Millionaire British plumber wants to turn off the taps

London — Charlie Mullins, the flamboyant British businessman who started Pimlico Plumbers in 1979 with a second-hand van and built it into one of London’s most-recognisable firms, wants to sell.

The 68-year-old, known for his mullet hairstyle, became the richest plumber in the UK while courting controversy with his outspoken comments on everything from taxes to Brexit. Mullins, who was awarded an OBE for his services to the industry, is now seeking a buyer for Pimlico, people with knowledge of the matter said.

The millionaire has been in the headlines in recent months after he described those working from home as “selfish” and required employees to get Covid-19 vaccines before returning to work. His home in Essex, a county adjoining London, is on sale for more than £4m.

Mullins has hired Cavendish Corporate Finance to advise on the potential sale of Pimlico, according to the people, who asked not to be identified because the information is private. A deal could value the business at about £100m, they said.

Pimlico’s blue-and-white vans are a common site across London, drawing attention with custom licence plates such as “B1DET” or “FLU55H.” The company counts celebrities such as James Bond star Daniel Craig and actress Helen Mirren among its customers. In recent years, Pimlico has expanded into services including air-conditioning repair, carpentry and roofing.

“We are always looking out for investment,” Mullins said in a statement. “We are a growing company and want to expand both within London and further afield.”

Non-binding offers were due last week for Pimlico, which has attracted interest from private-equity firms and strategic suitors, the people said. An official at Cavendish couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.

Mullins was one of the businessmen who campaigned against Britain’s departure from the EU, putting up a sign on Pimlico’s headquarters using colourful language to oppose the plan. He was also at the centre  of a landmark employment lawsuit in 2018, when the UK’s top judges ruled that his company should have treated one of its tradesmen as a worker in a case with ramifications for gig-economy companies such as Uber.

Earlier this year, Pimlico forecast it would achieve record sales of about £48m in the 12 months through May. Charlie’s son Scott, the current CEO, plans to keep a stake in the firm should it be sold, the people said.

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