Moss Empires was a company formed in Edinburgh in 1899, from the merger of the theatre companies owned by Sir Edward Moss, Richard Thornton and Sir Oswald Stoll. This created the largest chain of variety theatres and music halls in the United Kingdom. The business was successful, with major variety theatres in almost every city in Britain and Ireland, and was advertised as the largest group in the world. In 1964, Stoll Moss was acquired by Lew Grade; it later became part of his Associated Communications Corporation. ACC was acquired by Robert Holmes à Court in 1982.