The highs and lows of Sir Philip’s retail career

Here is a timeline of his rise and fall in the world of fashion:

1979: Sir Philip, then just plain old Mr Green, buys up the stock of 10 designer outlets that have failed. He dry-cleans the stock and puts it up for sale again in a shop in Mayfair.

1981 to 1988: He sets up several businesses, many with his mother Alma. but many fail to get off the ground, and several are liquidated. 1988: Sir Philip is hired as the boss of Amber Day, the listed menswear group. He scores several victories in the role, and Amber Day’s share price rises. But he leaves in 1992 after the company misses on profits.

2000: Sir Philip buys department store BHS for £200 million. He quickly gains plaudits for turning the struggling business around.

2002: Sir Philip buys Arcadia Group, the owner of Topshop, through family business Taveta.

2004: The businessman tries to take over high street giant Marks and Spencer but pulls out.

2005: Arcadia pays out a £1.3 billion dividend, £1.2bn of which goes to Sir Philip’s wife Tina, who lives in Monaco and so does not have to pay UK tax.

2015: Sir Philip sells

BHS to Dominic Chappell for £1.

2016: BHS goes into administration, leaving a pension deficit of £571million, and costing 11,000 jobs. 2016: MPS pass a motion to remove Sir Philip’s knighthood over the pensions scandal. He later pays £363 million into the scheme. 2020: Covid-19 hits the high street. Arcadia closes 550 stores and furloughs 14,500 employees.