Garages Ltd, one of the oldest family-owned Ford Motor Dealerships in the UK. Established by JA Payne in 1907, the firm became Ford Dealers in 1922. The business remains family owned with Nigel Payne, grandson of the founder, one of the current Directors. The town's central location and good links to
360-507: A recorded history going back to Anglo-Saxon times; the name Hinckley is Anglo-Saxon: "Hinck" is a personal name and "ley" is a clearing in a wood. By the time of the Domesday Book in 1086, Hinckley was quite a large village, and it grew over the following 200 years into a small market town —a market was first recorded there in 1311. There is evidence of an Anglo-Saxon church – the remnants of an Anglo-Saxon sundial being visible on
405-504: A significant memorial stands in the churchyard to her. Hinckley is recognised as Ada’s childhood home town. She was known latterly as Ada Lovelace and when working with Charles Babbage, she foresaw computerisation, writing the first computer programme. Joseph Hansom built the first Hansom cab in Hinckley in 1835. In 1899 a cottage hospital was built to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria two years earlier. Money
450-480: Is a traditional centre of the hosiery industry. The first framework knitting machine was brought here by Joseph Iliffe in the 17th century and by the 19th century Hinckley was responsible for a large proportion of Britain's hosiery production. Since the Second World War the hosiery industry has steadily shrunk although several textile firms remain in the area. Hinckley & District Museum, housed in
495-568: Is about halfway between Leicester and Coventry and borders Nuneaton in Warwickshire . Watling Street forms part of the Leicestershire/Warwickshire border. The town forms an urban area with the village of Burbage , directly to the south. In 2000, archaeologists from Northampton Archaeology discovered evidence of Iron Age and Romano-British settlement on land near Coventry Road and Watling Street. Hinckley has
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#1732783055860540-572: Is based at Clarendon Park. Hinckley Basketball Club was founded in 1974, and included staff, ex-students and students of John Cleveland College . The team folded after the 2012–13 season, because of player shortage, then reformed in 2014. It plays home games at Green Towers club on Richmond Road. The two club teams are the Hinckley 69ers in Division 2, and Hinckley Hail in Division 4, of the Leicestershire men's league. Hollycroft Park, in
585-597: Is based on Druid Street in the town The main primary schools in the area are Battling Brook CP, Richmond, Hinckley Parks, St. Peter's Catholic, St. Mary's Church of England, Westfield Infant and Junior Schools, Burbage Infant and Junior Schools and Sketchley Hill Primary School (in Burbage ). The high (secondary) schools include Redmoor, St Martin's Catholic Academy (in Stoke Golding ), Hastings (in Burbage ) and The Hinckley School . The Hinckley School also operates
630-500: Is now one of the largest privately owned house builders in the UK, and has contributed to the successful regeneration of the East Midlands . In 2002, housing sales reached 1,870 making Bloor Homes then the largest housebuilder to be owned by one man. While attending the auction of the site of the former Triumph factory to buy the site for house construction, Bloor bought the collapsed Triumph brand in 1983. After sub-licensing
675-512: The Leicester Mercury 's website, LeicestershireLive. Castle Mead Radio is a hospital radio station which serves the patients and staff of Hinckley's two main hospitals. BBC local radio station that broadcast to the town is BBC Radio Leicester , BBC CWR can also be received in the town. Local television news programmes are BBC East Midlands Today and ITV News Central (East). The town has had six notable football clubs over
720-530: The Competition and Markets Authority in an investigation into suspected breaches of competition law. The CMA said it had evidence that firms shared commercially sensitive information with competitors, influencing the build-out of sites and the prices of new homes. John Bloor John Stuart Bloor OBE (born 16 June 1943 ) is a British billionaire businessman. His business, Bloor Holdings, owns both Bloor Homes and Triumph Motorcycles . Bloor
765-615: The Conservative Party in the 2017 general election . In the 2019 general election , donations of £750,000 and £200,000 were made to the Conservative Party, and £12,000 to Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen . Hinckley Hinckley is a market town in south-west Leicestershire , England. It is administered by Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council. Hinckley is the third largest settlement in Leicestershire, after Leicester and Loughborough . Hinckley
810-596: The West Coast Main Line through Nuneaton to London Euston or the Midland Main Line via Leicester to London St Pancras . The nearest airports are East Midlands and Birmingham . The local radio station, Fosse 107 , serves the town and the surrounding area. The town's local newspaper is the weekly paid-for Hinckley Times , which is published every Wednesday. The Hinckley Times regularly publish news stories on their own section of
855-472: The 'Arms of Honour of Hinckley', per pale indented argent and gules , is shown in stained glass in Chartres Cathedral , and is used in Hinckley's coat of arms, local sports teams and other organisations. Combined with Montfort's personal coat of arms, it forms part of the club crest for the town's football club Hinckley A.F.C. Concordia Theatre , of 400 seats and regular productions, is near
900-421: The 1950s, 1960s and 1990s. Hinckley's suburban districts include Hollycroft, Middlefield, Stoneygate, Wykin, Forest View, West Hinckley, Saxon Paddock and Druid Quarter. The suburbs of Burbage , Sketchley and Lash Hill are separated from the rest of Hinckley by the railway line. Hinckley became an urban district under the Local Government Act 1894 , covering the ancient parish of Hinckley. In 1934, under
945-638: The Leicester County Committee , like some of his "malignant" neighbours accused of visiting royalist garrisons or preaching against Parliament. The town was visited by both parliamentary and royalist troops from the rival garrisons, particularly parliamentary troops from Tamworth, Coventry and Astley Castle in Warwickshire. Troops from Coventry garrison were particularly active in the town, taking horses and "free quarter" and availing themselves of 'dyett and Beere', and taking some of
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#1732783055860990-530: The UK motorway network have made it a common location for distribution warehouses. Hammonds Furniture, a family owned nationwide fitted furniture company, was established in the town in 1926 by Thomas Hammonds, and currently employs over 850 people in its two Hinckley factories. Hinckley has housed the Triumph Motorcycles Ltd facility since 1990. Founded in 1902 Triumph is one of the oldest motorcycle producers still in activity. Electricity
1035-502: The brand for a period, he invested over £80 million into rebuilding the marque, opening the new Hinckley factory in 1991. After a factory fire in 2002 stopped production the factory was rebuilt, and now produces 46,000 motorcycles per annum. In 2016, Bloor received the Diamond Jubilee Trophy on behalf of all the staff at Triumph Motorcycles. The Trophy has only been given out four times previously. In 2018, Bloor
1080-417: The centre of Hinckley, contains two tennis courts, a golf pitch'n'putt and a lawn bowls green with pavilion. Greentowers, a self-funded charity, is a youth club at Richmond Park which contains a climbing wall, skate park, astro turf pitch, and a BMX track. On 8 May 2014, the Hinckley to Bedford second stage of The Women's Tour Great Britain cycle race, departed from Hinckley. Heart of England Boxing Club
1125-568: The centre of the town in Stockwell Head. The local council holds an annual 'Proms in The Park' event. French organist and composer Louis Vierne gave a recital and stayed one night in Hinckley while on a tour of England, and later wrote a carillon piece for organ called "The Bells of Hinckley", inspired by a carillon of bells he heard there. It is the last movement of his fourth suite of Vingt-quatre pièces de fantaisie . The town
1170-599: The company was completing 3,200 homes annually. The company's value was such that, due to his large stake in the business, John Bloor became the richest man in Britain's construction sector during the 2010s. The company was founded by John Bloor in 1969. Unlike many housebuilders, John Bloor has long retained a large stake in the ownership of Bloor Homes; by 2018, he was reportedly the richest man in Britain's construction sector, valued at almost £3.4 billion. During 2002, Bloor Homes recorded 1,870 annual housing sales, making it
1215-678: The diagonal buttress on the south-east corner of the chancel. Hinckley is around 4 miles (6.4 km) to the south of what is believed to be the location of the Battle of Bosworth , the last significant battle of the Wars of the Roses , which occurred in 1485, and resulted in Henry Tudor's forces defeating those of King Richard III . In the 17th century, the town developed a hosiery industry, producing stockings and similar items. Hinckley played
1260-430: The firm recorded a pre-tax profit for the previous year of £317.6 million, a sharp increase from £261.8 million in 2021; this was stated to be due to a combination of additional sales completed and house price inflation. Inflation also increased costs, which negatively impacted Bloor Homes' bottom line and contributed to a drop in turnover for 2023. In February 2024, Bloor Homes was among eight UK house-builders targeted by
1305-509: The inhabitants hostage for ransom. Royalist troops raided the town to threaten those with parliamentary sympathies. The notorious Lord Hastings of Ashby de la Zouch is recorded to have "coursed about the country as far as Dunton and Lutterworth and took near upon a hundred of the clergymen and others, and carried them prisoners … threatening to hang all them that should take the Parliament's Covenant". Parliamentary newssheets record that on
1350-498: The largest housebuilder in Britain to be owned by a single person. Over the following two years, while sales volume remained relatively static, the firm's profits continued to rise, which was attributed to increasing house prices. By 2006, Bloor Home's margin was reportedly 20 percent. The company was negatively impacted by the Great Recession . In 2008, Bloor Homes announced that it would cut payments to its subcontractors ,
1395-510: The night of 4 March 1644, Hastings's men brought in "26 honest countrymen from several towns" intending to take them to Ashby de la Zouch, along with a huge herd of cattle, oxen and horses from the country people and a minister named Warner. These prisoners were herded into Hinckley church and asked "in a jeering manner, 'Where are the Round-heads your brethren at Leicester? Why come they not to redeem you?'" The Parliamentarians responded in
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1440-422: The only legitimate daughter of the poet, Lord Byron, lived at Kirby House, Kirkby Mallory 6 miles from Hinckley. She was cared for by her Grandmother, while running their midland estates and necessitating frequent visits to the bank in Hinckley. Ada would go with her, and it is recorded, Ada “loved Hinckley”. If she misbehaved, her Grandmother would leave her at home! Ada was christened at K. Mallory Parish Church and
1485-462: The peace and tranquility of all those adjacent parts about it." At the time of the first national census in 1801, Hinckley had a population of 5,158: twenty years later it had increased by about a thousand. The largest industry in the early 19th century was the making of hosiery and only Leicester had a larger output of stockings. In the district, it was estimated around 1830 that 6,000 persons were employed in this work. Between 1816-1822, Ada Byron,
1530-552: The programme. The town is equidistant (19 km/12 miles) from Coventry and Leicester and 8 km (5 mi) to the east of Nuneaton . The small town of Ibstock is 18 km (11 mi) to the north on the A447. The A47 between Nuneaton and Leicester was by-passed around the town during the early 1990s when the Northern Perimeter Road (Normandy Way) was completed. As well as relieving congestion in
1575-436: The risk of having to pay levies, ransoms, and fines to both sides. In March 1644, Hinckley was occupied by a group of Royalist troops, though they were soon driven out by a force of Parliamentarians , who took many prisoners. The Civil War years were a particularly unsettled time for the clergy in and around Hinckley. Parsons with parliamentary leanings like Thomas Cleveland, the vicar of Hinckley, suffered sequestration by
1620-686: The town centre operating services to Leicester , Burbage , Earl Shilton and Nuneaton from their depot in Barwell . Roberts Travel Group operate service 159 to Coalville while Stagecoach in Warwickshire also operate a number of other routes around Hinckley. Hinckley railway station is on the Nuneaton to Leicester section of the Birmingham to Peterborough Line and has regular services between Birmingham and Leicester via Narborough and Nuneaton. Journeys to London can be made via
1665-551: The town centre, new commercial developments have been built along the route. Hinckley is also served by the A5 and the M69 . The A5 links Hinckley to Tamworth, Staffordshire in the north-west and Milton Keynes in the south-east. The M69 links Hinckley to the nearest cities, Coventry , and Leicester, and the M1 and M6 motorways. Arriva Midlands are the main operator of bus services within
1710-575: The town, particularly in converted buildings such as the renovated Atkins Building (formerly Atkins Hosiery, also home to the Hinckley Times newspaper) and Graphic House on Druid Street, also a former factory converted to modern office and studio use. Supercar manufacturer Ultima Sports are based in Hinckley. They claim to have set the fastest roadcar lap around the Top Gear test track with their GTR720 model, although it has never appeared on
1755-486: The years it expanded to align with the town. The hospital now appears dilapidated in some areas and is threatened with closure, sale and demolition by West Leicestershire Clinical Commissioning Group and NHS Properties Ltd. The hosiery industry remained important for much of the 20th century, and by 1939 the Hinckley and District Hosiery Union alone had 6,000 members. The area was subject to new housing developments in
1800-701: The years: Hinckley Rugby Club , was formed in 1893 and has been based at the Leicester Road Sports ground since 1968. The club has played in rugby league since 1987. The first team currently play in National 2 North (level 4). Hinckley Ladies' Netball Club is based at the Leicester Road Sports Ground and has four senior teams in the Coventry and Warwickshire Netball League. Hinckley Gymnastics Club, established in 1971,
1845-415: Was born in a small Derbyshire village. His father was a coal miner . He suffered from health problems, and long absences from school limited his formal education, leaving school at the age of 15. Bloor's first job was as a trainee plasterer for a local building contractor. Two years later he set up his own business and began building his first house before he was 20. His building company, Bloor Homes ,
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1890-628: Was first provided Hinckley by the Leicestershire and Warwickshire Electric Power Company in 1913. Hinckley power station was built in Nutts Lane adjacent to the railway and the Ashby Canal. The power station closed in the early 1950s, when electricity was supplied from the National Grid. Hinckley is home to a well-established creative and technology community with designers, illustrators, artists and photographers taking up residence in
1935-580: Was paid a £7 million dividend by Bloor Holdings, the company that owns Bloor Homes and Triumph. In 2021, the Sunday Times Rich List estimated his net worth at £1.275 billion. Bloor lives in Swadlincote , South Derbyshire , England. Due to hip problems he rarely rides motorcycles, preferring a Range Rover . He has two sons, Adrian and Nick. Adrian was chief executive of Bloor Homes until early 2020. J.S. Bloor donated £400,000 to
1980-448: Was raised by the local townspeople and factory owners, notably John and Thomas Atkins who also had a hand in building many of the key buildings of Hinckley. The cornerstone was laid by Sir John Fowke Lancelot Rolleston . This hospital was central to the people of Hinckley and supported by local workers who donated one penny a week for its upkeep until it was adopted by the NHS in 1948. Over
2025-475: Was reportedly building around 1,800 homes per year. Three years later, this rate had increased to 2,000 per year, which was largely attributed to an upturn in the British economy. During 2016, Bloor Homes was one of the largest privately owned housebuilding groups in Britain; the combined group was worth around £725 million. In 2018, Bloor Homes recorded the completion of 3,200 homes annually. During January 2023,
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