A TWO-YEAR buying spree of JJB stores by rival Sports Direct International has raised competition issues in five areas, the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) said yesterday.

The findings emerged after the OFT rolled a number of separate acquisitions of JJB stores by Sports Direct into a single investigation covering 31 outlets. The OFT said it was considering an offer by Sports Direct, which is controlled by Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley, to sell stores in the five areas. It has pledged to offload stores to up-front buyers approved by the OFT, but the watchdog warned that if the sales were not accepted, then a referral to the Competition Commission would follow. Sports Direct and JJB are the two largest specialist retailers of sportsrelated clothing, footwear and equipment in the UK.

Sports Direct has more than 350 outlets, while JJB has cut its portfolio to 253 stores after an extensive disposal and closure programme. The investigation found competition concerns in five local areas where Sports Direct already has stores.

SPEAKING SUCCESSES: Speaker Geoff Ramm has become the president of the North East Professional Speakers Association and has also been selected to speak at the group’s national convention, where he will address 200 delegates from around the world. Mr Ramm, from Tyne and Wear, is a nationally-renowned marketing speaker and is key speaker at numerous events across the North-East and UK each year.

NEW CHAIRWOMAN: The Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) North-East has appointed Sally Keith as chairwoman. Ms Keith takes up the voluntary role after four years as a member of the CIPR committee. She has more than 20 years of PR and marketing experience working in-house and as a consultant to create and implement communications strategies, both in the UK and overseas. CIPR North- East promotes the profession in the region and has a membership of about 200 practitioners.