Aussie chains head for the UK

Australian-owned music retailer Sanity is on the verge of launching one or more new fascias in the UK, as it retrenches its core business.

The drive has resulted from initial findings of a business review that was started last month at Brazin, the retailer's Sydney-based parent company.

Brazin group business development director Tony Ho estimated that 30 to 35 of the 105 UK stores will be closed or rebranded to sell products from the group's other core areas, which include lingerie, footwear and surfwear.

Ho said the company was not yet certain of the names to be tested, other than existing lingerie fascia BNT, or Bras N Things.

Ho said he was pleased with the performance of the team in the UK and emphasised that the decision to shrink the Sanity chain was purely in response to market forces.

He said: 'When we acquired the business, we set ourselves a period of time to turn it around. But now, in view of the contraction in the music business, there is an urgent need to review.' Brazin acquired Our Price and V-Shop outlets in the UK in separate deals over the past two years.

'Once we pilot the concepts, we will see how the (UK) public responds.

We're trying to pre-empt the change in the music market before it smacks us in the face,' he added.