Hicks, who is also president of the Fespa UK Association, bought into the Yorkshire-based now £10m turnover business in 1988, following co-director and co-owner Chris White doing the same two years before.

Hicks said he had decided to sell his 20% share of the 70-staff business and set up his own in order to get back to a more “hands-on and bespoke” way of working.

“It’s just getting back to basics really. Screenprint’s fine, they’ll go from strength to strength,” said Hicks.

He added: “Screenprint Productions started off as a small company, we were all from a creative background and over 30 years we got bigger and bigger. I looked at it cold and hard last year and thought this is not what I want to do. I want to get back to doing small creative jobs and dealing with people one on one.”

Hicks’ new company’s focus will be on the management of smaller projects for similar clients, with printing delivered by ten suppliers including Screenprint Productions, he said. Current clients include the National Trust and Tour de France. 

Hix Fix will turn over around £500,000 of work this year, according to Hicks, who added that he had no plans to invest in machinery or staff but possibly a small workshop further down the line.

Screenprint Productions’ purchase of Hicks’ 20% share is expected to complete in May, until which time Hicks remains officially on gardening leave. 

The company declined to comment on Hicks' departure, but said it would be looking to appoint another co-director once the purchase had gone through.