JD Sports buys indie retailer Wellgosh

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Jan 6, 2021

Retail giant JD Sports has taken control of premium independent UK menswear retailer Wellgosh for an undisclosed purchase price.

While news of the takeover has only emerged now, the transaction seems to have happened last autumn with a Companies House filing showing JD Sports Fashion Plc with a 75% holding as far back as September 2020.

That came at the same time as Peter Cowgill, who’s executive chairman of JD, and Neil James Greenhalgh, who’s its CFO, were named as directors of Wellgosh. Pete Turner also ceased to be a director of Wellgosh when Cowgill and Greenhalgh joined the board.

Turner had founded the business, which is based in Leicester, around three decades ago as a single, small store, before moving to its current larger premises over 20 years ago.

Wellgosh’s store has been closed during the three English lockdowns and it has focused on online trading. The company sells a wide range of brands including Reebok, Puma, Vans, Dr Martens, Nike, Saucony, Stussy, Clarks Originals, Patagonia, and its own label, among many others.

JD has been on the acquisition trail in both the UK and abroad in recent years with a number of purchases both large and small. Its most recent buy was a deal to take control of US retailer Shoe Palace.