UK - Barclays Ventures acquires Christy Group in £21m deal

Barclays Ventures has backed the £21m management buyout of Christy Group Ltd, a designer, importer and distributor of children’s dress-up costumes based in Barnsley. Christy supplies major retailers worldwide such as Walmart/ASDA, Tesco, Marks and Spencer and El Corte Ingles with own-label and licenced children’s dressing-up costumes. The company has the pan-European licence for Disney dress-up, and has particularly benefited from the success of recent Disney blockbusters such as the Pirates of the Caribbean series, as well as enduring classics such as Snow White and Cinderella. This, along with the increased popularity of Halloween has helped the company gain a 60% share of the £30m UK market for children's dress-up. It employs over 220 people worldwide and its operations extend to over 40 countries.