FSP Retail Blog

We at FSP endeavour to identify the registered company behind all the lovely retailers we feature on SnapShop (our online retail intelligence service). Piece of cake you might think. One fascia, one retailer, one name, one company. If only!!

Firstly, there are the groups. Does a fascia have its own registered company or not? Even within the groups they can’t seem to decide! Topshop, the flagship fascia in the Arcadia Group, does not, Wallis – same group, different fascia – does. Want to know how Wallis is trading – easy, we can see the accounts. Same for Topshop? Not likely!

Then there are the takeovers (in my opinion these should be banned for the simple purpose of making my life easier!). Gadget Shop now belongs to The Entertainer, D&A to Boots, MK One has a chequered history having been owned by everyone (Philip Green, Baugur, Hilco, Internacionale) and Perfect Pizza and Papa John’s have an intricately involved history.

But if you’re stuck for a name, there’s always Hamsard. Over one hundred current or recently dissolved Hamsard companies are registered with Companies House. Style Menswear did belong to Hamsard 3032. Neither now seem particularly functional, with all the Style trade now through Envy, but my life would surely have been a whole lot easier if Mr Kinnaird had called his company something a little more meaningful!

Registered companies with eponymous fascias are few and far between. A small request for more of those is very high on my Christmas list, but no amount of finger crossing or Christmas pudding stirring is likely to bring that to fruition. So battle on I will in the struggle to see just who is trading as what. However, if you’re listening Santa, more in the style of Next Retail please!

P.S. The Next Retail link above will show you what SnapShop has to offer. To find out more, call FSP on 01494 474740