JD plans to re-energise fashion brand Henleys

JD SPORTS has snapped up fashion brand Henleys from Manchester entrepreneur Ben Luscombe, and now plans to “re-energise” it as part of a fresh brand focus.

Henley’s was a hugely popular three years ago, but has since been superseded as the key ‘street brand’ by the likes of G Star Raw and Superdry.

At one stage it had its own chain of 18 shops, but these were closed and the retail business placed into administration in March 2011 amid poor trading and high lease costs.

Bury-based JD has paid £2.6m for the Manchester business, which supplies a number of retail chains.

Executive chairman Peter Cowgill told TheBusinessDesk.com: “We see potential in Henleys and that’s why we’re taken it on. We’ll look to energise it again – it obviously ran into trouble with the stores – and I don’t believe one brand can warrant a stand alone proposition.”

Mr Cowgill categorically ruled out any move for ailing North West rival JJB Sports – or any of its stores.

Wigan-based JJB is likely to be sold in a pre-pack administration after a clutch of trading and financial problems brought it to its knees over the last three years.

JD, which wanted to buy JJB a year ago, and looked again this Spring, has now decided not to take part in the sales process.

Mr Cowgill said: “We would have to have taken it on and run it as JJB as a fascia in its own right – and once we decided not to do that our interest ended.

“We’ll not look at the stores either – they are too big for our formats. They tend to be around 8,000 sq ft with room for heavier equipment and that doesn’t suit us at all.”

Referring to JD’s half year results, which showed a sharp fall in profits , Mr Cowgill said: “I feel better than they look – there are a number of issues, ranging from Blacks to the new warehouse which has cost us more than we thought, and some acquisitions we made last year too.”