Retail’s grim year closes with the crash of Arcadia
Slow to adapt and recognise change while being hit hard by Covid-19, the big brands at the squeezed middle of the clothing business are in deep trouble
When Philip Green stood in Topshop’s new flagship Irish store on St Stephen’s Green in November 2005, the retail magnate was at the peak of his powers, and on the cusp of amassing his greatest ever fortune.
Arcadia, his retail empire encompassing high-street favourites such as Topshop, Dorothy Perkins and Miss Selfridge, had just paid a £1.2 billion dividend to his wife Tina, the ultimate owner of the business.
In less than...
Subscribe from just €1 for the first month!
Exclusive offers:
All Digital Access + eReader
Trial
€1
Unlimited Access for 1 Month
*New subscribers only
Annual
€200
€149 For the 1st Year
Unlimited Access for 1 Year
Quarterly
€55
€42
90 Day Pass
2 Yearly
€315
€248
Unlimited Access for 2 Years
Team Pass
Get a Business Account for you and your team
Related Stories
Collins’s slippers to feature on new range of gift items
National Museum to sell range of gifts based on footwear of Irish revolutionary that has caused stir on social media
Jeweller Chupi sets her own gold standard
In response to Brexit, recession and pandemic, the Irish heirloom maker moved fully into online sales and a higher price point – and it is paying off
Comment: Retail needs a clear path to reopening safely
With the right supports and measures in place, the industry could start to reopen once Covid-19 cases have reached a low enough level
Plan to convert 4,000 empty spaces above Dublin shops into housing
A policy to promote ‘living above the shop’ will be included in the final draft of the 2022-2028 development plan
