Hornby Sells 70-Year-Old Scalextric Brand for £20M

The sale was made to Purbeck Capital Partners, a family-owned investment firm led by Mark Brown, the former chief executive of the US spirits giant Sazerac. Brown has formed a new holding company, Scalextric Motorsports, to house the iconic brand, marking Purbeck's first-ever acquisition. The deal is structured with £8.5 million paid upfront in cash, and the remaining £11.5 million deferred and tied to future free cash flow. This divestment comes as Hornby faces financial difficulties, reporting a net loss of £11.02 million for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, on sales of £56.57 million. The company's net debt also increased significantly, and the sale is a strategic move to reduce this debt and reinvest in its core brands like Airfix and its model railway operations. Hornby had previously delisted from London's junior stock market in April 2025, citing the cost and regulatory burden of being a public company. The new owner, Mark Brown, intends to expand Scalextric into new motorsport areas and emphasizes the brand's potential for promoting physical play and hand-eye coordination as an alternative to screen time. Interestingly, as part of the deal, Brown will also take on a strategic role to help Hornby's broader transformation, aiming to create a group of more independent and profitable brands. Hornby, which has owned Scalextric since 1968, will not be completely stepping away. The company will continue to manage the business as an agent, providing operational support through its existing infrastructure to ensure a smooth transition and operational continuity for the brand under its new ownership. This arrangement allows Scalextric Motorsports to concentrate on accelerating the brand's growth.