Go Outdoors pays out £8m

Go Outdoors, the private equity-backed outdoor retail specialist, has paid dividends of £7.72m in the last year after delivering a sharp uplift in profits.

The bulk of the payout is for a £6.23m property dividend, following a sale and leaseback on the retailer's store in Coventry. This was done after the private equity firm 3i acquired a 25 per cent stake in Go Outdoors in April, which valued the chain at up to £100m.

Go Outdoors, which has over 30 shops, delivered profits up by 22 per cent to £5.2m for the year to 30 January 2011. Total sales rose by 53 per cent to £115.24m, boosted by new shops.