John Bloor is a self-made British businessman whose entrepreneurial journey spans housebuilding and motorcycle manufacturing. Born in a small Derbyshire village to a coal-miner father, Bloor left formal schooling early and began an apprenticeship as a plasterer. Before turning 20 he built his first home. He founded Bloor Homes in 1969, beginning with single-site housing projects in the East Midlands and growing the company into the UK’s largest privately owned housebuilder.

By the 2000s, the firm was delivering thousands of homes annually and operating across England. In 1983, Bloor purchased the ailing Triumph Motorcycles brand and embarked on a revival, investing heavily in design, manufacturing and modernising its operations. The Hinckley factory reopened in 1991 and under Bloor’s stewardship, Triumph regained global recognition. Across both businesses, Bloor emphasises long-term ownership, craftsmanship and independence: Bloor Homes remains family-run and privately held, enabling strategic flexibility and a focus on quality rather than short-term public market pressures.

Although Bloor keeps a relatively low public profile, his dual accomplishments in housing development and a historic British manufacturing brand have earned him recognition in the business world—he was awarded an OBE for services to the motorcycle industry and his net worth places him among the richest individuals in the UK’s construction sector. Today, Bloor remains an influential figure in British industry and property development, his story reflecting grounded beginnings and bold investment in both bricks & mortar and British engineering heritage.