Outdoor store back at Broughton Shopping Park near Chester

Mar 11 2010 by David Holmes, Chester Chronicle

AN OUTDOOR leisure company which closed its Chester and Broughton stores at the end of last year has made a return to the area.

Blacks Leisure Group plc shut down the stores as part of a nationwide closure programme but has now opened a new unit at the Broughton Shopping Park.

Blacks is going ahead with an expansion plan in defiance of a potential takeover swoop by Mike Ashley’s Sports Direct.

Last month Sports Direct snapped up 28.5% of Blacks and vowed to stop its rival raising money from shareholders for the enlargement. It has since confirmed it is considering a bid for the firm.

But Blacks said the store roll-out was being funded by cashflow within the business after strong trading over the Christmas period.

It said in the absence of a takeover offer it would continue alternative plans to raise money and was in the process of negotiating further sites for both its Blacks and Millets brands.

The firm said terms had been agreed on five new Blacks stores in Broughton, Glasgow, York, Cheltenham and Stratford-upon-Avon. The Broughton store began trading last weekend.