Locals invited to "own a bit of the London Eye" in Merlin flotation

Merlin Entertainments plans to raise £200 million by floating 20 per cent of the company.

"For a lot of Londoners, it's a chance to own a bit of the London Eye and Legoland," chief executive Nick Varney told the Evening Standard.

The minimum investment will be £1,000 and individual shareholders will be entitled to a 30 per cent discount on either two adult Merlin annual passes or one family Merlin annual pass.

"Over the past decade Merlin has become a truly impressive business, driven by a committed and dedicated management team and backed by supportive shareholders," said chairman Sir John Sunderland.

"I have been impressed by the significant growth that Merlin has delivered as a private company. But there is more to come and I believe Merlin has a very promising future as a publicly listed company."