Sports World owner buys 72-store chain
Secretive Sports World owner Mike Ashley has continued to build his sportswear empire by buying rival chain Gilesports.
Gilesports has 72 stores, primarily in Wales, the West Country and the Midlands, although it also has stores in the Northeast through its 2002 acquisition of six stores from Dixon Sports. The company has been run by four generations of the Giles family, since it was founded in 1925.
'Today's sport retail market is a very tough competitive environment,' said Gilesports buying and merchandising director Andy Giles. 'To compete effectively we wanted to become part of a very large group.'
Sports World already has a chain of over 200 stores in the UK. It is expected the Gilesports fascia will remain on the newly acquired stores. Sports World would not comment on the purchase price.
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