Castore puts best foot forward with swoop for heritage shoemaker
Our weekly free round up of key deals and major moves in the Rainmakers world
Hello Rainmakers,
Even the World Cup and political earthquakes can’t stop the flow of deals this week, with quite a rich range of deals from around the country.
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Northamptonshire shoemaker Grenson has stepped into a new era after being acquired by sportswear brand Castore, bringing together centuries of footwear craftsmanship with a fast-growing modern sportswear group.
Completed via Castore’s J Sporting Club vehicle, the deal sees control of the Rushden-founded brand transferred from long-time owners Tim and Julia Little, who helped modernise the business and expand its international reach.
Founded in 1866, Grenson has built its reputation on traditional shoemaking, from supplying British soldiers in both world wars to becoming one of the UK’s earliest registered footwear trademarks. It now joins a portfolio better known for high-performance sportswear and elite team partnerships.
Castore, launched in 2015 by brothers Thomas and Phil Beahon, has built a premium sportswear business working with names including McLaren and England Cricket, and has increasingly stepped up its acquisition strategy to broaden its wardrobe of brands.
The group previously acquired heritage outerwear label Belstaff from Ineos and continues to pick its deals carefully as it expands across the premium apparel market.
Grenson itself has been carefully re-soled in recent years under Tim Little, who introduced new categories including womenswear, trainers and accessories, while strengthening its presence in London, New York and key global markets.
Castore’s rapid growth and rising profitability have given it the financial footing to keep stitching heritage and performance brands into its wider strategy.
Together, the pair bring a blend of old-school craftsmanship and modern performance wear - a fitting match of heritage stitched with ambition.
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Lad Bible Group Media has acquired 75% of a London-based creative agency Uncovered for £26.8m, with a potential earnout of up to £7m.
The Manchester headquartered social entertainment group, which owns LADbible and SPORTbible, has also secured options to buy the remaining 25% stake at nine times adjusted EBITDA in each of the calendar years 2028, 2029 and 2030.
Uncovered, founded in 2017, is a social-first creative agency specialising in TikTok and Instagram content for brands including Tesco, KFC and Taco Bell. The agency employs around 120 people and was named Campaign UK’s Social Media Agency of the Year in 2025.
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Independent supply chain and workwear specialist, Corporate Trade Supplies UK (CTS), has completed two acquisitions following a record-breaking year for the business. The Northallerton-headquartered firm has bought Industrial Workwear Ltd, formerly based in Consett, and Schott Packaging in Darlington. CTS boasted a turnover of £45m last year and is forecasting that this should reach £100m by 2028.
Both the acquired companies are well-established outfits - Industrial Workwear has been serving businesses across the North East for 25 years, while Schott Packaging has been on the scene for more than 30 years. Howard Gill, CTS managing director, said the deals are a “crucial” part of his business’s long-term expansion plan, stressing that CTS is working towards a clear, defined goal for 2028/29.
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Midlands accountancy firms Jerroms and Leigh Christou have added things up in a deal that brings Coventry and Warwickshire’s long-established adviser into the wider Jerroms fold.
Leigh Christou, with more than 40 years of number-crunching across tax, audit, accounting and forensic work, has built a loyal client base on straight-talking advice.
Now the firm is officially on Jerroms’ books, helping the business stretch its regional footprint across Coventry, Leamington Spa, Solihull and Halesowen - giving its Midlands map a healthy dose of expansion.
The deal brings together two firms that clearly enjoy a good set of accounts, with SMEs set to benefit from a broader mix of services, sharper specialist support and fewer excuses when the numbers don’t quite add up.
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Inverness-headquartered energy and infrastructure group Global has acquired Aberdeen-based Pier Solutions.
Pier’s 20-strong team will transfer into a new entity, Global Modular, which expects to grow to a headcount of 100 within 12 months; creating up to 80 new roles as demand accelerates.
Global Modular has been established to address a market opportunity for standardised and engineered modular solutions, particularly within infrastructure, engineering, procurement and construction programmes across the energy and utilities sectors.
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The 2026 Rainmaker Awards
The North West, Yorkshire and West Midlands Rainmaker Awards are upon us, once again bringing together the region’s deals community to celebrate the standout deals, teams, and individuals of the past 12 months.
Voted for by the corporate finance community itself, the awards are decided on a one-firm, one-vote basis – making the Rainmaker a genuine peer-led recognition.
Voting forms have landed, after the shortlists have been agreed by a judging day involving all the region’s leading firms.
The Rainmaker Awards ditch black-tie formality and speeches in favour of a relaxed evening focused on what the deals and the people who made them happen.
The evening is also a great way to connect with leading firms and individuals shaping the regional deal landscape.
There is a new individual category this year, as we will recognise Lifetime Achievement of one of our Rainmakers for the first time.
The North West awards will take place on the 25th of June 2026 at the Kimpton Hotel in Manchester city centre, and the West Midlands at the Burlington Hotel in Birmingham on the 2nd of July.
We have also now announced dates and an opening for entries for the East Midlands event on the 5th of November in Nottingham and the South West event on the 26th of November in Bristol.
Last year the events sold out, so book early to secure your table.
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