Reubens in £25m swoop on Battersea heliport

The Reuben Brothers, who amassed a £6bn fortune through property and internet interests, have bought London's only licensed commercial heliport for about £25m. David and Simon Reuben bought Battersea's heliport from Andrew Davis, the former chief executive of the bust hotels group Von Essen. Mr Davis bought the heliport through the separate Von Essen Aviation company for £50m in 2007.

The heliport, opened in 1959, handles 1,000 flights a month. It should see brisk business this summer as it is excluded from the no-fly zone over the capital for the Olympics.

The Reubens fought off bidders including Joe Bamford, the owner of the digger giant JCB, and Mohamed al-Fayed, the former Harrods owner.