Team Purple buys Robin Webb

Jim Hunt puts his sailing on hold to merge the two West Midlands chandleries into a smooth operation

Purple Sails & Marine has just bought Robin Webb's chandlery business in the West Midlands. Jim Hunt, who owns and manages Team Purple with Greg O'Brien, told madforsailing: "Robin's down at the solicitor this morning, and I'm now a very poor man - I've spent all my money."

Hunt, the current Endeavour Champion of Champions, said the business deal would curtail his sailing for the next two to three months, but reckoned the pain would be worth it. "Buying Robin Webb's assets gives us access to the cruising market and a much wider database of customers. He also has excellent custom spar making facilities. If, for instance, Proctor Masts want a special 470 mast made with a few tweaks, this is where they would come to get it made."

There is also a lot of chandlery thrown into the deal, and Hunt said he would be having a good sort-out in the next month, with views to holding a bargain basement clear-out at the Dinghy Exhibition in Alexandra Palace on 3-4 March.