Outdoor retailer Yeomans has been sold to John Kinnaird, former boss of Sports Division.

Specialist investor Jason Granite, who bought the 90 store retailer last July, is understood to have sold the business to Kinnaird for an undisclosed sum.

Kinnaird’s acquisition is likely to cause concern to Yeomans employees as retailers such as footwear retailers Faith, Dolci’s and menswear chain Envy, have plunged into administration under his leadership.

All businesses were troubled before Kinnaird took over them over.

Yeomans, which has branches in garden centres, outlet centres and on the high street, was bought by former Deutsche Bank distressed debt trader Granite after its sales suffered due to the harsh trading environment.

Granite, formerly associated with special situations fund Agilo, has been involved in several high-profile retail deals in the past decade ranging from homewares retailer Ponden Mill to designer fashion business Amanda Wakeley.

Kinnaird made his name running Sports Division in 1990s, which was sold to JJB in 1998.