Hornby sells Scalextric to drinks veteran for £20m after nearly six decades

British toy company Hornby has sold the toy car company Scalextric for £20m after owning the brand for 58-years.

The model train maker, which is in the middle of a major transformation with the backing of Sports Direct tycoon Mike Ashley, said it was selling the brand to investment group Purbeck Capital Partners.

It will use the funds to pay down debts and invest in its other toy brands, which include Corgi and Airfix. 

Hornby’s owner Castelnau, which also owns funeral directors Dignity, said the deal is set to be completed next month.

Scalextric was invented by British engineer B. Fred Francis in 1956 and purchased by Hornby twelve years later. 

Fans include Top Gear presenter James May, who broke a world record in August 2009 when he helped to recreate the 3-mile long famous Brooklands motor racing circuit entirely out of Scalextric.

It is the latest disposal for Hornby, which enjoyed a boom in lockdown as people turned to traditional hobbies, after it sold toy car maker Oxford Diecast in 2024.

Purbeck boss Mark Brown, who used to lead Sazerac, the US drinks giant behind Southern Comfort and BuzzBallz, has created a family holding company to house Scalextric.

He said he was ‘honoured and thrilled’ to buy the brand. ‘which has been bringing family and friends together for motor racing competition, excitement, and fun at home for nearly 70 years, spanning four generations.’

Brown will also take on a role at Hornby to help it create a ‘series of entrepreneurial, profitable brands.’

Brown, who grew up in the UK but has spent the last 46 years working in the US, oversaw brands such as Fireball Cinnamon Whisky during his stint as chief executive of Sazerac between 1997 to 2023. 

Hornby will continue to manage Scalextric as an agent. 

Hornby chief executive Olly Raeburn, said: ‘This is a hugely exciting development for the Scalextric brand, which builds on encouraging progress over the last couple of years.’

The company quit the London stock market after nearly four decades last year, ditching its listing on the AIM junior market to help it save around £400,000 a year.

Majority investor shareholder Phoenix Asset Management has an 82 per cent stake while Ashley’s Frasers Group holds 9 per cent.