Key Takeaways
- • Soho Square Capital has made a growth investment in Skiddle, the UK's leading independent ticketing platform, marking its second investment from Soho Square Partnership Capital Fund II, according to a Business Wire announcement.
- • Skiddle generated £178 million in face value ticket sales across 180,000 listed events in 2025 and maintained a 98 per cent promoter retention rate.
- • Revenue has grown by an average of more than 20 per cent a year over the past two years, per the company's announcement.
- • The minority equity investment leaves co-founders Ben Sebborn and Richard Dyer in control, with Joe Tebbutt joining the board on behalf of Soho Square; it is Skiddle's first external capital since its 2001 founding.
- • Proceeds will fund expansion into lifestyle events, technology, marketing and new European territories; the deal value was not disclosed.
Summary
Soho Square Capital, a London-based partnership capital firm backing founder-owned middle market businesses in the UK and Northern Europe, has announced a growth investment in Skiddle, the UK's leading independent ticketing platform. The transaction is Soho Square's second investment from Soho Square Partnership Capital Fund II. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Skiddle was founded in Preston in 2001 by Ben Sebborn and Richard Dyer as a "What's On" guide and began selling tickets in 2006. According to the announcement, the company generated £178 million in face value ticket sales across 180,000 listed events in 2025, while maintaining a 98 per cent promoter retention rate. Revenue has grown by an average of more than 20 per cent annually over the past two years.
The investment is structured as a minority equity stake, allowing the co-founders to retain control and remain in their leadership roles. They will work alongside CFO Peter Hinnigan and the senior management team, and Joe Tebbutt will join the board on behalf of Soho Square. Capital will support expansion beyond Skiddle's core music, festival and nightlife position, with lifestyle events as an immediate focus, alongside investment in technology, marketing and business development. European expansion is a medium-term objective, and Soho Square's network of businesses that have previously navigated European expansion is expected to support that effort.
Soho Square's deal team was led by Joe Tebbutt, supported by Stephen Edwards and Alex Kustovskyi. Advisers to Soho Square included Hogan Lovells Cadwalader (James Cross, legal), EY (Matt Eves, buyside corporate finance), Grant Thornton (Sofie Morgan, tax), Seedcloud (Laurence Holloway, technical due diligence) and Sustainable Advantage (Ollie Funnell, ESG due diligence). KPMG (Ben Taylor) acted as financial adviser to Skiddle's shareholders, with Addleshaw Goddard (Paul Medlicott) as legal adviser, BDO (Matthew Savage) on vendor financial due diligence, and GCS Insight (James Tetherton) on vendor commercial due diligence.
Skiddle was founded in Preston in 2001 by Ben Sebborn and Richard Dyer as a "What's On" guide and began selling tickets in 2006. According to the announcement, the company generated £178 million in face value ticket sales across 180,000 listed events in 2025, while maintaining a 98 per cent promoter retention rate. Revenue has grown by an average of more than 20 per cent annually over the past two years.
The investment is structured as a minority equity stake, allowing the co-founders to retain control and remain in their leadership roles. They will work alongside CFO Peter Hinnigan and the senior management team, and Joe Tebbutt will join the board on behalf of Soho Square. Capital will support expansion beyond Skiddle's core music, festival and nightlife position, with lifestyle events as an immediate focus, alongside investment in technology, marketing and business development. European expansion is a medium-term objective, and Soho Square's network of businesses that have previously navigated European expansion is expected to support that effort.
Soho Square's deal team was led by Joe Tebbutt, supported by Stephen Edwards and Alex Kustovskyi. Advisers to Soho Square included Hogan Lovells Cadwalader (James Cross, legal), EY (Matt Eves, buyside corporate finance), Grant Thornton (Sofie Morgan, tax), Seedcloud (Laurence Holloway, technical due diligence) and Sustainable Advantage (Ollie Funnell, ESG due diligence). KPMG (Ben Taylor) acted as financial adviser to Skiddle's shareholders, with Addleshaw Goddard (Paul Medlicott) as legal adviser, BDO (Matthew Savage) on vendor financial due diligence, and GCS Insight (James Tetherton) on vendor commercial due diligence.
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