Leonard Blavatnik, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Cameron Mackintosh make Sunday Times Rich List

Theatre Royal Haymarket owner Leonard Blavatnik is the highest placed individual from the theatre sector in this year’s Sunday Times Rich List, which also features Andrew Lloyd Webber and Cameron Mackintosh.

Blavatnik purchased the Theatre Royal Haymarket in 2018 through Access Entertainment, a division of his Access Industries, and is placed at number four in the list, with a wealth of £15.8 billion, up £1.4 billion compared with 2019. Access Entertainment has also invested in shows such as Hamilton and School of Rock.

The Sunday Times list of the top 1,000 wealthiest people in the UK also features John Gore, at 95. He is credited for “producing, promoting and selling tickets for some of the world’s most acclaimed musicals, including Hamilton, Chicago and Wicked” and has a wealth of £1.5 billion.

According to the list, the New York-based John Gore Organization made about $90 million of profit in 2019, up nearly 19% in a year. He gave £1.36 million to the Tories ahead of last December’s general election.

Mackintosh is placed at 119, down from 114 in 2019. His wealth is put at £1.2 billion, down by £40 million in the previous year.

The Sunday Times states profits at his main company rose to £51.4 million in 2018/19, but “Covid-19’s curtain call for theatreland leads us to trim his wealth”.

Lloyd Webber is placed at number 174 on the list, down from 173 last year. He is listed as having a wealth of £800 million, though this is down by £20 million on the previous year’s entry.

The list claims: “Lloyd-Webber stands to lose millions from this year’s theatre closures. His LW Theatres showed assets of £63.1 million in 2018/19, with his separate Really Useful Group Investments making profits of £7 million on turnover of £61.4m.”

He tops the list when broken down by wealthiest musicians.

At 788 is Tim Rice, Lloyd Webber’s former writing partner, whose wealth is put at £155 million, up £2 million on the previous year.