Close Menu
Pest MagazinePest Magazine
  • News
    • National Pest Awards
    • BPCA
    • NPTA
    • Companies
    • Local Authority
    • Natural England
    • HSE
    • People
    • Products
    • Best Practice
    • Brexit
    • COVID-19
  • Species
    • Rodents
    • Insects
    • Birds
    • Mammals
  • Magazines
    • June/July 2025
    • April / May 2025
    • Feb / March 2025
    • Dec 2024 / Jan 2025
    • Oct / Nov 2024
    • Aug / Sept 2024
  • Library
    • Annual Reports
    • Company Catalogues
    • Guidance
    • Inserts
    • Supplements
  • Professional Development
    • BASIS
    • Research
    • Stewardship
    • Training
  • Pest Test
  • Jobs
    • View All Jobs
  • Key Supporters
    • Bábolna Bio
    • Bell Laboratories
    • Pelsis
    • Envu
    • Lodi UK
    • PelGar International
    • Russell IPM
    • Syngenta
X (Twitter) LinkedIn
  • Sign-up for weekly news emails
  • Subscribe to Pest Magazine
  • About Us
    • Technical Advisory Board
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
X (Twitter) LinkedIn
Pest Test Log-In
Pest MagazinePest Magazine
  • News
    • National Pest Awards
    • BPCA
    • NPTA
    • Companies
    • Local Authority
    • Natural England
    • HSE
    • People
    • Products
    • Best Practice
    • Brexit
    • COVID-19
  • Species
    1. Rodents
    2. Insects
    3. Birds
    4. Mammals
    5. View All

    Helping a luxury car showroom eradicate an infestation and steer clear of rodents

    25 March 2024

    Case Study – Freeing a pig farm of a severe rodent infestation in just 10 days

    11 May 2023

    Chinese takeaway issues apology after video of rats and raw chicken emerges

    14 July 2021

    Republic of Ireland rodent callouts jump 35%

    25 June 2021

    13 confirmed sightings of yellow-legged hornets so far in 2025

    13 May 2025

    Red Spider Mites on the hunt for spaces to hibernate

    3 December 2024

    Rentokil encourages vigilance as wasp activity increases ahead of the early autumn nesting period

    25 September 2024

    Rentokil warns of a surge in biting insects as humid weather continues

    3 September 2024

    Worcester City Council increases budget to control gull numbers by £35,000

    26 October 2022

    BPCA urges householders and businesses to seek professional advice if birds are becoming a problem

    3 May 2022

    NatureScot restricts the use of general licences on Lochan Estate in Perthshire

    7 February 2022

    Natural Resources Wales confirms Welsh general licence extension until June 2022

    17 December 2021

    Conservation charity warns of need for joined-up approach and a fast-track to effective grey squirrel controls

    30 May 2025

    Squirrel charity welcomes new legislation on use of gene editing

    14 June 2022

    Ferrets to be removed as permitted target species for the DOC 250 spring trap

    13 April 2021

    Charity says planting of 30,000 hectares of trees must be matched by grey squirrel control

    10 February 2021

    Conservation charity warns of need for joined-up approach and a fast-track to effective grey squirrel controls

    30 May 2025

    13 confirmed sightings of yellow-legged hornets so far in 2025

    13 May 2025

    Red Spider Mites on the hunt for spaces to hibernate

    3 December 2024

    Rentokil encourages vigilance as wasp activity increases ahead of the early autumn nesting period

    25 September 2024
  • Magazines
    1. June/July 2025
    2. April / May 2025
    3. Feb / March 2025
    4. Dec 2024 / Jan 2025
    5. Oct / Nov 2024
    6. Aug / Sept 2024
    Featured

    Pest 99: June/July 2025

    By Simon King10 June 2025
    Recent

    Pest 99: June/July 2025

    10 June 2025

    Pest 98: April / May 2025

    8 April 2025

    Pest 97: February / March 2025

    12 February 2025
  • Library
    • Annual Reports
    • Company Catalogues
    • Guidance
    • Inserts
    • Supplements
  • Professional Development
    • BASIS
    • Research
    • Stewardship
    • Training
  • Pest Test
  • Jobs
    • View All Jobs
  • Key Supporters
    • Bábolna Bio
    • Bell Laboratories
    • Pelsis
    • Envu
    • Lodi UK
    • PelGar International
    • Russell IPM
    • Syngenta
Pest MagazinePest Magazine
Companies

New owners for Pest publications

Helen RibyBy Helen Riby28 January 2020No Comments4 Mins Read
LinkedIn Twitter Facebook Email

It was announced today (23 January 2020) that Pest has a new owner, Lewis Business Media (LBM). LBM is an independent, specialist business to business publisher. Pest founders, Frances McKim and Helen Riby say the move has secured an exciting, long-term future for Pest.
Lewis Business Media (LBM) was formed in February 2012 by the Lewis family. Based in Uckfield in East Sussex, the company continues to be family-owned and publishes a range of specialist titles in both print and online media. Now employing 22 people, the portfolio includes a number of titles in the agriculture sector as well as a number of magazines for niche professions. Pest is therefore a natural fit. The acquisition was completed on 22 January 2020.

Lewis Business Media (LBM), is a family-owned and managed publisher based in Uckfield in East Sussex. As yet, they have little knowledge of the professional public health pest control market – but are keen to learn and get involved. They will be at PPC Live. They do already produce magazines for the farming sector including: Agronomist & Arable Farmer, Pig World, Poultry Business and a magazine called OverTheCounter which is aimed at those who work in country stores.

Frances & Helen at PestTech 2019
Pest founders Helen Riby, left, and
Frances McKim are delighted to secure
an exciting long-term future for Pest

The new Pest team
The new Pest team: Simon Lewis, left, Emma Sharp and Simon King, are looking to retain all that’s great about the print magazine whilst enhancing the digital offering

Helen Riby comments: “We are very proud of what we’ve achieved with Pest over the past 11 years, but there is a limit to how much two people can do! Finding a new owner to take the publication on to its next stage hasn’t been easy. Our most important consideration was to ensure the publication retains its independence. We are very happy that our search has been fruitful. In Lewis Business Media we have found a small, specialist, independent publisher with all the right skills to nurture our baby.”

No moonlight flit!
But, as Frances McKim explains: “Pest control won’t be getting rid of us that easily! Rest assured we are not doing a moonlight flit, never to be seen again. We will still be involved making sure things get handed over smoothly and providing editorial content – although obviously, over the longer term, our contributions will reduce.

She continues: “Both Helen and I would like to thank all our readers for their encouraging comments and contributions and our advertisers for their commitment and financial support. Thanks are also due to our Technical Advisory Board members who have always been very generous with their advice.”

Simon Lewis, LBM managing director says: “I am very pleased we have completed this latest acquisition and I’m looking forward to getting involved in the pest control industry. Frances and Helen have done a great job running the magazine since its inception and I’m delighted they have both agreed to join the Technical Advisory Board and will continue to provide some content. So their expertise will not be lost!”

Enhanced digital offering
Simon continues: “We plan to retain all that is great about the print magazine delivering news, analysis, technical advice and business features, and we will be looking to enhance the digital offering. The new editor will be Simon King who certainly has some big shoes to fill! Simon is currently the editor of OvertheCounter, the magazine for Suitably Qualified Persons (SQP) in the UK – the professional qualification required to sell certain animal health products. The majority of SQPs work in country stores so they, of course, sell pest control too – so there is a natural cross over. Advertisers will be looked after by the new commercial team lead by Emma Sharp, sales director.

“The new Pest team will all be at PPC Live in Harrogate on 11 March. We look forward to meeting readers and advertisers alike!” concludes Simon.

Pest was launched in November 2008, since when it has established itself as a leading independent source of information for pest professionals, not only in the UK, but around the world.

Issue 1Eleven years and counting: Issue 1 February 2009…

 

Issue 66…to Issue 66 published in December 2019

 

Share. LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Email
Previous ArticleSignificant labels changes for Ficam D tops 2019 most read league table
Next Article Shake up at ServiceMaster – not good news for the sale of pest control companies
Helen Riby

Read Similar Stories

“Technical innovation has always been at the heart of PelGar”

Vergo’s vision: Regional delivery on a national scale

Veritas launches new Vertebrate Identification flashcards

Latest Stories

Veterans bring more than just discipline and reliability

23 June 2025

NPTA publishes its training dates for the second half of 2025

20 June 2025

“Technical innovation has always been at the heart of PelGar”

19 June 2025
Key Supporters
© 2025 Lewis Business Media. All Rights Reserved.
Lewis Business Media, Suite A, Arun House, Office Village, River Way, Uckfield, TN22 1SL

Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions

  • National Pest Awards
  • OvertheCounter
  • Pet Business World

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.