was started up. The retail business by 2003 had a total of 395 stores under the Lewis and Best Electrical brands. GUS were put under pressure during the apartheid years regarding their investments, including pressure from Wolfson College, Oxford, which had been set up by a grant from the Wolfson Foundation. In 2003 it was announced the South African business would be partially floated on the Johannesburg market as part of the divestment of non core business. The remaining shares of the business were sold in 2005. America plans In 1949, GUS applied to the UK government asking to extend their dollar facilities to £750,000 to invest in the US to increase the sale of British goods. In 1954, GUS made an approach to purchase the US mail order and department store group Montgomery Ward with a plan to invest $100 million in the business, however the bid was rejected by Montgomery Ward's board. In December 1964, Isaac Wolfson announced they planned to expand into both the retail and manufacturing trades in the US, however no purchases were made. GUS did set up Great Universal Stores Development Company Inc. in 1964 to work with two American partners on property development, and in 1968 set up a new subsidiary, BRAMBEC, as a commercial furniture contractor for its manufacturing businesses, working in partnership with Holiday Inn. Travel & holiday business In 1956, GUS purchased Global Tours, Europe's biggest coach tour company that had been formed by Harry Rosenthal, Joe and Harry Shuman adding Overland Tours later that year. GUS added a further business to its Global subsidiary, Sunlight Holidays in 1962. By 1969, the Global business had grown and was delivering 150,000 Tours annually, in the areas of air, coach rail and cruise tours. Great Universal was a large shareholder in British Caledonian Airways, and Global formed a strong partnership with a time charter arrangement. By 1977, Global was offering low priced tours leaving from 10 different airports in the British Isles. The company however suffered from a blacklisting from Arab countries due to the company chairman being Lord Mancroft, and the companies links to Israel. In 1985, as part of Leonard Wolfsons divesting plans, Global, along with its brands Overland and Golden Circle were sold to rival tour company Intasun. GUS Property GUS Property divisions started out as an investment company developing modern office blocks, including Dale Street in Manchester, Chatworth