Well-known South Coast chandlery chain Aladdin’s Cave has been bought by rival firm Force 4 for an undisclosed sum.

Aladdin’s Cave, which was established by the Foulkes family in 1968, had five branches on the Hamble River, at Hamble Point, Port Hamble, Mercury Yacht Harbour, Deacons Boatyard and Swanwick Marina. The deal will take the number of shops owned by Force 4 to ten.

Force 4 bought Aladdin’s Cave’s Chichester store in 2006, and also has shops in Bristol, Cardiff, Poole, and Lymington.