11 December 2008

A long-established North Wales DIY chain was purchased by a Wirral-based rival in a move to create a combined company with sales topping out ceremony ￡ 5m.

W Bevan & Sons - Bevan - was developed by Rightway Ltd for an undisclosed sum in a business of NatWest.

Bevan is a family business founded more than 70 years of operation from its headquarters in Flint and seven other locations, Abergele, Buckley, Colwyn Bay, Denbigh, Gwersyllt, Holywell, and mold.

The combined companies employ 150 people over 15 locations and will continue to operate under the brand two identities - Rightway on the Wirral and Bevan Home and Gardens in North Wales.

Rightway was in 1988 as a single store in Neston and now operates eight locations in Wirral. Next March the company plans to resume Bevan Homes and Garden Shop in Flint.

David Clarke, director of the Rightway, said: "Bevan is a well established company with an excellent reputation in North Wales.

"There is a great synergy between the two companies."

The financing for the acquisition was by Simon Webb and Rob Grace of NatWest Commercial Bank.

Mr. Webb, Business Development Manager at NatWest, said: "David has Rightway into a successful DIY chain in the past 20 years and impressed us with his knowledge about this sector."