Leading women’s wear retailer bonmarché has become an Associate Sponsor of the World Bowls Tour (WBT).

The company, which boasts 334 stores across the UK and focuses on selling affordable quality womenswear to women over 45 years in age, will have major visibility at all WBT events in the forthcoming season, beginning with the BUPA Care Homes Open at Ponds Forge in Sheffield, from 31 October to 7 November.

Of particular interest to bonmarché is the Ladies World Match Play Championship at Potters Leisure Resort in Norfolk in January. The final of this established event will be covered live on BBC TV for the first time next year, with bonmarché enjoying significant branding on the distinctive blue portable rink throughout the event.

‘We are delighted to welcome bonmarché to the growing group of organisations that recognise the unique benefits of being associated with the expanding World Bowls Tour circuit,’ said WBT Chief Executive Nigel Oldfield. ‘We look forward to working closely with the bonmarché team to enable them to fully exploit this new association.’

Andrew McDonald, Retail and Marketing Director of bonmarché, was equally upbeat about the new relationship: ‘This agreement with the WBT marks our first involvement in event sponsorship – but we recognise this perfect match between our customer base and the audiences which are attracted to indoor bowls events of this calibre.

‘We are very excited about the prospects ahead and look forward to building a close working relationship with the WBT management in the months ahead.’

bonmarché, a subsidiary of Peacock Group PLC, has set in place an impressive store roll out programme which will see 50 new outlets opening across the UK by the end of 2004 – one of which will shortly open in Perth, where the WBT’s Scottish Masters will be staged for the first time at the end of this year.

For further information:

Howard Harding
Tel: (44) 1737-243333 or (mobile) (44) 7773-325130
Fax: (44) 1737-222787
Email: HowHard@aol.com