Dawson interested in buying Derrys
Chris Dawson, owner of DIY stores group, The Range, is reported to be interested in buying some of troubled Vergo Retail’s outlets, including Derrys of Plymouth.
Vergo went into administration during May, unable to survive in the current economic downturn.
Dawson, said to be worth £65million, commented, “I can’t tell you what we have bid for but I am interested in a few of the stores, parts of the group and all of the stock. I’m sure every man and his dog would be interested in bidding for the best bits of the estate.”
Vergo, a department store business based in Liverpool owns Lewis’s in the North West, Robbs of Hexham, Joplings of Sunderland and Derrys of Plymouth. The group also embraces four Homemaker stores in Devon, six home stores and a jewellery shop on the east coast.
Its owner, David Thompson, is a former director of Mothercare, Habitat and British Home Stores, with considerable retail experience.
Chris Dawson said, “This is what we do all the time, I complete similar bids like this around 30 times a year.”
Derrys was expected to shut in a few weeks — a closing down sale is already underway.
It looks like a buyer might have been found in the nick of time.