When Sports Direct founder Mike Ashley appeared before a House of Commons select committee on saving the high street this week, he was careful to praise the work of Britain’s “amazing” councils.
Ashley has portrayed himself as a champion of the UK’s high streets, which have been hit by a wave of insolvencies and store closures. His company, Sports Direct is one of the few big retailers still expanding its physical store estate.
In August the company acquired struggling department store House of Fraser and brought it out of administration, and the entrepreneur pledged to try and keep four-fifths of the stores open. The previous management had intended to close half of them.
