Founded in Liverpool in the 1920s Norwest Construction was merged in 1969 with the Danish civil engineering company Holst and Co. to become Norwest Holst. In the 1980s the company was the largest privately owned construction group in the UK. Norwest Holt was later acquired by Taylor Woodrow, and in turn was sold to VINCI Construction UK in 2008. Noel Le Mare, the founder of the original Liverpool Norwest Construction company became internationally famous as the owner of the racehorse Red Rum. Trained by Ginger McCain, Red Rum won three Grand Nationals in 1973, 1974 and 1977 - as well as taking second place in the intervening races of 1975 and 1976. A record that remains unsurpassed.
The Norwest Holst Prize is given to MArch students for the best performance in practice management and law.