Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Billionaire businessman Sir Richard Branson 'approached' over takeover

Calls are understood to have gone out to the 72-year-old Virgin boss who has a lengthy background in aviation after DSA owners Peel confirmed the closure of the base earlier this week, with operations being wound down as early as next month and the last flight due to take off on November 4. The airport is popular with holiday-makers from Derbyshire

Ahead of the closure, South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard and Doncaster Mayor confirmed they were in talks with a ‘serious’ consortium wanting to takeover the airport which opened in 2005.

They had offered to fund the running costs of the airport while talks were held – but Peel flatly refused the offer with the bombshell news that it plans to close the airport by the end of October, making more than 800 people redundant.

Local politicians are now considering their next move – including a compulsory purchase order and plans which would stop the site being used for anything other than aviation services up until 2035.

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The identity of those behind the consortium has not been revealed, but Sir Richard is one of the world’s leading airline business magnates, launching Virgin Atlantic in 1984.

He began his rise to the top in the 1970s, founding the Virgin Group, which today controls more than 400 companies in various fields, launching himself with the Virgin Records chain store.

We have contacted his office for comment.