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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Business
James Andrews

Sports Direct snaps up fashion chain Jack Wills in £12million deal

Sports Direct has bought the business and assets of the clothing chain Jack Wills, including all its stores and stock for £12,750,000.

The chain was bought from administration, by Mike Ashley's firm after struggling to stay afloat on its own.

The deal includes  all 100 UK and Ireland stores and stock, as well as a distribution centre, along with all employees.

Jack Wills chief executive Suzanne Harlow said: "For the past year, we have been focused on improving the Jack Wills proposition and the group's financial performance.

"Despite significant progress, the challenging trading environment led us to conclude that the company's long-term future would be best served as part of a larger group and Sports Direct will enable us to do this."

Mike Ashley won the bidding war with Edinburgh Wool Mill (Getty)

Jack Wills was put up for sale earlier this year by its private equity owner Bluegem Capital.

For the year ended 28 January 2018, Jack Wills made an operating loss of £14,232,000 before exceptional items.

Advisers at KPMG said Jack Wills had been put into administration on Monday and was immediately sold to Sports Direct in a process known as a pre-pack administration.

Will Wright, partner at KPMG and joint administrator, said: "Jack Wills has a strong brand and proud British heritage, so it is pleasing to have been able to secure this agreement with Sports Direct."

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