The Oswald Bailey shop in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire. Photo: Roy Hughes CC-BY-SA-2.0

A chain of 17 outdoor shops has been acquired by retail giant JD Sports.

The Oswald Bailey stores were taken over on Friday by the acquisitive group, which also recently took a controlling interest in Scottish outdoor retailer Graham Tiso.

The Oswald Bailey stores are concentrated in the Midlands and southern England and are now operating under the Millets brand, which is one of JD Sports’ outdoor titles.

A notice on the Oswald Bailey site says: “Oswald Bailey was acquired by JD Sports Fashion PLC on 28 March 2014.

“A new Oswald Bailey website will be launched during April however returns and pending orders will be dealt with as normal.

“The Oswald Bailey stores continue to trade as normal.”

The company was set up in Dorset in 1948 and has shops as far north as King’s Heath in Birmingham and along the south coast and West Country.

Boscombe-based online retailer Outdoor Gear UK, a former subsidiary of Oswald Bailey and whose directors are Stephen and Julie Bailey, is believed to be continuing under their ownership.

JD Sports snapped up the ailing Blacks Leisure group in 2012.