Jessops (Group) Limited is a British photographic retailing company. It was established in 1935 by Frank Jessop in Leicester, United Kingdom. The company controls Jessops Europe Limited, which in turn control JR Prop Limited (formally Jessops Retail Limited). In the end of the 2000s, the business struggled with insolvency, and entered administration in January 2013. The company was rescued by PJ Investment Group, founded by entrepreneur Peter Jones CBE who bought the assets, and formed Jessops (Group) Limited, and related companies. History Frank Jessop founded Jessop of Leicester in 1935, as a specialist photographic retailer. The company expanded to major towns and cities. Alan Jessop, Frank's son, sold the firm in a management buy out in July 1996. This was to Bridgepoint Capital. Bridgepoint Capital attempted to float Jessops on the London Stock Exchange in September 2000, but abandoned plans the following month. This was because it was told the firm would list with a market value of £90 million to £100 million. The two hundredth store, Durham, opened in July 2001, which has since closed down. Jessops once again abandoned plans to float, in April 2002. ABN Amro paid £116 million for the company, in September 2002. The sale was completed the next month. ABN Amro applied to float on the London Stock Exchange in October 2004, which successfully occurred the next month. In May 2004, the main warehouse relocated to Weedon Bec, Northamptonshire, as the warehouse in Leicester was considered too small. This resulted in most of the staff being made redundant. In August 2020, Jessops, which had one shop in the city centre of Nottingham, announced that the location had been completely shut down, after the sign was stripped, and replaced in black pigment. The COVID-19 pandemic was cited as (one) reason for the closure, by the company. Financial problems (2007–2013) The company suffered financial difficulties by June 2007, requiring the strategic review, and eventually leading to a re financing with its bankers, HSBC, in September 2009. This led to the group's trade being transferred to a new holding company, Snap Equity Limited, whilst Jessops plc was placed in liquidation and the group's final salary pension scheme transferred to the Pension Protection Fund. Snap Equity was formed as a private company, 48% owned by HSBC, 33% by pension trustees, and 20% by an employee trust. On 21 June 2007, Jessops announced the closure of 81 of its