
BGF backs Better Bathrooms with £10m
Business Growth Fund (BGF) has injected £10m into UK-based bathroom retailer Better Bathrooms in exchange for a minority stake.
The fresh funding will be used to create 500 new jobs over the next five years by way of expansion into new international markets. The company will also use the financing to look into alternative source suppliers.
The investment marks the sixth business in the north-west of the UK to be backed by BGF. Total investments by the firm in the region amount to £30m.
Company
Founded in 2001, Better Bathrooms is headquartered in Lancashire with showrooms in Wigan, Warrington and Manchester. The company supplies bathroom products, ranging from entire suites to smaller accessories. Sales channels include showrooms, websites and a telephone mail order catalogue.
Better Bathrooms recorded a turnover of £32m for 2012 and has forecast a £40m turnover for the next financial year. The company employs 75 staff.
People
Colin Stevens is the founder of Better Bathrooms. David Colclough is an investment director for BGF's Manchester-based team. Through BGF, Paul Gilbert will join Better Bathrooms' board as a non-executive chairman. Gilbert is also the non-executive chairman of the Gym Group.
Advisers
Equity – Dow Schofield Watts, Catriona Lang (Financial due diligence); Pinsent Masons, Gregg Davison, James Fitzgibbon (Legal).
Company – Brabners Chaffe Street, John Boydell (Legal).
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