Wolseley linked to a return to retail

LEAMINGTON SPA building materials group Wolseley is understood to be considering a possible £100m bid for Better Bathrooms, an online and high street retailer.

It would mean a return to retail following its sale of its Bathstore brand four years ago for £15m to focus on core operations.

North West-based Better Bathrooms is part owned by the Birmingham-based Business Growth Fund which injected £10m in return for a 30% stake last year.

Better Bathrooms’ sales have leapt from just £1m in 2007 to £31.1m last year. Pre-tax profits were £4m.

The company was founded 12 years ago by eBay entrepreneur Colin Stevens.

It now employs 200 staff and has sites in Wigan, Warrington, Manchester, Leicester, York and Slough and is planning to move further south and have 25 showrooms within three to five years. 

Stevens reportedly has ambitions for the Better Bathrooms brand to be as big as B&Q.

  
 

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