Mothercare’s Irish arm returns to pre-tax profit

THE Irish operations of babywear and nursery retailer Mothercare returned to profit in its last financial year, according to updated accounts filed with the Companies Registration Office.

For the year to March 25, 2007, Mothercare (Ireland) generated pre-tax profits of €928,904. This compared positively to a pre-tax loss of €525,623 for the previous 12 months. Operating profit amounted to €871,700 — up from an operating loss of €568,473 for the previous year.

Mothercare (Ireland) has traded as a separate stand-alone franchise to the main British-based company since 1992. The company has two directors in Sean O’Shea and David Ward, and operates 14 stores in the Republic — in the Dublin locations of Tallaght, Blanchardstown, St Stephen’s Green, Blackrock, Swords and Jervis Street; Galway, Cork, Waterford, Limerick, Tralee, Newbridge, Dundalk and Drogheda. The latter location is the newest in the company’s store portfolio and did not contribute to earnings in the fiscal year.

Meanwhile, the British high-street childrenswear retailer Adams has been saved after a rescue deal was agreed between administrators and former owner, Northern Irish businessman John Shannon. The deal will mean that the 1,900 jobs across Adams’s 120 shops in Britain and Ireland will be safe.

Adams’s latest period in administration — it was bought by Mr Shannon in 2007, after it initially fell into administration — has seen 147 stores close and more than 1,100 jobs cut. However, the new owners — JS Childrenswear — will not be downsizing the business any further and will keep the Adams brand over the door.

At the time of Mr Shannon’s first acquisition of the firm, the new management closed 42 stores in the Adams chain.