Snow+Rock changes hands
Wednesday September 15, 2010 - Email this article to a friend

The UK retailer has been bought in a management buy out. It's a familiar shop for people who go skiing and snowboarding. So, what difference will it make?

The company has been bought by a team led by the current Managing Director, Dion Taylor.

The deal is backed by LGV Capital.

Taylor is a very well-known figure in the ski and snowboard industry.

The management team have invested their own funds.

The current owner, Andrew Brownsword, bought the business 6 years ago and has sold it for an undisclosed amount.

He is retaining a significant investment in the company.

It was a mixed season for retailers selling ski and snowboard equipment.

Sales of helmets went up across the board while it was a different picture for skis.

Out in The Alps shops reported a reduction in people buying new skis, partly perhaps due to the general economic climate and also partly due to the poor exchange rate.

Snow+Rock however reported a growth in ski sales for the 2009/10 season compared to the previous winter of 2008/09.

As well as selling winter sports equipment Snow+Rock is familiar to many of us as it sells camping, climbing and other gear for outdoor sports.

Big seller for Snow & RockIt currently has 35 shops across the UK and plans to open more over the coming years.

Snow+Rock was established in 1982 and now encompasses specialist sports and leisure retail brands including Cycle Surgery and Runners Need.

Cycling which has been one of the major growth areas in recent years.

Not only on the roads in the UK but also off road.

Mountain biking is one of the fastest growing leisure sports and there is money to be made not just in selling bikes but also all the accompanying accessories.

In the Alps it has given a huge boost to the summer toursim market with areas like the Portes du Soleil embracing the new sport and gaining large benefits.

The high street shop Halfords, that used to be more of a shop for motoring products, now specialises in bikes.

Harder to shift Skis on sale"For my team and me it is the realisation of an ambition we have held for a number of years. Andrew Brownsword and Jeremy Hancock helped us to grow the group to its current marketleading position, but now it is time for the management to become stakeholders in the business and to continue to drive it forward," says Taylor in a statement we have just received at PlanetSKI.

"Our three brands of Snow+Rock, Cycle Surgery and Runners Need are the leading specialist retailers in their sectors. With the support of LGV we have developed a roll out plan which will bring our brands to a wider audience, whilst staying true to our principles of providing premium retail environments along with unrivalled customer service and the best products available."

Ever more popular in The Alps