GPR Direct

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Discussion

The Moose

Original Poster:

22,919 posts

211 months

Sunday 11th January 2009
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Does anyone know who had been appointed administrators for GPR Direct??

How would you go about finding this information out??

Cheers

The Moose

1

2,729 posts

238 months

Monday 12th January 2009
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I didn't know they had gone into administration.

Have you tried giving them a call or taking a drive over there?

Mobile Chicane

20,906 posts

214 months

Monday 12th January 2009
quotequote all
Presumably you mean Grand Prix Racewear? In which case the Chiswick Store has been shut for a while - don't know about Silverstone.

1

2,729 posts

238 months

Monday 12th January 2009
quotequote all
Silverstone is where the head office and warehouse is. I don't know how long it has been, but you would have thought the administrators will need to do a stock take at some point.

number 46

1,019 posts

250 months

Monday 12th January 2009
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See there website ' ... under going restructuring ... unable to dispatch orders ...' Looks like I may get a cheap helmet for this season then !!

The Moose

Original Poster:

22,919 posts

211 months

Tuesday 13th January 2009
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called them several times and they just have an answerphone message and then cut off....

i dont know if the administrators have been appointed yet or not, but I would have thought it can't be much longer if they havnt....

how can you find out how far along they are??

the moose

Elderly

3,506 posts

240 months

Tuesday 10th February 2009
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A press release says that they have now been taken over, or bought out, or rescued, by Martin Hines.

ClioKarl

1,705 posts

222 months

Thursday 12th February 2009
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Email received last night:

Grand Prix Racewear under new management

The long-term future of one of the iconic names in British motorsport, Grand Prix Racewear (GPR), has been secured, following the acquisition of the company’s assets by Martin Hines.

Established over 21 years ago, GPR is regarded by many as the Harrods of motorsport; an emporium featuring the world’s top brands, with highly-knowledgeable staff on hand to supply anyone from a six-year old junior karter to a Formula 1 star with the very best in racing helmets, racewear and accessories.

In a time of great economic uncertainty, that attention to detail, focus on quality and customer-led philosophy is now set to grow.

The new management structure has confirmed that GPR will continue to be based at the 10,000 sq ft purpose built headquarters at Silverstone in Northamptonshire, the home of British motorsport.

GPR is a thriving business which currently holds in excess of £1m of stock and offers over 15,000 product items. GPR supplies a huge array of motorsport accessories from the world’s leading brands, and is renowned worldwide for supplying professional racewear for elite drivers – including racing overalls (suits), boots and gloves as used by today’s champions, be it in Formula 1, rallying, touring cars or karting.

Martin Hines has been professionally involved in motorsport for over 40 years, as a world champion winning competitor, talent-spotter and businessman. He won the FIA World Superkart Championship three times, the FIA European Championship six times and was multiple British Champion. Martin owns and runs Zip Kart (based at Hoddesdon in Hertfordshire), the leading manufacturer and supplier of racing karts, and runs the Zip Kart Young Guns team which has discovered, and continues to discover, some of Britain’s best racing drivers, including Lewis Hamilton, David Coulthard, Anthony Davidson, Gary Paffett, Jason Plato, Luke Hines, Oliver Turvey, James Colado, Oliver Rowland and Jake Dennis.

Martin Hines said: “Grand Prix Racewear is recognised as the Harrods of motorsport; the one place you can go to buy the leading brands from people who know the business inside out. We want to continue to do what GPR does best – supply motorsport equipment to serious and professional motor racing drivers of all ages on a global basis.

“GPR will continue to provide customers with expert advice, value for money and the best products the motorsport market has to offer. It will also continue to specialise in safety equipment and stock all the top brands including Alpine Stars, Sparco, Puma, SABELT, OMP, Arai, BELL, Simpson and Stilo, to name but a few. We’ll supply everyone from beginners to Formula 1 drivers and everyone from six to ninety-six years old can visit our emporium and find the very best equipment on the market.

“I’ve been involved in motorsport for forty years, and for over twenty of those years GPR has been associated with excellence. It’s a brand I know very well, and one which I, like many involved in motorsport, are passionate about. It’s a British motorsport institution known throughout the world, and I believe now is the right time to invest in GPR and secure its long-term success.”

Grand Prix Racewear can be found at:

Unit 1, Silverstone Technology Park, Towcester, Northamptonshire, NN12 8TN

www.gprdirect.com

If you want to learn more about the extraordinary Martin Hines story, his autobiography has just been released. Every Split Second Counts, which has received rave reviews from all forms of media, is published by Blake Publishing & Co and is available from leading book shops, including Waterstone’s and Amazon.

For more information, please contact:

Paul Evans on tel: +44 (0)77 10 74 31 67 / e-mail: paul.evans@goodevansco.com