Millivres Prowler Group History
The Millivres Prowler Group (MPG) was formed in June 1999 when the long-established gay businesses Millivres Limited and Prowler Press Limited merged to form the largest gay and lesbian multimedia business in Europe.
In 2004 we celebrated 30 years of providing information, entertainment and shopping to gay men and lesbians. We have seen enormous changes during those 30 years and been part of the making of history. Our brands, values, products and services reflect that we want to be known for making the world a better place for gay men and lesbians, with the same full human and civil rights as other sectors of the population.
1972 - Launch of the gay newspaper Gay News and the gay magazine Jeffrey and a small shop in Camden High Street, North London called Modern Books – and the first Gay Pride March in London;
1974 - Millivres Ltd incorporated - at the same time as the first unashamedly Adults Only national newsstand gay magazine HIM Exclusive was launched;
1978 – Modern Books became The Zipper Store and home to Zipper, Mister and Ajax-Zipper Books;
1983 – Millivres Ltd bought HIM Monthly and the Gay News title – The Zipper Store became the first licensed gay shop;
1984 – Gay Times magazine launched incorporating the Gay News title;
1984/85 – Body Tech Superstore and Cruisin’ open in London and Birmingham;
1989 – Prowler Press Ltd incorporated and Euroboy magazine was launched;
1991 – MaleXpress Ltd formed as the mail order arm of Prowler Press - Millivres Books imprint established;
1994 – DIVA magazine launched as a baby sister magazine to Gay Times;
1997 – Heart of Soho Ltd founded to open the Prowler Soho Gay Superstore;
1998 – Millivres Multimedia Ltd incorporated to distribute gay and lesbian feature films – independent films for independent minds - Prowler Press Ltd buys the Gay Men’s Press book imprint;
1999 – European distribution partnership established just prior to the merger of Millivres Ltd and Prowler Press Ltd;
2003 - Purchase of long-established leather and rubber fetish business Expectations Ltd and Prowler Press Ltd;
2003 - Open a very large new store Prowler King's Cross, situated right in the heart of redevelopment area for the new Channel Tunnel terminus at St Pancras;
2004 – Gay Times marked its 20th year of publication, and DIVA had its 10th birthday and published Issue 100.
2004 - (March) Purchase of Stratemeba Ltd with its licensed sex shop Hot Planet in Doncaster, South Yorkshire; (October) Purchase of the Pink Paper, long established LGBT community free weekly newspaper; (November) Purchase of highly respected lesbian internet mail order business Libertas.co.uk and Libertas Ltd;
2005 - Prowler Brighton store opens in the heart of Brighton’s gay village – marking the start of the company’s national retail expansion; GayTimesTravel.co.uk website launched to provide innovative holiday ideas for the gay traveller;
2006 - Purchase of AXM magazine, gay men's youth title, which had evolved tremendously over its seven-year history to become the UK’s freshest lifestyle magazine for young gay men; and purchase of Puffta.co.uk – the leading online community magazine created to appeal to, educate and serve gay youth; and Prowler and Expectations come together to open Prowler Expectations Birmingham store in the city centre.
2009 - A year of celebration for MPG as the company reached its 35th anniversary and GT and DIVA hit 25 and 15 respectively. Pink Paper migrated online and has gone from strength to strength; Tris Reid-Smith was appointed Editor-in-Chief of GT and Pinkpaper.com; GT and DIVA were both given a fresh re-design.
2010 - ProwlerDirect and DIVADirect home shopping sites re-designed and re-launched.
The Millivres Prowler family of companies now also includes German-based distribution company: Sonke Baumeister & Partner Vertriebs GmbH; retail companies: Heart of Soho Limited and Stratemba Limited; dedicated internet business Libertas; and specialist retailer/manufacturer: Expectations Limited.
