Former Jessops director David Adams to take on Dragons' Den's Peter Jones in competetive online camera market

Adams is to spearhead Park Cameras’ growth as it goes head-to-head with Jessops, the retailer he used to chair, and which is now owned by Jones.

Jones acquired the Jessops brand out of administration this month and is planning on relaunching the retailer as an online business. Jessops collapsed in January, as revealed by Retail-Week.com.

Park Cameras has a turnover of £20m and sells online and through a flagship store in Sussex.

Adams, who stood down as Jessops chairman last year after a difference of opinion with its then owner HSBC, said there is room in the market for a service-led camera specialist after Jessops’ collapse.

“The recent change has created opportunities for a service-based camera specialist,” he told Retail Week. “Park Cameras is well known to me and has a good online business. It’s a business I’ve always admired. I’m delighted.”

Adams said Park Cameras has a “strong reputation” and that it appeals more to the “camera pro” than Jessops, which is more aimed at the average consumer.

“It’s a place for the real camera enthusiast, which appeals to me,” he said. While Adams said it was too early to say whether Park Cameras would open shops beyond its “centre of excellence” flagship in Burgess Hill, West Sussex, he said growth was on the agenda.

“We’re working through things, there’s the opportunity to do more,” he said. “I haven’t joined the business to do nothing, and I’m sure they wouldn’t bring me on board if they had no aspirations.”

Adams said the retailer is looking at other towns for possible stores and has not ruled out taking on former Jessops shops if the decision was made to expand the portfolio.