Ashley set to enter bidding war for Jaeger
Controversial High Street titan Mike Ashley is readying a bid for struggling retailer Jaeger, reports emerged today.
Ashley’s Frasers Group, one known as Sports Direct, is understood to be interested in adding Austin Reed, Jacques Vert and Jaeger to his expanding portfolio.
The news was first reported by the Sunday Times.
Read more: Ashley plots yet another raid on Debenhams
The brands are run by Lauren Day, the daughter of Philip Day – Ashley’s great rival in bricks and mortar retail.
Ashley swiped Jack Wills from under Day’s nose last year, a blow to the latter’s Edinburgh Woollen Mill Group.
The group is now struggling to survive in the midst of the collapse in retail as a result of Covid-19 lockdown restrictions.
Frasers, however, has tabled bids for Debenhams and acquired sportswear outfit DW Sports in the summer.
Bids will need to be tabled this week. Ashley’s chief rival for Jaeger is believed to be a consortium led by the firm’s former owner, Harold Tillman, and mattress entrepreneur James Cox.