Furniture retailer Lee Longlands has acquired four stores from the Furniture Barn Group with immediate effect. The Furniture Barn Group, which had been trading through administration since last year, previously had eight stores across the Midlands and northern region. Lee Longlands has acquired stores in Kidderminster, Grantham, Sheffield and Doncaster, and will start trading from these stores immediately.
All stores will form part of the Lee Longlands Trading Group but will be branded as Furniture Barn. It is anticipated that Kidderminster will be branded as a Lee Longland store after an initial three-six month period.
All staff currently employed at the four stores acquired will be retained, which will mean the safeguarding of 26 jobs, with a further 10 new roles also being created.
The Furniture Barn website has also been acquired as part of the deal, but Lee Longlands will not take ownership or control of the website until 8th May, when the Market Harborough store will be closed down by the administrator. The Market Harborough store is not part of the acquisition.
“I’m delighted to announce the acquisition of these stores from the Furniture Barn Group,” says Darren Campo, financial director for Lee Longlands. “This is the first major investment for Lee Longlands since the MBO was completed last year. It’s an important and exciting opportunity for us that is aligned to our strategic growth objectives.”
Lee Longlands were supported on the acquisition by Shakespeare Martineau and Finance Birmingham.
