Bookseller calls for budget to be moved to February

THE Government should move future budgets to February to promote consumer confidence prior to Christmas, the most valuable retail window of the year, says one prominent business owner.

Derek Hughes is beginning to rebuild Hughes & Hughes, the Dublin-based book wholesale business which went into receivership in February 2010, yet another casualty of the economic “perfect storm” afflicting Ireland. In books for 26 years in all, prior to the crash Hughes had grown his father’s business to an annual turnover of €42m employing 220 people at its peak.

He recently bought back five of his original stores, along with the Hughes & Hughes name. At 6pm next Thursday in the Firgrove Hotel, Mitchelstown, Co Cork, he will be telling the inspirational tale of how he is overcoming failure and diversifying his business to compete in today’s challenging environment.