Furniture chain Betta Living seeks buyer

The father-and-son team behind Betta Living will put the fitted bathroom and kitchen chain up for sale tomorrow.

Chairman Noel Dean and son James are looking for a private equity investor or a rival to take either a stake in the 47-year-old business or buy it outright.

An industry source said that Betta Living, which has 29 stores but will soon be selling through a major high-street name, should fetch well over £25m due to its recent growth spurt and upbeat prospects.

Brian Higgins, a partner at Betta Living's adviser, Rickitt Mitchell, said: "Betta Living is about to double its footprint, which is a very good base for a trade or private equity investor."

The news emerges as Dean House, which owns the Betta Living brand, announced record turnover and profit figures today. Pre-tax profit was up 44 per cent in 2012 to £1.5m off a turnover of nearly £30m.