House of Bruar for sale

Scottish retailer The House of Bruar, dubbed the “Harrods of the North”, is up for sale with a price

tag in the region of £50 million.

The Highlands-based company’s owners, husband and wife Mark and Linda Birkbeck, have begun a strategic review of their options following a number of approaches over the years.

The pair, both in their 60s, believe that the time has come to exit the business. Their son, Patrick, hopes to maintain his role as managing director.

The clothes, food and homewares retailer, which occupies an 11-acre site on the edge of the A9 at the gateway to the Highlands in rural Perthshire, is expected to receive interest from trade and luxury goods companies interested in developing the Bruar brand, as well as private equity buyers.

Potential development includes opening more sites in the UK and abroad, and the move of its annual catalogue into a fully-fledged online offering. Sales in the year to January reached £18.9 million, generating earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of £3.68 million. The business, which has net assets at book value of £20.4 million, has no debt.