Seven numbers explaining the demise of BHS
The demise of BHS has been a long and uncomfortable journey – and today MPs have pointed at Sir Philip Green as the one ultimately responsible for its collapse.
BHS ended up in liquidation after no buyer came forward to take on the high street brand as a going concern.
11,000
Administrator Duff & Phelps announced that while it continued to try to sell the retailer's stores, the jobs of 8,000 people were likely to go, and a further 3,000 non-BHS employees working in the stores were also at risk. A further 350 jobs were lost at an iconic clothing firm, maker of Pretty Polly tights, which supplied to BHS.
164
The number of BHS stores which closed down in sale mode within a few weeks. Hilco Capital was brought in to assist with operations while administrators tried to sell the shops, as well as the brand.
£1
The amount of money Retail Acquisitions – majority-owned by Dominic Chappell – paid to buy BHS from Sir Philip Green in March last year. Retail tycoon Green had been in charge of BHS for 15 years by that point, but it started faltering as it lost market share to cut-price competitors such as Primark.
2
The number of times Dominic Chappell had been bankrupt before he took over BHS. Goldman Sachs warned Arcadia bosses that Chappell's record wasn't ideal, but it seems the advice was ignored.
£571m
The size of the BHS' pension deficit after Sir Philip Green sold the company to Dominic Chappell's Retail Acquisitions.
22
The total number of MPs involved in the inquiry into the sale of BHS. The Business, Innovation and Skills Committee, chaired by Iain Wright, and the Work and Pensions Committee, headed by Frank Field, have joined forces to find out what went wrong with BHS.
£35m
The amount of money given to Dominic Chappell by the Dellal property dynasty to bolster Chappell's bid for BHS. Both Guy and Alex Dellal – son and grandson of the late property tycoon "Black Jack" Dellal – have already been hauled in front of the joint Select Committee investigation into the sale of BHS.