Littlewoods Shop Direct Group Ltd. ("LSDG") is a United Kingdom retail group, based in Liverpool, Merseyside, England.

Formed from the merger of the Littlewoods and Shop Direct groups, LSDG has its roots in the pools and retail business founded by John and Cecil Moores, and the home shopping business of "Great Universal Stores" (what is now GUS plc).

History

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Littlewoods

Founded by John Moores and his brother Cecil in 1923, Littlewoods was initially a football pools company, which used its network of pools agents and printing company (founded in 1928) to establish itself as a catalogue retailer from 1932 onwards.

The success of the catalogue shopping business lead to the opening of a Littlewoods high steet department store in Blackpool in 1937.

In October 2001, Littlewoods became the owner of the Swan brand for electrical goods and kitchen equipment.

In November 2002 the Moores family sold the Littlewoods Group to the Barclay brothers for £750 million.

GUS/Shop Direct

Formation of Littlewoods Shop Direct Group

In March 2005, following a twenty year history in which it had never made a profit, it was announced that part of the Index chain of catalogue shops was to be sold to Argos, and the remainder was to be closed ^*.

In July 2005 Associated British Foods purchased the 120 branch Littlewoods retail chain on behalf of its retail subsidiary Primark for £409 million. Some of the stores are being converted into branches of Primark, and the remainder are being sold on to other retailers. The Littlewoods name disappeared from the British high street in March 2006.

Following these disposals, the Littlewoods home shopping business was merged with that of Shop Direct, to form the United Kingdoms largest home shopping business.

Brands

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LSDG currently operates a variety of home shopping brands, consisting of the former Littlewoods brands, Littlewoods Even More and LX Direct, and the former Shop Direct brands, Additions Direct, Abound, Great Universal, Marshall Ward, Choice, and Kays.

Sites

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LSDG occupies one of Europe's largest warehouse distribution centres from which it can deliver its stock to its customers. This complex, known to the company as Shaw National Distribution Centre. is found in Shaw and Crompton, in the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, Greater Manchester. It comprises of three former cotton mills and a number of state-of-the-art stock handling facilities, and is supported by strong geographic positioning and well served local transport links.

LSDG also owns a further former mill in the Oldham area - Raven Mill, in Chadderton, which it uses for processing returned goods.

On 9th May 2006, the company announced the closure of three warehouses in Eccles, Wigan and Worcester. These closures are planned for 2007, with all operations being transferred to their Shaw and Crompton location. Around 1,200 jobs are being lost from the closures, but 300 jobs are to be created at the Shaw and Crompton distribution centre.

LSDG has recently invested in a new state-of-the-art head office, Skyways House, a £31 million renovated aircraft hanger, situated in Speke, South Liverpool ^*. The group has further offices in central Liverpool and Manchester cities.

Trivia

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The National Football Museum in Preston, Lancashire, holds a Littlewoods Collection which chronicles the history of the Littlewoods Pools business.

External links

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• http://www.lwsdg.co.uk - Littlewoods Shop Direct Group Official Website
• http://www.thecatalogshop.co.uk/ - 7 decades of catalogue shopping in the UK

Liverpool companies | Retailers of the United Kingdom | Hotel and leisure companies of the United Kingdom