Soon after, Coastline started renting the part of the yard and eventually took part of the premises and the illustrious name before floating on the stock exchange in 1997.

BBC: Cammell Laird blow will end era

And the boom crossed the Atlantic, with UK travel company Lastminute.com, lead by Brent Hoberman and Martha Lane Fox, floating on the London stock market.

BBC: Internet cafe in Beijing

The European Commission is forcing Lloyds to dispose of this operation, which is being rebranded as TSB, to promote competition, and that will still happen - by floating the separated business on the stock market.

BBC: Will Co-Op pull out of banking?

For instance, the bank 80% owned by taxpayers, Royal Bank of Scotland, has announced it is floating some of its US business, Citizens, on the stock market and selling a further stake in the insurer Direct Line.

BBC: Who can boss the banks?

My sources at the Treasury tell me that they are happy with RBS's current proposals to mend itself, which involve shrinking its investment bank and floating a share of its US retail bank, Citizens, on the stock market.

BBC: Will RBS sell Coutts?