Jim McCarthy’s craze-y talk, Kypros Kyprianou’s colour-coded ties and Tesco goes from trollies to trolls in dig at Liverpool Football Club.
Craze-y talk from Poundland boss
Poundland chief executive Jim McCarthy, a seasoned retailer, is surely not a man easily shocked. But even he has been left stunned by the phenomenon that is loom bands. “I’ve never seen a craze quite like it, it’s been crackers,” McCarthy told hacks assembled for the retailer’s full-year results briefing.
Cue McCarthy and his chief financial officer Nick Hateley listing similarly bizarre fads over the years, including Cabbage Patch Kids and 1980s craze the Rubik’s Cube.
In fact talk of loom bands dragged on for quite a while. Only a cynic would suggest it was to avoid talk of Poundland’s slightly disappointing trading performance since April.
Kypros tied to colour-coded look
The trials and tribulations of being a chief executive of three retail companies – not only do you have to juggle a huge amount of balls ranging from supply chain to store openings, but you also have to stay on top of your sartorial appearance.
Spare a thought then for Kypros Kyprianou, group chief executive of the Theo Paphitis Retail Group, who has a novel way of making sure he is suitably dressed when he visits any of the three businesses he runs.
In his suitcase he keeps a green tie for visiting Robert Dyas, a red one for Ryman and a pink tie for Boux Avenue meetings. Let’s hope he doesn’t have to sport a rainbow outfit featuring all three during meetings with Paphitis.
Tesco trolls put Liverpool FC on the shelf
Tesco turned its attention from trollies to trolling by having a pop at Liverpool Football Club on Twitter.
The supermarket giant’s social media team jokingly told a parody account of the club’s manager, Brendan Rodgers, to look for new signings at its Southampton branch after Liverpool brought three players from the Hampshire club last summer.
When asked by @DeludedBrendan if they had “any deals on”, Tesco tweeted: “Would you like me to check our stores in Southampton?” In reference to England forward Rickie Lambert, the parody account replied: “Would I be able to return the striker I bought from your Southampton store last year? I still have the receipt.” We fear it may just fall outside of Tesco’s 28-day returns policy.
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