Sports Direct founder Mike Ashley renews BHS interest in letter to administrators

Ashley reportedly wants to save the BHS brand and keep some stores open

Ashley said that he “100 per cent wanted to buy BHS” at the Sports Direct hearing (Reuters)

Mike Ashley, the founder of Sports Direct, has written to administrators to confirm that he is still interested in buying parts of collapsed retail chain BHS.

Mr Ashley reportedly wants to save the BHS brand and keep some stores open, potentially saving some of the 11,000 jobs that will be lost if administrators are unable to find a buyer for the former high street giant.

“We can confirm that we have a continued interest in BHS,” a Sports Direct spokesman said.

“We have written to the administrator seeking to re-open a dialogue about saving a number of jobs and stores along with the BHS name.”

Duff and Phelps, the administrator, confirmed that it had received the letter but made no further comment.

Meanwhile, MPs who heard evidence from Mr Ashley about working practices at Sports Direct on Monday, June 6 have written to him to ask for confirmation of claims made about his interest in BHS.

The claims were made by former bosses of BHS during an hearing investigating the collapse of the chain on Tuesday, June 7.

Dominic Chappell, former owner of BHS, has said Sir Philip Green, who sold the company to Mr Chappell for £1 in 2015, “went insane” and called the administrators when Sports Direct founder Mike Ashley tried to buy the high street chain and blocked the deal, MPs heard.

Mr Ashley said that he “100 per cent wanted to buy BHS” at the Sports Direct hearing.

“I would have loved to have bought it,” he added.

“BHS is logical it’s also logical we could have offered extreme value, Sports Direct upstairs and BHS downstairs... we could have got synergies,” he said.