Retailers have paid tribute to respected retail industry veteran Don McCarthy, who died aged 63 at the weekend.

McCarthy, who was diagnosed with cancer two years ago, was best known for leading House of Fraser as executive chairman between 2006 and 2014, but before that worked at many high street names and built his own business, Shoe Studio.

Former House of Fraser chief executive Nigel Oddy, who worked closely with McCarthy for seven years, said he felt “privileged” to have known him.

He added: “I consider it an honour to have worked for him and know him. It is easy to say he was a legend but he really was a true legend. He was my mentor and he became a very good friend too.

“When someone passes, it is difficult to encapsulate them in just a few words, but he was just fantastic. He always gave everyone time and allowed you to put across your views – he might not always have agreed with them but he gave you the time. He could disagree with you but the next thing he would be giving you a hug. It was hard work but xcyou enjoyed it, that was Don.”

Don McCarthy

Don McCarthy was described as a ‘legend’ and ‘larger than life’

Andy Harding, who also worked with McCarthy at House of Fraser, tweeted: “Just found out that my old boss Don McCarthy passed away this morning. He was an absolute mountain of a man. A retail genius but unlike many of his contemporaries he was a lovely bloke, a real gentleman. What a terrible loss. He was a hero. RIP Don.”

Oasis and Warehouse chief executive Liz Evans knew McCarthy for many years. Like Oddy, she said she was “privileged” to have known him.

She added: “It’s so difficult to put into words what Don meant to so many. He was an inspirational business leader with a big heart. He was a mentor and friend to so many people in our industry, nothing was ever too much trouble – if you needed him he was always there for you. My heart goes out to his family and loved ones.”

Derek Lovelock, who, as chief executive of fashion group Mosaic bought footwear and fashion business Rubicon from McCarthy, described him as “a larger than life character”.

He said: “Don had a passion and a sense of purpose that, coupled with his retail acumen, drove his success in so many retail ventures.”

McCarthy’s sense of duty and honour was praised by Gunnar Sigurdsson, formerly of Baugur, who worked with McCarthy on several deals and became a friend.

“I always found him to be very honourable,” he said. “He was firm on what he believed and you could always rely on him. He always lived up to his promise.”

Like many in his generation, McCarthy began his career on the shop floor after leaving school. Aged 15, he joined the now defunct footwear chain Stead & Simpson. He became a store manager in just two years and joined Kurt Geiger three years after that as assistant manager of its flagship Bond Street store.

McCarthy would go on to start his own footwear business, Shoe Studio Group (SSG), in 1991, and sold it to American business Nine West six years later.

Having continued to serve as chief executive of SSG, he led a management buyout from Nine West in 2001 and moved into fashion in 2004, buying Warehouse and Principles.

McCarthy became executive chairman of House of Fraser in 2007 after joining Sir Tom Hunter’s investment vehicle West Coast Capital to buy the department store business. He stepped down from his role in 2014 after House of Fraser’s sale to Sanpower.

McCarthy was awarded a CBE for his services to business and charity in 2017. He and his family raised £2.5m for the Royal Marsden Hospital in Chelsea, which cared for McCarthy’s wife Diane before her death.