Peter Done
Peter Done | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 6, 1947 Salford, Lancashire, England |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
| Known for | Co-founder of Betfred; founder and group managing director of Peninsula Business Services |
Peter Eric Done (born 6 February 1947) is a British billionaire entrepreneur, known as the co-founder of Betfred and the founder and group managing director of Peninsula Business Services, which he launched in 1983.
Early life
Born in Salford, Lancashire, England on 6 February 1947, Done grew up alongside three siblings, including his brother and fellow businessman Fred Done. He attended Trafford Road School in Salford followed by Winton Senior School in Eccles. At the age of 15, he left formal education to join his father’s illicit bookmaking enterprise with his brother. By 17, he was already managing a betting shop for another firm, despite the legal minimum age being 18. At 21, he purchased his own betting shop located in Pendleton.
Betfred
In 1967, Peter and his brother Fred launched a bookmaking venture funded partly by winnings from the 1966-67 World Cup and supplemented by a £75,000 loan from NatWest. Originally operating under the name Done Brothers, the company later adopted the Betfred brand. It started as a family business with Peter overseeing sales and marketing.
During the 1967 foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in the UK, which forced many bookmakers to close, Betfred adapted by shifting its focus from horse racing to afternoon dog racing to sustain operations.
Within a year, they expanded their holdings by purchasing a second betting shop for £250, recovering this investment within a week. Peter took charge of this new location while Fred managed their initial shop; their sister eventually ran a third outlet.
By 2018, Betfred had grown to operate more than 1,650 betting shops with an estimated annual turnover near £10 billion.
Peninsula
Following a £9,000 settlement from an employment tribunal in 1983, Done and his brother established Professional Personnel and Management Services Limited. By 1989, when the company faced potential collapse threatening their £450,000 investment, they resorted to flipping a coin to decide who would lead its recovery; Peter won.
He concentrated on revitalizing the business by directly marketing its services. Although initially intending to commit only six months before returning to Betfred, he remained actively involved for over thirty years.
In May 2012, Peninsula expanded internationally by acquiring a 65% ownership stake in Employsure, an Australian firm specializing in industrial relations advice founded in 2011.
In 2013, Done invested £1.6 million into developing HROnline, an application designed to help employers manage HR functions such as tracking sickness absence and holiday entitlements.
As of 2021, Peter Done continues as founder and managing director of Peninsula, which positions itself as the UK’s leading provider of employment law guidance, HR support, health and safety consultancy, and employee assistance services. Its portfolio includes subsidiaries like Employsure, Peninsula Canada, Croner Tax, Croneri, and Croner Group. Headquartered at the Peninsula Building in Manchester, the company employs over 3,500 staff across five countries. The Canadian division operates across nine provinces serving more than 3,000 clients with a workforce exceeding 200 employees. In 2023, Peninsula reported profits surpassing £100 million for the first time.
Charity
Done, alongside his brother, has founded charitable foundations with a focus on supporting children’s hospitals and related causes. A significant gesture included donating the entire day’s Betfred earnings to the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital during the Cheltenham Festival. Additionally, at the 2021 World Snooker Championship, they pledged £200 for every century break made, resulting in a total contribution of £40,000 to the Jessie May children’s charity.
In March 2021, Peninsula successfully raised £1 million for the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital. As the Covid-19 crisis unfolded, Done increased this commitment to £2 million. He remarked, “Peninsula Group is proud to have achieved the impressive milestone of raising £1 million through our outstanding fundraising initiatives, with the Group matching every donation received.” By the close of 2022, Peninsula had fulfilled its £2 million goal and committed an additional £1 million for the year 2023.
Awards and accolades
Done was nominated for the Service Industries category at the Great British Entrepreneur Awards in 2015. Later, in 2019, he earned recognition through the Glassdoor Employees’ Choice Award.
Personal life
Living in Salford, Done wed Anne Done in 1968, and together they have two children. His property portfolio includes homes in Ladyhill, Manchester, the Lake District, and Nice, France. Among his vehicles are a Lamborghini SUV and a Mercedes-Benz.
A devoted fan of Manchester United FC, Done frequently attends matches alongside his brother; these casual outings often double as business discussions. He maintains a friendship with Sir Alex Ferguson and regularly spends holidays with him in France.
The Sunday Times Rich List valued Done and his brother’s combined wealth at £1.87 billion in 2023. That year, they paid £136.8 million in taxes, placing them fifth on The Sunday Times Tax List of the UK’s highest taxpayers. By May 2025, their net worth was reported to have grown to £2.915 billion.