Rigby buys care services firm
FORMER Spice Group chairman Simon Rigby has bought a Blackpool-based care services company Safehands Group for an undisclosed sum.
The business, which also contains the Safehands Network and Safehands Greenstart Nurseries, employs 250 people. It was set up by vendors and majority shareholders Stephanie and Gary Farrer 14 years ago, and has since grown into a £5m-turnover operation.
The company owns seven nurseries and offers national babysitting and crèche provision services. IT also delivers more than 3,000 hours of care a week in people’s own homes.
Rigby, along with his wife Linda, was previously a minority shareholder of the business, based on Seasiders Way.
The New Mayfair Hotel, a specialist respite care hotel on Blackpool’s New South Promenade, is also being placed into the Group.
Rigby netted a £22m windfall when the utility services group Spice was sold to private equity investors Cinven in a £251m deal last year. He is also founder and director of Farmgen – the company looking to generate electricity via anaerobic digestion from farm waste. Its first £4m site in Cumbria is about to start generating electricity.
Rigby said: “I would like to thank the Farrers for their efforts, especially in the last four years while we have been fellow directors.”
Mr Farrer said: “Stephanie and I are delighted to be handing Safehands on to someone with experience of running large businesses.”
The transaction was supported by law firm Napthens and accountants Rawcliffe & Co.
