Homeform’s owners run the rule over Bathstore

The private equity owners of Trafford-based Homeform Group are said to be running the rule over the Bathstore chain of retail outlets with a view to making a bid for the company, according to reports.

Homeform, which was started as the Limelight Group by the late Stephen Boler, has been owned by US-based Sun Capital Partners since 2007.

It currently trades under the Dolphin Bathrooms, Moben Kitchens and Sharps Bedrooms brands.

It operates around 160 showrooms and has 1,300 employees, while group accounts for the year to March 31 show a pre-tax loss of £12.3m on sales of £148.2m. It is based in the Cornbrook area of Old Trafford.

The Bathstore is owned by plumbing and builders’ merchants Wolseley, which is reported to have appointed Catalyst Corporate Finance to sell the 170-branch Bathstore chain.

In the year to July 31, 2009, Bathstore declared a pre-tax loss of £12.3m after charging exceptional costs relating to the closure of 19 unprofitable stores. It had a turnover of £106.7m.

The Independent newspaper reports that Homeform is one of several potential bidders for Bathstore.