DESPITE the credit crunch, one or two businessmen and woman are doing well enough to make it onto Stockport’s rich list, according to a recent publication.
Stockport’s top spot is reserved for Sale Sharks owner Brian Kennedy. Kennedy, the son of a window cleaner, bought the Guinness Premiership Club in 1999 and has also owned Stockport County.
He is a trained bank manager but made his money from a series of business ventures including kitchen sales, double-glazing, mobile phones and property.
Despite being estimated to be worth £350million, Kennedy is probably most famous for offering his financial support to Kate and Gerry McCann in their search for daughter Madeleine. Kennedy stepped in to back the couple after they were both made formal suspects in the Madeleine inquiry. At the time, he also offered the help of his company’s in-house lawyer.
In a statement released by Kennedy last year he said: "In light of the quite literally incredible accusations against Gerry and Kate McCann, which are clearly exacerbating their incredible torture, I felt compelled to offer financial and logistical support."
Worth an estimated £180 million, Brian Scowcroft is number two on Stockport’s rich list.
The property magnate owns Stockport-based company Alard Properties, which also has sites in Leigh and Wrexham. Scowcroft - former boss of Swinton insurance - has made most of his money in property, and as well as Alard Properties he also owns Kingmoor Park Properties in Carlisle.
Third on the list is Anthony Green, worth approximately £173million. Owner of Imperial Leather and Carex soap maker PZ Cussons, based on Bird Hall Lane in Stockport, he has also made money from the Original Source and Charles Worthington brands. The company will soon be moving to new headquarters in Manchester and has just unveiled plans for a new shower and bath gel factory.
John Coulter and sister Anne Jones, owners of Stockport jewellery retailer Warren James, enter the list at number four. The company was founded in 1979 and has branches across the country offering cut-price jewellery. The credit crunch has seen a slow-down in spending and profits have dropped recently but the pair are still estimated to be worth £113 million.
Neil McRoberts, fifth on Stockport’s rich list, has made his money from other people’s financial failings. Stockport debt recovery business, Moorcroft Group, has more than one million live accounts and rakes in nearly £8million a year. With other assets, Neil McRoberts and Family are worth around £108million.
Another notable inclusion in Stockport’s rich list is brewer Frederic Robinson. The company - now fronted by chairman Peter Robinson - is responsible for 407 pubs across Northern England and Wales, and made a profit of £5.7million in 2007.
The Robinson family is reported to be worth an estimated £65million.
