Daily Mirror

DRAGON SLAMS ‘FARCICAL’ TORIES

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Former Dragons’ Den star Theo Paphitis launched a withering attack on the Government yesterday. The owner of Robert Dyas, Ryman and lingerie firm Boux Avenue said ministers were ignoring the plight of retailers while making their life harder with tax and rule changes. The tycoon branded the Tories “incompeten­t” and “a Whitehall farce”. The blast came as Paphitis warned the store sector faced a dire future: “It really does feel like retail, as we know it, is creeping closer and closer towards the precipice”. Boux Avenue’s sales dropped 2.8% in the six weeks to Christmas Eve, but rose 11% to £49.4m in the year to April when losses widened to £5.5m. Stationery chain Ryman’s festive sales jumped 4.8%, with takings at homewares firm Robert Dyas up 2%.

 ??  ?? LINGERIE DROPPED Boux Avenue sales slide
LINGERIE DROPPED Boux Avenue sales slide

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