Lincolnshire outdoorwear specialist snapped up by growing Astbury Collection

Tony Bailey

Outdoor leisurewear and equipment specialists Simply Hike has been bought by the owners of Lincolnshire wellington boot brand Evercreatures.

Simply Hike, which sells hiking, walking, camping and skiwear, has become the latest addition in the Astbury Collections group, which also owns Rainmac.

The acquisition of the Simply Hike brand, which will now become an entirely online operation with its headquarters based in Alford, Lincolnshire, is also expected to add six new employees via the government’s Kickstarter scheme.

Tony Bailey, owner and director of operations of Astbury Collections, says he is now working with new suppliers to add new brands, while also undertaking a wider review of the business.

Bailey said: “The opportunity to add Simply Hike to our portfolio of businesses was too good to miss.

“With Evercreatures having been a supplier to Simply Hike, I knew the business well. It has a lot of potential, even in a competitive sector, as at its peak it had a turnover of £3.5m per year.

“It is a strong retail brand, has an excellent reputation and superb customer loyalty, with good traction on social media. Simply Hike’s reviews and tips are amongst its most popular features and this will be something we will be continuing.

“The business is not without its challenges, particularly rebuilding in the current climate, but the reaction from suppliers and customers has been extremely positive.”

Bailey added: “We will need more staff across different areas and are looking to expand the warehouse, customer service, sales and marketing teams.

“We are awaiting the greenlight for funding from the government’s Kickstarter scheme and provide opportunities to help younger people back into the workplace.”

Click here to sign up to receive our new South West business news...
Close