Lee & Thompson acts for Upper Street Events in MBO

Lee & Thompson acts for Upper Street Events in MBO

5th December 2014

The Corporate & Commercial Group at Lee & Thompson LLP has acted for the shareholders of long standing client, Upper Street Events as well as for the continuing management team on its management buyout. Private equity company, Living Bridge has supported the company’s management in purchasing the majority shareholding from its current owners, including majority shareholders the Morris family, for an undisclosed sum.

Based in Islington, London, Upper Street Events is one of the UK’s leading B2C events businesses, owning a portfolio of market leading shows including The Gadget Show Live, The Cycle Show, London Art Fair and Country Living Fairs. The investment by Living Bridge will support Upper Street Events’ management team, Paul Byrom (Managing Director), Isobel Dennis and Dan Holmes in continuing to develop existing and new concepts, delivering creative and relevant content that engages audiences, exhibitors and brands.

Malcolm Murray, Head of Corporate, acted for the shareholders and ongoing management team of Upper Street Events in this deal.

Upper Street Events was set up in 1987 as a division of the Business Design Centre Ltd, until it became independent in 2009. Upper Street’s 17 events cater for nearly 400,000 visitors and work with nearly 3,500 exhibitors at venues including Alexandra Palace, The Business Design Centre, Olympia, The NEC, Harrogate International Centre, The RDS Dublin and the SECC Glasgow.