Rt 2012 lr[2]

Starting out
in retail
Retailers that worked their
way up the career ladder
The ‘workfare’
debate
How the work experience
controversy affected retail
It’s a family
affair
Why family run businesses
stand out from the crowd
Promoting skills development in retailIssue10 2012
The rise of retail
The retail sector shines as it joins the professional ranks
In association with

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Contents
Editor Joanna Perry
Writers Gemma Goldfingle, Liz Morrell
Production Editor Tracey Gardner
Design forty6 design Ltd
Publisher Tracey Davies
For NSA for Retail
Director of Marketing and Communications Kerry Burgess-Ayala
Kerry.Burgess-Ayala@nsafortretail.com
T +44 (0)7795 962 447
© Retail Week
All material is strictly copyright and all rights were reserved. Reproduction
in whole or in part without the written permission of Retail Week is strictly
forbidden. The greatest care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of
information in this magazine at the time of going to press, but we accept no
responsibility for omissions or errors. The views expressed in the magazine are
not necessarily those of Retail Week or Skillsmart Retail.
Retail Therapy is printed by Headley Brothers Ltd. Ashford, Kent
4 Landscape
International retailers flock
to the UK; how independents
can benefit from the Retail
Apprenticeship Scheme; part-time
work boosts retail employment;
and we report on the latest
Independents’ Day
14 Debate
While the controversy
over work experience
schemes has died down,
Retail Therapy discovers
the effect it has had
on retailers and
jobseekers
20 In-depth
The retail
sector is often
associated
with low
skilled and
low paid
work so
professionalising
it is crucial to the
industry’s future
success
25 People: Interview
B&Q’s Joanna Robb explains
how she is making her way up the
multichannel retail career ladder
27 People: First jobs
Six high-profile retailers share their
experiences of how much they have
achieved since their first job in the
retail industry
30 Real life: Meet the Team
Pets at Home has opened
a new flagship store in Fort
Kinnaird in Edinburgh,
where each employee
has specialist skills
32 People: Family
retailers
We find out how
some of the UK’s
family-run retailers
differentiate
themselves from
their competitors
34 Diary
Dates for your
calendar
Jane Rexworthy, head of the National
Skills Academy for Retail
Welcome to the National Skills Academy for
Retail’s magazine, Retail Therapy.With a
network of more than 50 skills shops across the
UK, the NSA for Retail has a truly nationwide
offer.We have come a long way since we
launched in April 2009 with just 18 skills shops.
The services the skills shops have to offer, from careers
advice and guidance, to bespoke training courses and
qualifications, are more and more in demand.
While recent reports have shown that the number of roles
in retail has grown in 2012, the high staff turnover (about
40%) that has previously characterised the sector has
dropped to 17.5% as people stay put in their roles. Fewer
vacancies mean that ensuring your skills are the best they
can be is ever more important in today’s retail jobs market.
Candidates need to make themselves more attractive
to employers through gaining additional skills and
qualifications. The NSA for Retail’s network of skills shops
can advise those working or looking to work in retail and
offers a range of training courses, from pre-employment
training and Apprenticeships to customer service.
People are also considering setting up their own business
and we examine some successful, family-run, independent
retailers in this issue. The NSA for Retail also provides
support for such entrepreneurs, with business courses in
finance and business planning, marketing, buying and visual
merchandising as well as support from experienced mentors.
In this issue we also look at how both businesses and
individuals have benefited from the many services the
network has to offer, as well as how some of retail’s high
fliers have carved out their paths to the top of a profession
in which everyone has a real chance to shine.
Foreword
Contents
32
12
Issue 10 2012
3www.nsaforretail.com
14 Debate
While the controversy
over work experience
schemes has died down,
Retail Therapy discoversRetail Therapy discoversRetail Therapy
the effect it has had
on retailers and
jobseekers
20 In-depth
The retail
sector is often
associated
with low
skilled and
low paid
work so
professionalising
it is crucial to the
industry’s future
achieved since their first job in the
retail industry
30 Real life: Meet the Team
Pets at Home has opened
a new flagship store in Fort
Kinnaird in Edinburgh,
where each employee
has specialist skills
32 People: Family
retailers
We find out how
some of the UK’s
family-run retailers
differentiate
themselves from
their competitors
34 Diary
Dates for your
calendar
30
5

4 www.nsaforretail.com
Landscape
The National Skills Academy
for Retail has committed to
support towns and high streets
that want to improve their
retail offer.
The health of the country’s
town centres and high streets has
come under scrutiny in the past
year as many have suffered during
the recession. The Government –
working with TV star Mary
Portas – has committed £1.2m in
funding and a package of support
to 12 areas to help rejuvenate
their town centres.
The NSA for Retail wants to
make similar support available to
all areas where local businesses
and the authorities hope to
improve and revitalise.
Jane Rexworthy, head of the
NSA for Retail, has already
given two presentations in areas
where the two bodies hope to
deliver more training and
support. The packed sessions in
Liverpool and Stratford in
London gave local retailers and
The number of jobs in retail has
grown in 2012, and retailers have
also reported they are more posi-
tive on the prospects of creating
additional jobs this year.
In the first three months of 2012,
retail employment rose by 0.4%
compared with the same quarter a
year earlier, according to the BRC-
Bond Pearce Retail Employment
Monitor. This is the equivalent of
an additional 3,011 full-time jobs.
During April to June, the number
of equivalent full-time jobs grew
by 1.8%.
other interested parties informa-
tion on how the organisations can
help to build more profitable and
thriving retail sectors in their
local area.
The return to growth follows a
period in 2011 when retail employ-
ment decreased slightly. Although
the BRC cautions that this upturn
in the number of retail jobs is frag-
ile due to the state of the economy,
its measure of employment inten-
tions became much more positive
during early 2012. It reports that
employment intentions improved
significantly in the first half of
2012 compared with the same
quarter last year.
Business law firm Bond Pearce’s
head of retail employment, Chris-
Towns and high streets urged
to invest in skills to thrive
Rexworthy said: “There is a
huge amount of work going on to
revitalise high streets. But to do
that you need skills and the right
people to provide great customer
service, as well as the right prod-
ucts, well merchandised at the
right time.”
She continued: “We’ve recently
launched our Retail Mentor
scheme, which allows highly
regarded retailers to come in
and mentor high streets and
town centres. Or we can
provide packages such as our
WorldHost customer service
training.
“Each location will have a
different need, and we can pack-
age the offer from a whole menu
of support options.”
tina Tolvas-Vincent,said:“This rise
in retail employment year on year,
in a quarter which has seen several
well-publicised failures by retailers,
presents a polarised view of the
sector. There is a stark divide
between those who are surviving
and even growing and those that
have become casualties of the
market. The positive change in
attitude towards staffing levels by
retailers also reflects a trend for
cautious optimism among those
who are finding their feet in the
current economic climate.”
The NSA for Retail has a menu
of training options – delivered
through its national network of
skills shops – that can be tailored
to the needs of a local area.
Retail employment intentions significantly improve
NSA for Retail’s Jane Rexworthy gave presentations in areas that need support
Those interested in hearing about
the support available, contact
tracy.duggan@nsaforretail.com.
Details of local skills shops can be
found at www.nsaforretail.com
15,659
Additional full-time
jobs in the first half
of 2012 compared
with last year

Issue 10 2012
International retailers opening
new stores in the UK are providing
many new job opportunities in the
sector, particularly at store level.
Names to have recently opened
or be expanding in the UK include
US fashion brands Forever 21,
Abercrombie & Fitch, Gilly Hicks
and Urban Outfitters. US sports
brand Foot Locker also opened the
first store of its new fascia, The
Locker Room, in January 2012 at
Brent Cross in London.
Swedish fashion brand J Linde-
berg is on the hunt for its first UK
store and French fashion brand
Chanel has opened a pop-up
beauty store in Covent Garden. US
fashion brand J Crew is also plan-
ning London store openings.
Manufacturers are using the UK
– and particularly London – as a
location to develop stores to
promote their brand and engage
with their customers directly.
Japanese sportswear and
running brand Asics opened its
largest UK store to date in London
in July this year, while Swiss coffee
machine and capsule supplier
Nespresso opened its first stan-
dalone London flagship in the
same month. And earlier this year,
US leather goods brand Coach
opened a London flagship on
Regent Street.
International retailers
expand in the UK
Gold standard Olympic initiative readies Dorothy Perkins’ staff
International retailers The Locker Room and Nespresso opened in the UK this year
Dorothy Perkins has revealed it
prepared staff for the Olympics
using a training course originally
devised for the 2010 Winter
Olympics in Vancouver, Canada.
The Arcadia Group retailer
used the WorldHost programme
to ready staff for an influx of
shoppers at its London stores.
Dorothy Perkins’ staff at stores
in Westfield Stratford City,
Stratford High Street, West One
Bond Street, Marble Arch and
Tottenham Court Road were
trained in‘gold standard’customer
services ahead of the Games.
Nearly one million people have
now been trained using World-
Host in more than 20 countries
worldwide. The National Skills
Academy for Retail adapted the
programme for UK retailers. It
offers three different retail-
specific programmes: The Princi-
ples of Customer Service, Sales
Powered By Service and Frontline
Management Solutions.
Dorothy Perkins senior learn-
ing and development manager
Paul Richens said: “The World-
Host customer service training
our staff have undergone means
we will be offering gold standard
customer service to go above
and beyond our customers’ high
expectations.”
Young people not in employment,
education or training will get the
chance to run a high street pop-up
store in a scheme launched by Retail
Trust in conjunction with volun-
teering charity vInspired.
Those taking part, aged 16 to
25, will benefit from a 12-week
skills development and volunteer-
ing programme called Retail Ready
People at one of 10 high street loca-
tions between 2012 and 2014.
Brighton and Hove City and the
London Borough of Enfield are
the first two locations this year. The
National Skills Academy for Retail
will offer training to support the
programme through its skills shops.
There will be 30 volunteers per
location, who will take part in
a series of training workshops
before transforming empty shops
into creative retail spaces.
Terry Ryall, chief executive of
vInspired, said: “Retail Ready
People will create important
opportunities for unemployed
young people to become retail
ready and make a positive differ-
ence in local communities.”
Retail Trust chief executive
Nigel J L Rothband said the
retailers taking part in the scheme
will benefit through their staff’s
development, giving them “new
skills, confidence and the
opportunity to bring those new
skills back to your business”.
Pop-up shops
inspire new
retail talent

Better homes, better lives, better careers.
Becoming Europe’s leading DIY home improvement
retailer doesn’t “just happen”.
It’s part of a bigger plan... a higher ambition.
We have designs on helping people create homes to be proud
of. Whether customers are trade professionals or enthusiastic
amateurs, we believe in providing them with a first class customer
experience, really helpful advice and great value for money.
People are at the heart of what we do and it’s by developing
good people that helped us become a great company.
We believe in investing in people and their careers. We’re proud
that many of our employees develop new skills and grow their
careers within our company. It’s our policy to promote from
within and develop existing teams, all of which creates the unique
B&Q culture within which we all thrive.
There are always new and exciting opportunities across all areas
of our business. So whatever your passion, we’re bound to have
the right job for you. At present we’re currently recruiting for
Design Consultants nationwide. Our Design Consultants are
responsible for creating inspirational designs and delivering our
vision of ‘better homes, better lives’. These roles are perfect for
service driven individuals with a passion for helping people and
offer on target earnings of up to £40k!
Inspiring people to fulfil their potential is what we do best,
whether it’s in the workplace or the home - and it’s no accident.
At B&Q we’re better by design.
To find out more about careers at B&Q, visit:
diy.com/careers
Better
by Design

Landscape
Issue 10 2012
Part-time roles are driving levels
of employment in the retail sector
in 2012.
Half of all retail employees work
part time, according to Skillsmart
Retail. And the boost to retail jobs
in the first six months of 2012
mainly came from new part-time
roles, particularly by supermarket
employers, said the British Retail
Consortium.
This is important to the health
of the overall economy, as retail is
the largest private sector employer
in the UK.
The Office of National Statistics
data shows that females are more
likely to work part time than their
male counterparts in the sector.
ONS data for January to March
2012 shows that those working in
wholesale, retail and the repair of
motor vehicles (the way the indus-
Part-time work boosts total
employment in retail sector
 Asda
 Kingfisher (B&Q)
 Tesco
 Sainsbury’s
 Marks & Spencer
 Boots
 John Lewis Partnership
 Co-operative Group
 Home Retail Group
 Aldi
Major retailers
offering graduate
trainee schemes
in 2012 include:
Despite the current high youth
unemployment rates, retail contin-
ues to show leadership in providing
jobs for young adults at all levels.
Several big retailers have revital-
ised their graduate schemes in the
past year to take advantage of new
opportunities to engage young
people in junior management roles.
In July 2012, Asda announced a
fast-track graduate scheme to
become a manager in one of its
smaller 175 supermarkets in 12
months, to complement its two-
year management graduate scheme.
Asda’s graduate trainees will learn
how to lead a team of up to 30
colleagues, before taking up a
permanent position in a store.
Asda people director Hayley
Tatum said: “Our trainees will not
only be given first-class training and
be exposed to every element of
the Asda business, but they will
also quickly be making decisions
that will make a real difference to
thousands of customers every week.”
And Kingfisher – which owns
B&Q in the UK – launched an inter-
national graduate scheme this
summer to fast-track young talent
into commercial roles within the
organisation. The first intake will
spend one year at B&Q and another
year at the group’s French business,
Brico Dépôt, working in product
buying, category management and
brand management roles.
Department store John Lewis has
also shown an interest in graduates
as part of the 50-strong recruitment
drive in its IT department, which
has taken place to support the
expansion of technology’s role in
the business. Debenhams encour-
ages graduates to apply for its store
management training programme;
and Tesco has offered 20 different
graduate schemes for the 2012
intake including a store manage-
Retail provides real rewards for graduates
ment programme and distribution
management programme.
Majestic Wine chief executive
Steve Lewis has even said one of the
reasons his business has grown
through the recession is that it
prides itself on recruiting graduates
and training them well, so they can
offerknowledgeableproductadvice.
Asda’s scheme fast tracks graduates to become a store manager in 12 months
Men worked on average
35.1 hours
per week
Women worked on average
24.4 hours
per week
Average weekly earning of
£308
in May 2012
try is grouped by the ONS) worked
on average 30 hours a week.
However, men worked on average
35.1 hours a week, and women
worked 24.4 hours a week during
that period.
Meanwhile, the average weekly
earning for those in wholesale,
retail, hotels and restaurants was
£308 in May this year, up from
£300 a week in the same month
last year.

Landscape
Issue 10 2012
The winners of the Skillsmart Retail
RisingStars2012awards–organised
by Retail Week – were announced in
front of a packed crowd on
September 5, 2012.
The ceremony, held at Grosvenor
House Hotel in central London,
helps raise the profile of the sector’s
future leaders as well as reward the
hard work undertaken by staff in
junior management positions.
Shortlisted entrants travelled to
London for the judging day in July,
and were interviewed by a panel of
experts (see right). After much
debate, winners were decided,
including the hotly contested overall
prize for Rising Star of the Year.
Skillsmart Retail would like to
thank all of the judges, and
congratulate those who were
shortlisted, and entrants who went
on to be highly commended and
take each of the category prizes
on the night.
For more photos from the
night, please visit
www.retailweekrisingstars.co.uk
The winners
Buyer/Merchandiser of the Year Francesca Hewitt, New Look
Online Individual of the Year Richard Johnston,Vodafone
Store Support Manager of the Year Karl Steele, Ryman
Marketing Team of the Year Christina Richardson, Claire Webber and Helen Buckle, A Suit That Fits
HR/Training Individual of the Year Mairi Probin, Iceland
Head Office Support Individual of the Year Joanne Dixon, Coast
Customer Service Individual of the Year Claire Barron,Vodafone
Store Manager of the Year - Midlands, Wales and Southwest Matt Fox, Pets at Home
Store Manager of the Year - North of England Ian McEvans, Asda
Store Manager of the Year - Scotland and Ireland Annie Campbell, Pets at Home
Store Manager of the Year - Southeast and East Anglia Emma Taylor,Topshop Topman
Area Manager of the Year Rachel Hornsby, Signet
Skillsmart Retail Apprentice of the Year Jodie Donald, Next
NSA for Retail Learner of the Year Rickie Strevens, Mr Simms Olde Sweet Shoppe, Bluewater
NSA for Retail Trainer of the Year Natalie Kay, Manchester Skills Shop
NSA for Retail Ambassador of the Year Salina Gani, Paul UK
Rising Star of the Year Francesca Hewitt, New Look
The judges
Sally Bailey, chief executive, White Stuff
Liz Bell, group talent development director, Kingfisher
Suzanne Burnett, HR business partner, Marks & Spencer
Ryan Cheyne, people director, Pets at Home
Michelle Dawson, community manager, Hammerson
Sandra Dearling, head of training, Ryman
Kara Groves, commercial director, Joules
Andy Harding, director of ecommerce, House of Fraser
Anna Lloyd, head of HR, New Look
Nick McGlashan, apprenticeship manager,Tesco
Neil Moss, head of business solutions, Skillsmart Retail
Rebecca Murphy, director of human resources and
marketing, Goulds Department Store
Hamish Paton, commercial director, BrightHouse
Dennis Reid, chairman, Retail Performance Specialists
Nigel Rothband, chief executive, Retail Trust
Lisa Templeton, head of HR, Signet
Jessica Winwright, learning and development manager, BHS
Nikki Zamblera, human resources director, Debenhams
Retail’s next
generation
of talent in
the spotlight
New Look’s Francesca Hewitt (centre), with Retail Week’s Chris Brook-Carter (left) and comedian Chris Ramsey, was awarded the Rising Star of the Year accolade

t 020 7550 5540
e careers@bloomretail.co.uk
bloomretail.co.uk
Use keywordsrelevant to whatyou want to do –let them see youspeak the lingo
Ways to make yours a winner...
Get a glowing CV
Put your best foot forward
BE HONEST
THROUGHOUT!The interview will endpretty sharpish if theyrumble you and thinkyou’re blagging it!
Be confident
and SMILE!
:-)
Check for
correct
spelling and
grammar –
“retail is detail”!
Be yourself! It’s
important to not
only answer the
questions – dazzle
them with your
personality too.
Research is key
know some key facts about the
business. Be sure to have visited at
least one store, and studied the
website.
Create a SWOT analysis to go
straight to the top of the class!
Be early –
but never by morethan 10 minutes.“Reception
loitering” is a big
faux pas.
Keep it on-track...That babysitting when you were12, and the Saturday job at theflorists in 2007 are not of usein landing your dream job now,so chop it out.Don’t write long-winded
cover letters – keep it
short and relevant. And
be sure to email your
CV...snail mail is so not
cool in 2012!
Clear Layout
• Use
• Bullet
• Points
• Not
• Lengthy
• Paragraphs
Nobody reads waffle
How to nail that interview...
Dress as if you already
work there, reflecting the
brand’s “look”. Keep it
smart casual
and FASHIONABLE.
No suits, but no sloppy
jeans either. And nothing
too low-cut for the ladies
please...
Have a couple of questions toask at the end. Your develop-ment and training are goodtopics. Holiday entitlementand if you could leave earlyfor band practice (!) are notparticularly advised.

Issue 10 2012
Landscape
Many of the largest businesses in
the UK are reaping the benefits of
having time and resources to set up
and run Apprenticeship schemes
each year. It gives them access to
a pool of young talent committed
to developing their skills and
knowledge of the industry.
And Apprenticeships are also
being heavily backed by the
Government as crucial to creating
a committed and competent
workforce in the UK.
The National Apprenticeship
Service points out that the mixture
of on- and off-the-job training
helps to ensure that apprentices
learn the skills that are best suited,
and of most use, to employers.
Research by the University of
Warwick Institute for Employment
Research into the financial benefits
of Apprenticeships found that
programmes could be completed
within a year,for a relative low cost,
and retailers can expect a payback
by the second year of the
apprentice’s employment.
However,for small independents
taking on even a single apprentice
can be a daunting task. In
2011, more than 11,000 retail
Apprenticeships were completed in
England alone, but despite
accounting for 90% of retail
businesses in the UK, very few of
these apprentices were employed in
independent shops.So the National
Skills Academy for Retail has
created the Retail Apprenticeship
Scheme (RAS) to support such
initiatives for retailers who employ
fewer than 250 staff in England.
Each apprentice is recruited,
trained and employed by the Retail
Apprenticeship Training Agency
(RATA) to reduce the risk, cost and
administrative burden on small
retailers. In return, independent
retailers must commit to providing
a year’s job placement for a full-
time role and pay a fee of about
Apprentices for independents
The Retail Apprenticeship Scheme has been created to make it simple for independent retailers to
benefit from apprentices. Retail Therapy examines how the scheme works
How the Retail Apprenticeship Scheme works
One year placement
of on-the-job training
including 10 days of day
release training begins
RATA supports apprentice
through monthly on-site
assessment with the
retailer
Apprentice achieves a Level 2 Apprenticeship
qualification after a year. Retailer has option to
take on a fully trained employee
£140 a week to cover agency and
apprenticeship wage costs. The
retailer should also provide a clear
role and job description for the
apprentice, and a supervisor or
mentor for them while they
complete their placement.
The benefits of working with
the agency include the possibility
of a £1,500 grant to support
independent retailers taking on
an apprentice for the first time.
In addition, as the apprentice is
employed by RATA, then they
commit to resolve any work-
related problems while the
apprentice is on their placement.
Retailers will get support to ensure
they recruit the right person.
This extends to a promise that
if the apprentice proves not to
be suitable, or the retailer’s
circumstances change, then the
apprentice can be referred back
to RATA and placed with another
retailer.
The first intake of apprentices
began in September 2012 and
involves independent retailers
working with their local skills
shop to select a suitable apprentice.
To ensure that all candidates
are work-ready, they undertake
Skillsmart Retail’s Retail Works
classroom-based, pre-employment
programme. They further benefit
from 10 one-day sessions
throughout their one-year
placement.
At the end of the placement
apprentices should have achieved
the key numerical and communi-
cation skills required to be
a valuable retail employee, as well
as a Level 2 Retail Apprenticeship
qualification. Retailers that then
want to take on their apprentice
as staff are able to employ them
without incurring recruitment
costs and benefit from the
year’s training they have already
received. l
Retailer places
vacancy with RATA
Offer position to
successful interviewee
RATA and retailer
undertake selection process
Apprentice undertakes Retail
Works pre-employment programme
for two weeks
For more information please contact RAS on: E RAS@nsaforretail.com T 0844 264 0238

Graduate Senior Team Manager Store Manager Regional Director Managing DirectorGraduate Senior Team Manager Store Manager Regional Director Managing DirectorGraduate Assistant Merchandiser, Home Merchandiser, Entertainment Merchandising Manager, Toys Head of Merchandising
Merchandising Graduate Programme
Our Commercial function is looking for graduates who would relish the
chance to work in one of the UK’s most dynamic and constantly
changing environments. Join us on our Merchandising Programme
and you’ll be responsible for the large budgets of some of our fastest
growing product areas from our general merchandise or fashion
ranges. Working alongside the buying team you will deliver sales by
ensuring that our products are in the right place, in the right quantity,
at the right time.
At Tesco we’re committed to developing your career from day one,
because we know that to get where you want to go, every little helps.
To apply for our Merchandising Graduate Programme, or to find out
more about the other opportunities we offer, visit
www.tesco-graduates.com

Issue 10 2012
Landscape
Inspirational retailers and
champion consumers rose to the
challenge to make the second
Independents’ Day a success.
Created to highlight the impor-
tance of diversity on the high
street, and recognise the skills
behind the shop fronts, the
campaign encouraged everyone to
buy at least one thing from a local
independent store.
Thousands of retailers took
part in a huge range of activities
including high street parties, shop-
front barbecues, market stalls,
street entertainment, product
showcases, match-any-offer deals
and customer discounts.
Recent research from the
National Skills Academy for Retail
has revealed that consumers place a
value on independent retailers too,
with 51% of shoppers in the survey
believing they receive a higher level
of customer service from indies.
Retailers in Bishopthorpe Road
in York got together to organise a
street party for the early evening
on July 4. Bagel Boy in Bristol
created an ‘Independent Boy’ bagel
ﬁlled with bacon, tomato, cream
cheese and guacamole. Meanwhile,
Tamworth Market had a live music
performance from duo Chloe and
Barry Hunt. The Arcadia Delicates-
sen in Lisburn, Belfast attracted a
visit from the local Lord Mayor to
its celebration.
Proving that independent retail-
ers can also thrive in even the
biggest shopping centres, the
MetroCentre in Gateshead backed
the campaign to celebrate the inde-
pendent retailers in the scheme.
Meanwhile, fashion boutique
Aurora in Dungannon, Northern
Ireland offered 40% off its jewellery
collection on the day.
The indie scene
Independents’ Day 2012 drew support from local retailers and consumers across the country
to grow the impact of the event in its second year
high streets, which can have an
impact on the wider local economy.
Jane Rexworthy,head of the NSA
for Retail, said she was delighted to
lead the campaign, as it raises
awareness of the challenges smaller
retailers face, as well as highlighting
their importance to the local and
national economy.
There are estimated to be more
than 171,000 independent retail
businesses in the UK, and 91%
of them employ fewer than 10
people. During 2011, more than
15,000 new independent stores
opened, increasing the total
number by 2.4%. The NSA for
Retail survey also revealed that
42% of consumers choose to
shop locally to boost businesses
and 38% feel they are keeping
local people in work.
British Retail Consortium
director general Stephen Robertson
added that the day should highlight
the campaigns being undertaken
to ensure high streets remain
attractive to both retailers and
consumers:“Successful high streets,
where many independent retailers
are based, are vital to local commu-
nities and economies.
“We continue to campaign for
action to support them and all
the retailers trading in them. That
means keeping business rates and
rents affordable and investing to
make each town centre an attrac-
tive place to visit, which is safe,
welcoming and accessible.”●
Wakeﬁeld-based indie Jam gave
away a gift hamper to a customer
after a Jubilee-themed prize draw.
And fashion boutique The Dress-
ing Room in St Albans took part
in the celebration of independent
retail, which also ran throughout
July and proved that it wasn’t
always necessary to offer discounts
to bring customers into the store.
The Dressing Room launched a
competition, inviting consumers to
tell them ‘Why do you shop Inde-
pendent?’, with the best comment
each week winning a prize. Offer-
ing double loyalty points every
Saturday throughout July also
proved successful.
The store’s owner,Deryane Tadd,
said: “This had a fantastic effect,
increasing footfall and boosting
trade on Saturdays by 4% as a direct
result of the promotion.”
Behind the fun promotions there
is a serious message. Consumers
are being urged to use independent
retailers or lose them from their
Retailers were out in force to celebrate this year’s Independents’ Day on July 4
171,495
The number of
independent retail
businesses in the UK
91%
of independent
retailers employ fewer
than 10 people For more pictures from the
day, visit the Independents’
Day Facebook page at www.
facebook.com/independentsday
or follow on Twitter
@Retail_IndieDay

Find your local
skills shop
The National Skills Academy for Retail is a network of skills shops
delivering training and business support across the UK
North West
Academy ONE, Liverpool
01516 501462 L1 3DN
Cheshire Oaks Retail Academy
01513 559487 CH65 9JJ
Cumbria skills shop
01228 822707 CA1 1HS
Manchester skills shop
01616 117498 M20 2PQ
Preston Retail skills shop
01772 225255 PR2 8UR
Stoke on Trent and Staffordshire
skills shop
01782 238492 ST4 1HH
Trafford Retail skills shop
01619 524889 M32 0XH
Warrington skills shop
01925 571105 WA1 1NN
Wirral Retail skills shop
01515 517593 CH44 5TN
North East
Newcastle skills shop
01914 914175 NE1 7JB
Sunderland skills shop
01914 914175 NE11 0SR
Tees Valley skills shop
01914 914175 TS10 1DT
Yorkshire and
Humberside
Leeds Retail Skills Academy
01132 162237 LS18 4QR
The Source Lincolnshire, Hum-
berside and the East Coast of
Yorkshire 01142635600 S9 1EA
The Source at Meadowhall
01142 635600 S9 1EA
West Midlands
Greater Birmingham skills shop
01216 787176 B91 3TA
The Black Country skills shop
01384 344644 DY8 1QU
East Midlands
Derby Retail skills shop
03001 237890 DE1 2HR
Futurestore, Nottingham
skills shop
01159 415625 NG1 7LN
Retail Skills Centre, Leicester
01162 625921 LE1 1FB
South West
Cheltenham and Gloucester
01633 674555 NP10 8FY
Cornwall skills shop
0500 832300 NG11 6JZ
Petroc Retail Skills
01271 338085 EX31 2BQ
Retail skills shop Dorset
01202 205275 BH14 0LS
Skills Centre South West
01173 122022 BS1 3LZ
Swindon skills shop
01702 201070 SN2 2DY
South East
Brighton skills shop
01273 667788 ex 770 BN1 4FA
Canterbury skills shop
01227 811113 CT1 3AJ
Hampshire skills shop
07917 853678 PO6 2SA
Skillscentre: Mk*
01908 398111 MK9 3ES
Southampton skills shop
01590 625555 SO42 7ZE
The Learning Shop, Bluewater
01322 624455 DA9 9SE
London
Heathrow Retail Academy
07843033255 TW6 2RQ
South London skills shop
0208 2971132 SE13 5JX
The Skills Place, Newham
020 8090 9719 E20 1EJ
Uxbridge skills shop
01895 259854 UB8 1LH
Wembley skills shop
0208 208 5420 HA9 0A9
West End skills shop
020 7208 1370 W1F 7LN
Work Zone, Westﬁeld London
020 8753 4693 W12 7SL
East of England
Bedfordshire skills shop
01582 569850 LU2 7BF
Cambridgeshire skills shop
01702 201070 CB1 1PS
North Essex Retail skills shop
01268 526924 SS14 1LL
Norwich Retail Skills Academy
01603 773708 NR2 1SH
South Essex skills shop
08455 212345 RM17 6TF
Scotland
Edinburgh skills shop
01315 573862 EH1 3SS
Fife skills shop
01592 223300 KYI IEX
Grampian skills shop (Aberdeen
and Aberdeenshire)
07736 367964 AB11 6GY
West Lothian skills shop
01506 427955 EH54 7EP
Northern Ireland
Greater Belfast Retail skills shop
028 9127 6781 BT20 4TD
North West Retail skills shop NI
028 7127 6195 BT48 7AL
Southern Retail skills shop NI
028 3025 9664 BT35 8DN
Wales
Acorn People
01633 674555 NP10 8FY
Cardiff and Vale skills shop
02920 406509 CF24 3AD
Coleg Llandrillo Retail skills shop
01745 345823 LL18 2HG
* An approved specialist. Only
provides some of the National
Skills Academy for Retail offer
For more information about skills shops, please visit www.nsaforretail.com

Debate
N
ewspaper articles describ-
ing work experience place-
ments for jobseekers as
“workfare”, with terms such
as “exploitation” and “slave
labour” also being bandied
about, shook the retail industry in spring 2012.
Many retailers had been involved in the Govern-
ment-backed Work Experience scheme, offering
those under 25 on jobseeker’s allowance a six-week
placement; with the idea of giving them enough skills
and experience of work in that time to demonstrate
their ability to do a job.
It began with a Work Experience placement being
incorrectly advertised as a job by Jobcentre Plus.
Campaign group Right To Work took exception to
the scheme being unpaid, and the possibility that
those who took part might lose their benefits if they
chose to take part in the scheme for longer than a
week before pulling out.
Retailers were pulled into the argument, and many
quickly suspended or ended their involvement in the
scheme as they sought to divert attention away from
themselves. Six months later we want to examine
what the longer-term effects of the critical media
coverage have been, and whether it has reduced
opportunities for jobseekers to be helped back into
work by retailers.
Positive prospects
Skillsmart Retail chief executive Anne Seaman spoke
up for retailers and their track record in helping
people into employment at the time of the contro-
versy. Six months later she is just as passionate about
the issue, and says she doesn’t feel it has stopped
retailers from offering work experience placements,
though they may be going more under the radar.
“Policymakers don’t understand business, you
can’t just switch programmes on and off overnight
that might have taken many months to set up,”
she explains.
Much was made of the fact that the programme
didn’t pay, but as those joining were on benefits the
only full-time work they could undertake was
unpaid. Seaman says it is a shame the benefits system
is not flexible enough to allow people to take steps
into work while still being financially supported
to some degree.
However, as it stands, she says: “If someone is on
benefits and that would be affected by being paid
then it is perfectly legitimate to offer unpaid work
experience. Your chances of getting a full-time job
that would make it worth moving off benefits signifi-
cantly improve with the work experience.”
She believes that the idea retailers would join work
experience schemes just to get free short-term labour
for free is ridiculous. “Big companies are not just
going to take anyone. They want to take people that
they can train, recruit and keep.”
The results of an ICM consumer poll from the
time strongly support Seaman’s views, and show that
the general public felt there was a reasonable chance
for jobseekers to gain paid employment off the back
of a work experience placement (see box).
Experience for all
At the time, Boots and Poundland said they were
pulling out of the programme, and others including
Maplin, Argos and Superdrug suspended their
involvement. Tesco created a new scheme to sit
alongside Work Experience, offering four weeks’ paid
work experience followed by a job interview.
A Tesco spokesperson explains to Retail Therapy:
“We know that being unemployed at an early age can
be particularly damaging, so we’re involved in a
number of initiatives to help young people gain
employability skills, get experience of working and
ultimately find jobs.
“In February, we decided to give people who
wanted to do work experience with Tesco a choice.
They could either remain on benefits within the
Government work placement scheme, or be paid by
Tesco, at the same rate as our other new starters get,
with the guarantee of a job at the end if the place-
ment goes well.”
Sainsbury’s was never part of the official Work
Experience scheme, yet its chief executive Justin King
felt moved to speak out on the issue. Its stance has
Most of us in work
today had invaluable
work experience in
the early part of our
working lives – this
should not be denied
to others
Justin King, Sainsbury’s
The controversy over work experience schemes has now subsided.
Joanna Perry finds out what the fall-out has been for retailers and jobseekers
Whatever happened
about ‘workfare’?

Issue 10 2012
been unchanged by hindsight, and Sainsbury’s refers
us back to King’s comments from the time, which
stressed that while not all work experience place-
ments are necessarily equal, businesses such as his
have much to offer through decent and fair schemes.
Sainsbury’s has run its own work trial programme
‘You Can’ since 2008, for people who have previously
faced significant barriers to finding work, including
young people, the long-term unemployed or those
with learning difficulties. The voluntary work trials
of up to three weeks are always attached to a real job
if the trial is successful. Sainsbury’s employed 4,300
people through the scheme in 2011, and says it has
created a total of 12,000 job opportunities through
its schemes since 2008.
King implored: “Most of us in work today had
invaluable work experience in the early part of our
working lives – this should not be denied to others.”
Further proof that retailers want to employ people
that complete work placements with them comes
from the success of the graduates of the Fashion
Retail Academy. It encourages its students to take on
work placements as an integral part of all its courses.
In the 2011/12 academic year the academy
secured 704 student placements, and 69% have been
offered a job through the company that provided
their placement. On their graduation day, 68% of
students from the Level 4 Buying and Merchandising
and Visual Merchandising courses had secured jobs.
83% of students who completed the Higher Educa-
tion certificate in Fashion Merchandising have
secured merchandise administrative assistant roles.
Attention on Apprenticeships
Tesco was the retailer that initially took much
of the flak for the Work Experience scheme.
However, Seaman says the retailer is doing
much work with the young: “Tesco is growing the
Apprenticeship schemes across a range of areas, as
now it has a scalable model. It wants to bring young
people into its business.”
She adds that retailers can’t afford to keep
reacting to the headlines, and shouldn’t be scared
off similar initiatives.
The Tesco spokesperson adds: “We are already
the country’s largest private sector employer of
The retail
sector employs
10.5%of the UK
workforce
The public’s verdict
Despite negative press
for the Work Experience
scheme, an ICM consumer
poll conducted for Retail
Week showed the public was
overwhelmingly in favour of
retailers offering placements
to the unemployed.
Some 73% said retailers
should participate in
Government work experi-
ence schemes, 25% believed
schemes could strongly
boost the chances of an
unemployed person finding
a job, and a further 48%
thought it might help. Only
22% said it wouldn’t help a
jobseeker find employment.

Debate
Issue 10 2012
young people with 70,000 – almost a quarter of our
workforce – under 25. Tesco offers young colleagues
a chance to start a career, learning new skills at
every level through our Apprenticeships, school
leaver and graduate training programmes, and
foundation degrees.”
In the next two years, Tesco will offer 10,000 places
on Apprenticeship schemes. Seaman believes that
many larger retailers have focused their attention on
Apprenticeships in the wake of the workfare
argument. She explains: “We don’t have specific
evidence yet, but we are speaking to senior people in
retail who are focused on Apprenticeships and
more structured programmes.”
Waitrose launched a year-long Apprenticeship
scheme in September 2012 – and has pledged to
provide three Apprenticeship places in every new,
large store it opens.
Skillsmart Retail will issue 17,000 Apprenticeship
certificates this year, up from about 14,000 last year.
While Seaman admits that Apprenticeships have had
some bad press, she says retailers can’t afford to have
spare bodies on the shopfloor, and so those thinking
about an Apprenticeship in the sector need not worry
that they won’t be doing a ‘real’ job.
She says: “In no time at all they are an essential
part of the team. They are dropped in at the deep end
and get on with it. For instance, they come back
and tell us that they are quickly leading small teams
within stores.”
The National Skills Academy for Retail is looking
at a pre-Apprenticeship programme as Seaman says
“often young people aren’t well prepared for work”.
Head of the NSA for Retail Jane Rexworthy says
in addition to its pre-employment programme,
it is now exploring the idea of a pre-Apprenticeship
programme too. To highlight why this is necessary
she gives the example of a retailer offering
a programme that allows apprentices to train to
be managers within the business. She says the
retailer “had over 8,000 applications for 350
positions, and in Scotland had 1,400 applications
for just under 30 positions”.
She adds: “In the sifting process, many of the indi-
viduals were not really work-ready. They needed
support, training and development to get to the
point where they could begin an Apprenticeship.”
They also already have their Retail Works
programme, though Seaman says it is hard to make
this joined up, with individual skills shops working
with whichever local organisations are prepared to
get involved, such as colleges and Jobcentre Plus.
Intern issue
Justin King’s point about how people at all levels of
retail have often undertaken work experience in
order to get their foot in the door remains just as
true for new management trainee recruits as it
does for store staff.
Aldi is one of many retailers that likes to see
work experience on a new recruit’s CV, even for
graduate positions. Speaking about its latest graduate
programme, Aldi’s head of graduate recruitment,
Richard Holloway, said: “We’re looking for outstand-
ing candidates who can offer something beyond
academic achievements. Strong personalities, work
experience, hobbies and leading teams at university
are key strengths that we have identified.”
In fact, many graduates keen to get into different
sectors are finding that unpaid internships are the
only way to add experience to their CVs.
On the subject of internships, Seaman believes
retailers also try to be fair. “It may not be the best
paid industry [in which to be an intern], but I believe
that interns should be paid.”
Arcadia has retrospectively paid dozens of interns
who worked in the PR department at its head office
up to a year after their placements ended. The retailer
said the cheques had been sent out after an internal
review of intern placements.
And Kingfisher was also advertising a three-month
paid internship in internal communications on a
graduate jobsite for summer 2012.
The issue of whether these longer placements
should always be paid at minimum wage rates or
better is likely to rumble on, with HMRC reported to
have visited fashion houses to ensure all workers are
paid what they are owed.
Meanwhile, hopefully the arguments about
work experience have been put to rest, and
retailers can be confident that there is backing and
support for those who want to offer placements
and job trials to jobseekers as a stepping stone
into employment. l
School leavers heading for retail
School leavers are being targeted as part of a new scheme by Tesco to help
young people launch their retail career at its Hertfordshire head office.
Tesco is offering paid jobs to young people, beginning with a two-year
training programme, with roles in both its food and clothing buying
or merchandising teams. For instance, successful applicants for the fashion
roles will be given the opportunity to work on brands such as F&F, learning
how to spot trends, source products and negotiate with suppliers.
“Not everyone wants to go to university before they start working, and in
a tough jobs market we want to help talented students looking to start their
career straight from school, said head of commercial resourcing Justine Dinter.
“We want to employ young people with a passion for retail who can spot
trends and who can understand what our customers want.”
The scheme will run alongside the existing store trainee management
programme for school leavers and a further 19 graduate programmes
already on offer.
Tesco wants to
bring young people
into its business
Anne Seaman,
Skillsmart Retail

Short Courses at the
Fashion Retail Academy
Why choose an FRA short course?
At the FRA we offer a unique and varied programme of short
courses related to careers in fashion retail and the fashion
retail business.
If you would like to develop new skills, pursue a particular
passion, start your own business, or improve you career
prospects there is a short course at the FRA for you.
Courses are delivered in different formats depending on the
subject, ranging from 3-day blocks or 1 week intensive, to
the 6 week Advanced Course.
Some of our courses are delivered in the evening as well
as during the day to enable you to fit them around other
commitments of work or study.
Courses on Offer
• Advanced Preparation for a Career in Fashion Retail
• Introduction to Buying and Merchandising intensive
• Introduction to Buying and Range Planning
• Introduction to Merchandising
• Introduction to Fashion PR and Marketing
• Introduction to Visual Merchandising
• Introduction to Fashion Styling
FRA
15 Gresse Street
London W1T 1QL
T: 020 7307 2345
What to do next?
For details of all FRA short courses, dates
and how to apply, visit our website
www.fashionretailacademy.ac.uk/
short-courses
Apply
online
now!

Retail Apprenti
Need an extra pair of hands and a fresh pair of
eyes to help take your retail business to the next level?
Could you give a young person
their first step on the career ladder?
Would you like an easy solution to recruiting new,
young and ambitious, retail-trained staff?
Do you own a retail business?
To find out more go to www.nsaforretail.
Then the Retail Apprentice
Apprenticeships are the best way of training, particularly the younger generation. Get the
younger generation into your business and show them your way of working and if they are
interested and enthusiastic they’ll take it on board and be so valuable to you as a company,
that you’ll want to keep them.
Helen Murray, Manager, Monica F Hewitt Florist, Meadowhall, Sheffield
“
Through the Scheme you would:
be provided with a shortlist of suitable candidates to
interview and be given support at every step of the way
take on an apprentice for a year (or be buddied up with
another retailer if you can only manage part of the year)
be provided with on-going support by the Retail
Apprenticeship Training Agency which manages the
Scheme
pay the Agency from £140 per week - you may be
entitled to a Government grant of £1500 if you have
fewer than 1000 employees and have not taken on an
apprentice in the last year
get expert advice and guidance throughout the process
from your local skills shop - experts in the retail sector
➜
➜
➜
➜
➜
“
Retail Apprenti
Need an extra pair of hands and a fresh pair of
eyes to help take your retail business to the next level?
Could you give a young person
their first step on the career ladder?
Would you like an easy solution to recruiting new,
young and ambitious, retail-trained staff?
Do you own a retail business?
To find out more go to www.nsaforretail.
Then the Retail Apprentice
Apprenticeships are the best way of training, particularly the younger generation. Get the
younger generation into your business and show them your way of working and if they are
interested and enthusiastic they’ll take it on board and be so valuable to you as a company,
that you’ll want to keep them.
Helen Murray, Manager, Monica F Hewitt Florist, Meadowhall, Sheffield
“
Through the Scheme you would:
be provided with a shortlist of suitable candidates to
interview and be given support at every step of the way
take on an apprentice for a year (or be buddied up with
another retailer if you can only manage part of the year)
be provided with on-going support by the Retail
Apprenticeship Training Agency which manages the
Scheme
pay the Agency from £140 per week - you may be
entitled to a Government grant of £1500 if you have
fewer than 1000 employees and have not taken on an
apprentice in the last year
get expert advice and guidance throughout the process
from your local skills shop - experts in the retail sector
➜
➜
➜
➜
➜
“

iceship Scheme
Do you want an amazing
career in retail?
Want to earn while you learn?
Want to get qualified and get
experience in the workplace?
.com/ras or email ras@nsaforretail.com
eship Scheme may be for you!
I never really liked school and struggled working in a classroom, so when I was offered
the opportunity to do an Apprenticeship, I thought it would be a great way to learn more and
develop myself. Since starting my Apprenticeship I have become more confident. Before, I
didn’t like speaking on the phone or to customers face-to-face because I was so shy but now
I love speaking to people and helping them choose the perfect arrangement.
April Bell, Apprentice, Monica F Hewitt Florist, Meadowhall, Sheffield
“
Through the Scheme you can:
get a foot on the career ladder and gain a year’s
workplace experience in one or more retail businesses
work in an area that interests you, such as sport,
fashion or music
benefit from two weeks’ retail training before you start
then get further training through day release
gain a nationally-recognised qualification
be entitled to an NUS card and loads of great
discounts!
get training and on-going support from experts in retail
through your local skills shop to help you throughout
your Apprenticeship
➜
➜
➜
➜
➜
➜
Delivered exclusively by
“
iceship Scheme
Do you want an amazing
career in retail?
Want to earn while you learn?
Want to get qualified and get
experience in the workplace?
.com/ras or email ras@nsaforretail.com
eship Scheme may be for you!
I never really liked school and struggled working in a classroom, so when I was offered
the opportunity to do an Apprenticeship, I thought it would be a great way to learn more and
develop myself. Since starting my Apprenticeship I have become more confident. Before, I
didn’t like speaking on the phone or to customers face-to-face because I was so shy but now
I love speaking to people and helping them choose the perfect arrangement.
April Bell, Apprentice, Monica F Hewitt Florist, Meadowhall, Sheffield
“
Through the Scheme you can:
get a foot on the career ladder and gain a year’s
workplace experience in one or more retail businesses
work in an area that interests you, such as sport,
fashion or music
benefit from two weeks’ retail training before you start
then get further training through day release
gain a nationally-recognised qualification
be entitled to an NUS card and loads of great
discounts!
get training and on-going support from experts in retail
through your local skills shop to help you throughout
your Apprenticeship
➜
➜
➜
➜
➜
➜
Delivered exclusively by
“

In-depth
W
ith almost three mil-
lion employed within
retail businesses in the
UK, most of us know
someone in the indus-
try even if we don’t
directly work within it ourselves.
Yet despite the many thousands of highly skilled
senior management roles across a variety of areas,
often in businesses that are internationally successful
too, the sector is all too often associated with low
skilled, low paid work.
It is for this reason that the issue of professionalisa-
tion of the sector has become much more high profile.
British Retail Consortium (BRC) director of
business Tom Ironside says there has been
progress in recent years in highlighting the
importance of retail, but among those who are
not familiar with modern retail businesses do
continue in the belief that retail jobs are not as
valuable as others.
The head of the National Skills Academy for Retail,
Jane Rexworthy, says the size and diversity of skills in
the sector mean that it is crucial to the country’s wider
economic success.
This point is strongly supported by the BRC. Its
report, UK Retail: Leading Globally, Serving Locally
highlights how important the sector is to the health
of the overall economy. The retail sector employs
10.5% of the UK workforce, and is the largest private
sector employer.
The profitability of the UK’s retailers has wider
implications as they pay £4bn a year in dividends,
about 5% of the UK total. These payments not only go
into the pockets of individual share owners but also to
the many pension funds that hold retail shares.
And the profitability of retail businesses can be
directly impacted by staff being appropriately skilled.
Putting the skilled
roles within retail on
the same footing as
other sectors such as
law or accountancy is
crucial to the industry’s
future success
A professional approach

Issue 10 2012
Of the graduates going
into management
positions each year,
more than 30% go
into management
positions in retail
Jane Rexworthy, National
Skills Academy for Retail
Ironside says: “The link between skills and
productivity is extremely important. The evidence
suggests that UK retailers are becoming more
productive compared with their European counter-
parts. And they need to remain as productive
and competitive as they can be.”
Global competition
But why the focus on professionalising the sector now?
After all, hasn’t it continued to grow and
thrive anyway?
Rexworthy points out that multichannel retailing
in particular is making the sector much more global.
You only have to think of the number of big
retailers that now sell to international
customers through their websites, as
well as the ones who have stores all
over the world.
An estimated 11% of global
internet sales are from the UK,
according to the BRC report. With
an ecommerce sector that’s far more
developed than many other major
Western countries, UK retailers develop-
ing world-class ecommerce skills have the
opportunity to expand their possible customer
bases and use the internet as a platform for
international sales.
Rexworthy says these global ambitions mean the
time is right for retailers to be thinking about
their skills and professionalism now. “The sheer
opportunity of multichannel retailing means we have
to attract the right individuals and explain the
diversity of the roles,” she adds.
Ironside believes that ecommerce in particular has
created challenges and opportunities requiring retail
businesses to look outside of the sector for talent. And
he highlights that it is an attractive place for senior
executives from other industries to move to. “You
only need look at the breadth of people joining retail
to demonstrate this,” he says.
Indeed, recent moves and changes at the highest
level have included Alex Baldock joining home
shopping retailer Shop Direct Group as its new chief
executive.He joins from a background in banking,and
has a double first from Oxford University as well as
an MBA from Harvard.
And Selfridges’ new director of food and restau-
rants, Brian Hannon, joins from pub chain Mitchells
& Butlers, where he spent 19 years working in opera-
tions. Others to make the move from different sectors
include John Lewis chief information officer Paul
Coby, who spent 10 years in the airline industry before
making the switch, and Harvey Nichols new group
fashion director Paula Reed, who joins from the fash-
ion magazine Grazia.
Professionalising the sector will not only attract
more of these top-level executives, but create clearer
career development plans for those already in the
industry who want to get to the top.
Well qualiﬁed
“It’s about the value an individual places on being part
of a professional sector; what they feel they have
achieved,” explains Rexworthy, discussing why profes-
sional accreditation of skills and experience would
benefit those in middle management who are ambi-
tious to progress their careers.
She says for some roles in particular, retailers
have to have specialist skills in multiple
disciplines. “A store manager probably
wears 12 or 14 hats, and needs to
be specialised in each as part of
their role.”
Rexworthy adds that managers
of larger stores are often running
multi-million pound businesses
in their own right, and this needs
to be recognised.
Those coming into junior
management positions in the sector are
increasingly likely to have skills that have
been benchmarked.
For instance, Morrisons has teamed up with the
University of Bradford to offer a Foundation Degree in
Retail Leadership and Management. Participants have
their salary and tuition fees paid while working full
time, and the course is open to 18 to 24-year-olds with
at least three A-levels at grades BBC.
The grocer is honest that the scheme benefits
its business as well as the individuals on the course,
telling potential participants that it expects them
to use the skills they learn to ‘make Morrisons
even better’.
The sector is proving to be a resilient employer of
graduates at a time when unemployment among that
age group is relatively high. Rexworthy points out:“Of
the graduates going into management positions each
year, more than 30% go into management positions in
retail.” Nearly all of the 10 largest retailers in the UK
operate formal graduate training schemes each year,as
do many others (see page 7 for more details of some of
these schemes).
However, compare the time and effort taken by
firms in other sectors to attract the best graduates –
management consultants and finance firms, for
instance – and it is clear that retail could do more.
Ironside is not sure that retail has the same profile
during the graduate milk round process as some
other sectors. However, he believes that education on
the opportunities in the sector needs to start before
students reach university. “I think it needs to
The retail
sector employs
10.5%of the UK
workforce

In-depth
Issue 10 2012
be a very complete approach, so that they understand
while they are still at school what could flow out of
a retail career.”
Career ladders
But it’s not just graduates and senior management
where professionalising the sector is important. Many
of the arguments hold true for front-line staff too –
whether they work on the shopfloor, in distribution
centres or customer services roles.
Rexworthy notes that retail remains one of
few sectors where you can come in as an apprentice
at 16 and end up as the managing director or chief
executive of a company. So building clearly defined
and easy-to-climb career ladders for those coming in
at the bottom helps to improve the reputation of
the sector too.
She points out that training and development –
particularly numeracy and literacy skills – support
new recruits in all aspects of their life, not just their
work, and is therefore particularly beneficial to them.
The BRC report points out that retailers and whole-
salers account for more than 12% of the total sum
spent on training by employers each year. On average
they invest £1,275 per employee per year on training
compared with, for instance, just more than £800 in
the financial sector. Retail employees who receive
training spent six days a year being trained on average.
Detractors often describe store jobs as “shelf-stack-
ing”.However,not only are there roles for people at the
front-line that require in-depth knowledge and skills
– as our case study on Go Outdoors shows – but actu-
ally shelf-stacking is a crucial store activity. Customers
pretty quickly complain when shelves are allowed to
become bare.
Rexworthy adds:“You need to have good numeracy
and literacy skills as a shelf-stacker as you will likely be
following written orders, so you need to be competent
to the requirements of the sector with GCSEs in maths
and english.”
Getting involved
So how can retailers support the drive to professional-
ise the sector? Rexworthy says it’s important that
retailers and their staff understand how to access
training and development, for instance through the
NSA for Retail’s network of skills shops.
In addition to this there is a clear PR job to
be done to wider society. “We want retailers to
champion themselves and the people in their
business,” she says.
Ironside agrees that retailers must keep communi-
cation channels open on the issue, but the message
must be unified and clear. “I think the sector is
strongest when it works together on issues and takes
shared positions that can be communicated clearly,”
he concludes. l
Case study: going professional
Go Outdoors is to launch Level 2 and Level 3 NVQs in customer service and Institute
of Leadership and Management courses to its staff as the retailer continues its own
efforts to professionalise retail.
HR manager Simon Clayton says it is vital to continue the chain’s aim of deliv-
ering great service to its customers. “This is not just about giving them process
and product training but the skills to go with that too,” he says.
And it’s particularly required as Go Outdoors seeks to grow staff internally
because of its rapid expansion. “It’s the growth that has driven the need to profes-
sionalise retail for us,” says Clayton. “We have to develop our talent internally
because trying to recruit 50 new people and embed culture each time is just not
practical. The longer people can stay with us and the more opportunities we can
expose them to, the better the chance of creating that culture,” he says.
And to support the customer service training, the retailer has also, in the last
two years, revamped the structure and scheduling of its product training. Staff are
now trained up on products a month ahead of them coming into peak customer
demand to ensure knowledge is current. Training is fed into each store’s training
co-ordinator, who then cascades the training to staff. The following month’s mystery
shop then includes a focus on that month’s product training to ensure knowledge
has been embedded.
For many staff a job at Go Outdoors is about working in a sector of retail they are
passionate about. Clayton says his staff’s love of the outdoors – which is a require-
ment of the job – ranges from general outdoor leisure fans to elite enthusiasts
and that brings its own advantages because a generous staff discount ensures the
products are all thoroughly staff tested.
To encourage the best possible product advice and customer service the retailer
also doesn’t operate commission-based selling. “As a business it’s not really a sell
culture so the interaction with customers is based on a sharing of experiences and
anecdotal selling. It’s about understanding their customers’ needs to help them
make the right choices. The best thing is when one of our employees can say ‘yes,
I’ve been there and this is what you will need’,” concludes Clayton.

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People: Interview
Issue 10 2012
Channel building
T
here are many preconceptions
about what people who work in
ecommerce and multichannel do in
their roles. But speaking to B&Q’s
Joanna Robb (pictured, centre)
– who won Online Individual of
the Year at the Skillsmart Retail Rising Star awards in
2011 – it’s clear that her priority is exactly the same as
retailers in other kinds of retail roles.
Getting into the mind of the customer is the most
important element of the head of multichannel devel-
opment and strategy’s job. “You need to know the
customer and think like them rather than yourself,” she
says. However, in today’s world that task is becoming
increasingly difficult.
“Generation Z are more in-tune with technology,”
she says. “My two-year-old niece can already use an
iPhone better than I can. Catering for this new genera-
tion of customer is challenging the way we think.”
She says consumer behaviour is changing at
such a pace that it makes long-term projects
near impossible.“We were working on a year-
long project focusing on desktop computers
and realised it would be completely
superseded because of the number of
people shopping on mobiles.”
Multichannel is becoming increas-
ingly vital in every retailer’s organisa-
tion as more and more customers use
websites to either buy or order to collect
in store. Online now accounts for 12%
of all retail sales, and is growing apace.
However, things were different
when Robb first joined B&Q in 2004.
“Back then people didn’t really know
what our division was or where it
should sit. Now we’ve got someone
representing multichannel sitting
on the board.”
The rapid growth of online retail
has left a big skills gap in the indus-
try with experienced operators
such as Robb hard to come by.
Robb fell into ecommerce when
she graduated from a literature degree
at the University of East Anglia in 1997.
She says:“I saw myself as a bit of a creative when I left
uni and wanted to be in the heady world of advertising.
Online was such a burgeoning industry, it wasn’t
anything that I would ever have considered. I didn’t
even own a computer until my last year of uni.”
However, she took a temporary role in a local agency,
and ended up working in its new media department, a
move which kickstarted her career. Her time there was
spent working mainly for financial services companies.
“That’s where people were spending money in online
back there.Retail was behind the curve,but it’s where all
the exciting stuff is now,”she says.
She’s not wrong. From stores built solely to pick up
online orders, such as the House of Fraser click-and-
collect stores in Aberdeen and Liverpool, to virtual
shopping walls, where consumers can scan items on
their phone and get them sent directly to their home,
retail is a hotbed for ecommerce innovation.
Despite 15 years in the industry, Robb insists she is
no IT geek. “My boyfriend thinks I’m a technical
moron,” she laughs, although her partner is
head of ecommerce systems at Waitrose.
She insists you don’t have to be an IT
expert to go far in this industry. “I’m
a business person. I listen to the board’s
objectives. They give me a picture and
I colour it in. It’s my job to find out how
it should work and feel for the customers.
I then hand that vision over to our
programmers.”
Unlike her unplanned entry into the
industry there are many more structured
routes to become an ecommerce profes-
sional with qualifications including MScs,
Econsultancy courses and business studies
with digital marketing, according to Robb.
However, she urges new recruits not to
specialise too soon in their careers.“You need
to be generalist enough to have an end-to-
end conversation on anything from mobile
to logistics.”
She says enthusiasm about new things
and the urge to ask‘why?’is critical to forge
a career in her industry. “It’s about being
passionate about the customer and
making sure we’re fulfilling their needs.”●
The career path of B&Q’s Joanna Robb should inspire others looking to make
their way up the multichannel retail career ladder. By Gemma Goldfingle
says. However, in today’s world that task is becoming
“Generation Z are more in-tune with technology,”
she says. “My two-year-old niece can already use an
iPhone better than I can. Catering for this new genera-
tion of customer is challenging the way we think.”
She says consumer behaviour is changing at
such a pace that it makes long-term projects
near impossible.“We were working on a year-
long project focusing on desktop computers
and realised it would be completely
superseded because of the number of
Multichannel is becoming increas-
ingly vital in every retailer’s organisa-
tion as more and more customers use
websites to either buy or order to collect
in store. Online now accounts for 12%
of all retail sales, and is growing apace.
However, things were different
when Robb first joined B&Q in 2004.
“Back then people didn’t really know
what our division was or where it
should sit. Now we’ve got someone
she graduated from a literature degree
at the University of East Anglia in 1997.
online orders, such as the House of Fraser click-and-
collect stores in Aberdeen and Liverpool, to virtual
shopping walls, where consumers can scan items on
their phone and get them sent directly to their home,
retail is a hotbed for ecommerce innovation.
Despite 15 years in the industry, Robb insists she is
no IT geek. “My boyfriend thinks I’m a technical
moron,” she laughs, although her partner is
head of ecommerce systems at Waitrose.
She insists you don’t have to be an IT
expert to go far in this industry. “I’m
a business person. I listen to the board’s
objectives. They give me a picture and
I colour it in. It’s my job to find out how
it should work and feel for the customers.
I then hand that vision over to our
programmers.”
Unlike her unplanned entry into the
industry there are many more structured
routes to become an ecommerce profes-
sional with qualifications including MScs,
Econsultancy courses and business studies
with digital marketing, according to Robb.
However, she urges new recruits not to
specialise too soon in their careers.“You need
to be generalist enough to have an end-to-
end conversation on anything from mobile
to logistics.”
and the urge to ask‘why?’is critical to forge
a career in her industry. “It’s about being
passionate about the customer and
making sure we’re fulfilling their needs.”
I’m a business person.
I listen to the board’s
objectives. They give
me a picture and
I colour it in
Joanna Robb, B&Q

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People: First jobs
Issue 10 2012
Starting points
G
etting your first job in
the sector where you end
up making your career is a
defining moment in any-
one’s life. It can influence
your working life and the
career path you take.
Those early days can help determine whether
an employee loves the buzz of the retail sector and
decides to build a career within it.
First jobs also provide lessons that can stay with an
employee for life. For retailers, many of whom have
their closest contact with customers when they start
their careers on the shopfloor, the early lessons are
especially important.
Retail Therapy asked a number of the UK’s
leading retailers for their memories of their first
job in retail and found out what lessons they had
carried through from the start of their career to the
boardroom today.
Andy Street, managing director,
John Lewis
John Lewis managing director Andy Street jokes
that more than 25 years on he is still in his first job
because he has never worked anywhere else but
the department store giant. “I joined John Lewis
as a graduate trainee in 1985, and have been with
the company ever since,” he laughs. However, he
also reveals his career could have taken a different
turn: “My first job could have been with Marks &
Spencer – I applied for their graduate scheme but
was turned down,” he says.
But the role wasn’t necessarily his first choice of
career: “I’d originally thought of becoming a social
worker, but the broad opportunities of retail caught
my eye at a graduate career show and John Lewis
seemed particularly innovative,” he says.
He explains how he learnt to listen to customers.
“Seeing directly what customers want and how
to respond has informed my career from the
very beginning to my current role as managing
director,” he says.
David Shepherd, chief operating
officer, Arcadia
Most retailers start their working life in retail
and get so hooked on the buzz and immediacy of
the sector that they don’t want to leave. However,
it’s rare that someone’s first job is at the
chain they will one day end up
running. But for David Shepherd
that was exactly what happened.
“I was 16 years old when I
started in retail as a Saturday
boy in Topshop, Oxford Circus,”
he says. He got the job through
a friend that worked there,
combined with an already
keen interest in fashion.
Following college he
worked as an assistant
manager on the concessions
department of Chelsea Girl
– the chain later rebranded
as River Island – before
overseeing the expansion
and growth of Topman,
which is owned by Arcadia.
He was promoted to
the role of chief operating
officer earlier this year. He
says he learnt to never cross
peers. “I learnt not to upset
anybody, this is a small
industry and you never
know when your paths may
cross again.”
Andy Street, managing director,
John Lewis managing director Andy Street jokes
that more than 25 years on he is still in his first job
because he has never worked anywhere else but
the department store giant. “I joined John Lewis
as a graduate trainee in 1985, and have been with
the company ever since,” he laughs. However, he
also reveals his career could have taken a different
turn: “My first job could have been with Marks &
Spencer – I applied for their graduate scheme but
But the role wasn’t necessarily his first choice of
career: “I’d originally thought of becoming a social
worker, but the broad opportunities of retail caught
my eye at a graduate career show and John Lewis
seemed particularly innovative,” he says.
He explains how he learnt to listen to customers.
“Seeing directly what customers want and how
to respond has informed my career from the
very beginning to my current role as managing
David Shepherd, chief operating
officer, Arcadia
Most retailers start their working life in retail
and get so hooked on the buzz and immediacy of
the sector that they don’t want to leave. However,
it’s rare that someone’s first job is at the
chain they will one day end up
running. But for David Shepherd
that was exactly what happened.
“I was 16 years old when I
started in retail as a Saturday
boy in Topshop, Oxford Circus,”
he says. He got the job through
a friend that worked there,
combined with an already
keen interest in fashion.
Following college he
worked as an assistant
manager on the concessions
department of Chelsea Girl
– the chain later rebranded
as River Island – before
overseeing the expansion
and growth of Topman,
which is owned by Arcadia.
He was promoted to
the role of chief operating
officer earlier this year. He
says he learnt to never cross
peers. “I learnt not to upset
anybody, this is a small
industry and you never
know when your paths may
cross again.”
Six high-profile
retailers prove how
much can be achieved
when starting on the
bottom rung of the retail
career ladder.
By Liz Morrell

People: First jobs
Issue 10 2012
Vince Gunn, managing director,
Crocs Europe
Vince Gunn’s career has covered
a variety of sectors in retail and
included stints at Mothercare as
retail operations director, bookstore
Blackwells as chief executive
and today managing director of
footwear specialist Crocs Europe.
However, his first role in retail was as a sales
assistant in his family’s greengrocer and florist
chains in the West End of Glasgow. “All family
members were ‘expected’ to earn our way through
life, therefore any school holidays and so on we
were working from an early age,” he says.
That first role provided a “fantastic foundation”
for his future career, according to Gunn. “It was
everything from dealing with people on a personal
basis − particularly the Glasgow public – to stock
management, buying and merchandising, store
operations, wholesale, quality control and a fair bit of
family politics,” he says. “That was combined with an
ethic to work very hard for results and rewards,” he
says. Gunn lives by the same lessons today.
Stephen Marks, founder and
chairman, French Connection
Stephen Marks, founder
and chairman of
fashion retailer French
Connection, was an
entrepreneur from the
start: “My first job was
delivering groceries
when I was 12 years
old,” he says. That was
followed by a stint in
a petrol station as a dishwasher and then in his
father’s hairdressing salon.
But initially those roles weren’t simply born from
a love of retail but a passion for sport instead. “All
of these jobs were to earn money so that I could
play tennis while I was still at school,” explains
Marks, who even won a plate at Junior Wimbledon.
His first full-time job was as a trainee in a
manufacturing company before what he regards
as his first “actual retail job” when he opened his
first shop on South Molton Street.
His early motivations were to make money, but he
soon realised that required hard work. “The lesson
I learnt was to be first in and last to leave,” he says.
Lee Bagnall, chief operating
officer, Go Outdoors
As a youngster, Lee Bagnall helped out with deliv-
eries for his father’s furniture retailing business,
but his first job in retail was one he took in order
to earn extra money while at college. At the age
of 16 he worked in an independent Shell petrol
station as a petrol pump attendant.
Despite his tender years at the time he says
the role taught him a vital lesson in retail almost
immediately after he persuaded the owner of the
garage to let him open up on Christmas Day − at
a time when no one else did − in order to sell a
limited range of products over the festive period.
“We opened for four hours and
took more in four hours than
we would usually take in a
full weekend,” he says.
He adds: “I learnt you
have to be there when the
customer needs you. It’s
a lesson that’s still as
applicable today.”
David Wild, former chief
executive, Halfords
Like many retailers, the industry is in former
Halfords chief executive David Wild’s blood: “I was
brought up in a shop. My dad ran a newsagent
and I helped out,” he says. His first step on the
career ladder, however, was when he
joined Tesco as trading director for fresh
fruit and vegetables.
“It was a fascinating time when
supermarkets were changing the face
of retail and Tesco, in particular, was
seeking to differentiate itself through
the presentation, value and quality
of its offer,” he says.
Both roles taught him to
remember the customer is king.
“Listen to your customers and
provide the products and services
they want. Even small improvements
can make a big difference,” he says.
“In my dad’s store we’d stay open late
if needed and provide popular products,
like toys, even if it meant paying full
retail prices to source them.”
I learnt you have to be
there when the cus-
tomer needs you. It’s
applicable today
Lee Bagnall, Go Outdoors

People: First jobs
Issue 10 2012
Vince Gunn, managing director,
Crocs Europe
Vince Gunn’s career has covered
a variety of sectors in retail and
included stints at Mothercare as
retail operations director, bookstore
Blackwells as chief executive
and today managing director of
footwear specialist Crocs Europe.
However, his first role in retail was as a sales
assistant in his family’s greengrocer and florist
chains in the West End of Glasgow. “All family
members were ‘expected’ to earn our way through
life, therefore any school holidays and so on we
were working from an early age,” he says.
That first role provided a “fantastic foundation”
for his future career, according to Gunn. “It was
everything from dealing with people on a personal
basis − particularly the Glasgow public – to stock
management, buying and merchandising, store
operations, wholesale, quality control and a fair bit of
family politics,” he says. “That was combined with an
ethic to work very hard for results and rewards,” he
says. Gunn lives by the same lessons today.
Stephen Marks, founder
and chairman of
fashion retailer French
Connection, was an
entrepreneur from the
start: “My first job was
delivering groceries
when I was 12 years
old,” he says. That was
followed by a stint in
Lee Bagnall, chief operating
officer, Go Outdoors
As a youngster, Lee Bagnall helped out with deliv-
eries for his father’s furniture retailing business,
but his first job in retail was one he took in order
to earn extra money while at college. At the age
of 16 he worked in an independent Shell petrol
station as a petrol pump attendant.
Despite his tender years at the time he says
the role taught him a vital lesson in retail almost
immediately after he persuaded the owner of the
garage to let him open up on Christmas Day − at
a time when no one else did − in order to sell a
full weekend,” he says.
He adds: “I learnt you
customer needs you. It’s
applicable today.”
executive, Halfords
fruit and vegetables.
“It was a fascinating time when
of its offer,” he says.
Both roles taught him to
remember the customer is king.
“Listen to your customers and
provide the products and services
retail prices to source them.”
I learnt you have to
be there when the
customer needs you.
It’s a lesson that’s still
as applicable today
Lee Bagnall, Go Outdoors

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Issue 10 2012
Retail life: Meet the team
A
t Pets at Home a love of animals
is a given. It has a motto of
employing pet lovers to serve pet
lovers and more than 90% of Pets
at Home employees own a pet.
In December the pet specialist
opened a new flagship store in Fort Kinnaird Retail
Park in Edinburgh. The store comprises an extended
pets and product offer as well as a ‘groom room’ and
joint venture vet surgery.
At 11,000 sq ft of retail space it is one of Pets at
Home’s biggest stores in Scotland. So hitting the
ground running with a newly established team was
vital for store manager Annie Campbell.
She heads a team of 19, which includes three other
managers − deputy manager Steven Gibson and
assistant managers Louise Barden and Craig Faill −
all three of whom started as part-time staff. The
assistant managers have been promoted through
Pets at Home’s internal rising star programme.
The management team lead 11 full and part-time
colleagues, and Claire Nixon manages a four-strong
groom room team.
With previous experience at JJB Sports and TK
Maxx before joining Pets at Home in 2008, Campbell
worked as a store manager designate for a number of
stores before running the company’s Pentland and
then Fort Kinnaird stores.
Her team was formed from staff new to the business
and employees plucked for their experience from the
Pentland store. “When we opened we needed a mix of
old and new staff to make the team an effective team
because working at Pets at Home you need a lot of
experience and a lot of knowledge,”she says.
Pulling that team together to a cohesive unit fast
was vital to the success of the opening – especially
with the store’s flagship status. Solid training was also
key. “The training is one of the most important
things for us so we had our recruitment process
and recruitment day, and then held work days and
trials and so on. We have a ‘steps to success’
programme and the training was much more intense
because these guys had to have the knowledge on
opening,” says Campbell.
And for Pets at Home such training doesn’t just
include process training, but specialist product train-
ing, which allows everyone to play an individual role
in the business.
The retailer has recently introduced nutritional
consultants in its stores and Campbell talks proudly
of her deputy manager’s role as the nutritional
consultant for the north and his role in training up
new consultants in the area.
“Everyone brings something different and that’s
what makes the team work so well – for example we
have nutritional experts and reptile experts as well as
microchippers. We also have SQP – suitably qualified
persons – in store, who offer things such as Frontline
flea treatment advice. There are no heads of
department but instead we have so many different
specialists in store and so many avenues in which
staff can develop in Pets at Home. One of the reasons
my team works so well is that everyone recognises the
value of the team and their progression within
the business,” she says.
Of course a good team plays as hard as it
works and Campbell says the social aspect has also
been vital in gelling her new team and has included
team bonding events, staff buddying as well as
social events.
Daily tasks such as putting out product and clean-
ing and feeding the animals are completed between
6am and 9am, in time for the store opening. “From
9am we are serving customers on the shopfloor
because they are our absolute priority,” she says.
Daily shoals – or teamtalks – led by the duty
manager focus on the previous day’s sales, new
targets, jobs for the day and communication from
head office. Walk rounds of the store and warehouse
bring to light additional jobs that may need doing
within the business.
Seven months on from the opening of the Fort
Kinnaird store Campbell is proud of the team she
heads and says they share that pride in store. “They
want to drive the store forward. We have a number of
values within the business and we try to live by those
but we absolutely do make it fun,” she says. l
Everyone recognises
the value of the team
and their progression
within the business
Annie Campbell, Pets at Home
Every colleague
has specialist skills,
according to the team
at Pets at Home’s
Fort Kinnaird store
in Edinburgh.
Liz Morrell reports
The team includes many specialist staff to ensure that
there is a lot of experience and knowledge
Animal magic

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People: Family retailers
Keep it in the family
I
n today’s retail world many of the UK’s
best loved names are corporate bodies
that answer to shareholders and
analysts. Customers, and indeed staff, can
sometimes view such retailers as faceless
corporate entities with which they have
little personal affinity.
However, the dynamics change dramatically for
both staff and customers when it comes to working
for some of the many family run retail businesses
in the UK. The family connection often means
a greater respect between customer and retailer,
or staff and boss.
So what exactly marks out family retail businesses
from their competitors?
Family name
David Elliott is the former chief executive of Bentalls,
which was later sold to family department store chain
Fenwick in a sale that many believe happened because
of a lack of heir at the chain.
Today he is managing director of Voisins – the
family run Jersey department store.“Working within
a family business is quite unique,”he says.“The bene-
fit is people trust names they can relate too and there
tends to be a lot more heritage and a real history with
family businesses,” he says. “You also get a greater
degree of consistency and that is very reassuring for
staff,” he adds.
Mark Hastings, director general of the Institute of
Family Businesses, agrees that is important. “The
main benefit of a family business is that they show a
long-term vision of where they want the business to
go and how they are going to develop it. There is also
a different risk profile because there is a determina-
tion to invest for the long term, so family run retailers
don’t take the risks that others do and are therefore
more robust in times of recession,” he says.
Heir apparent
But, of course, what makes a family business is the
family itself, and in retail there are many such exam-
ples. Hastings says in 2011 family businesses in the
retail and wholesale market turned over £500m.
Gary Grant, managing director of toy chain The
Entertainer, started the business with his wife by
opening a toy store in Amersham in 1981. Since then
the chain has grown into almost 70 stores. Of his four
children, two work within the business − his son
Duncan Grant is director of multichannel and another
son Stewart Grant is buying director at the chain.
He says the benefits of family retailing include free-
dom.“We are able to steer our own business.We aren’t
beholden to shareholders or private equity.”
Grant believes family run retailers attract a different
type of staff and engender greater loyalty because the
atmosphere of such a business differs.“We have more
than 80 staff who have worked for the business for
more than 10 years,” says Grant.
“A lot have joined us because they are supporting us
as a family. Family businesses do attract slightly differ-
ent people because you are not so bureaucratic or rigid
and it’s a bit more of a free environment,” he adds.
Hussein Lalani, managing director of 99p Stores, is
a second generation retailer after his father Nadir
Lalani set up the Europa Foods and Whistlestop
chains. He works alongside his brother Faisal Lalani,
who is buying director at the chain, and his sister who,
as well as running her own internet retail business,
helps out with admin.
Having originally trained to be a lawyer, Hussein
worked in the Whistlestop head office in the early
1990s before setting up the 99p Stores chain.
He says the family link is vital and that their close-
ness is what helps to drive the business. “Every family
is very different but in our case the most important
thing is we have complete trust between the three of
us. There is no ego within the business and we all have
our own skills,” says Lalani.
Hastings says that is vital to success. “Family run
retailers need to recognise the value every generation
brings and the important thing for the younger
generation is to go and learn skills outside of the
business too.”
But sometimes recognising those skills, and defin-
ing roles, in a family run business can be a challenge
especially between parent and son or daughter.
Blurred boundaries
At Courtyard Bridal, a bridalwear store in Kettering,
which recently featured in the family business
series The Fixer, the blurring of family and business
boundaries was a problem because roles hadn’t
been clearly defined.
Family businesses
do attract slightly
different people
because you are not
so bureaucratic or
rigid and it’s a bit
more of a free
environment
Gary Grant, The Entertainer
Working for a family run business has its challenges, but it can also mean
a stronger relationship between customers and staff. Liz Morrell finds
out how some of the UK’s family retailers stand out from their competitors

Rt 2012 lr[2]

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