The sacking of Marks & Spencer’s clothing supremo this week ensured Jill McDonald became the first high-profile casualty of a more ruthless regime determined to prevent oblivion for the 135-year-old chain.
McDonald’s departure was blamed on what was referred to as “jeansgate” within M&S. Her buyers failed to order enough stock for a collection promoted by TV presenter Holly Willoughby, which meant it quickly sold out leaving the retailer with empty rails in its stores for almost a month. The mistake led to what M&S’s overall boss, Steve Rowe, damningly described as the poorest stock levels “I have ever seen in my life”.
