We meet Niamh Sullivan, 31, and Marguerite Tierney, 30.

A PRIME, good-sized store on Cork City’s Patrick Street has come up to let via Savills, at a market-savvy rent, after being vacated during the summer by Mothercare.

FALLING consumption levels led first-half losses at electrical goods retailer, Dixons Retail to widen by over £18 million (€21m).

UK retail mogul Sir Philip Green today said his retail empire had seen a near 40% slide in profits as chains including Top Shop and Miss Selfridge chose not to pass on increasing costs to cash-strapped customers.

WITH some of Dublin’s stores planning to open on St Stephen’s Day, some of the biggest stores in Cork city are planning to follow suit in a bid to generate extra sales after a difficult year for the retail industry.

Ricky Gervais has focused his comic eye on the workplace once more – more than eight years after 'The Office' first became a hit.

FORMULA One boss Bernie Ecclestone has entered the list of most eligible singletons, alongside Prince Harry, Emma Watson and model Lily Cole.

THE popularity of the Top Shop brand in Ireland helped the store’s owners increase its profit here by 30% last year.

The husband and wife founders of fashion label Lipsy were £3.5m (€4.46m) richer today after being bought out by retail giant Next.

DIAMONDS really are a girl’s best friend, as a fashionable woman from Kildare can testify.

Animal rights activists will today celebrate a decision by exclusive department store Brown Thomas, Grafton St, to stop selling fur.

ONE OF the country’s most exclusive department stores is shelving its tradition of selling animal fur products.

Hundreds of fashionistas today queued outside high street store Top Shop in Dublin to be the first in the country to get their hands on the hotly-awaited Kate Moss collection.

Supermarket giant Tesco unveiled plans today to take on the high street by expanding its clothing range.

Former Top Shop director Jane Shepherdson insists she is "embarrassed" by claims she quit the British fashion chain store over rows regarding supermodel Kate Moss.

Kate Moss and Pete Doherty were reunited today after his discharge from rehab.

British retail tycoon Philip Green today resisted the temptation to pay himself a dividend from his Bhs empire, after sales and profits went into reverse.

DAIRYGOLD’S DIY and homeware retail chain - 4Homes - has plans to double its turnover to €160 million within the next two years.

STANDARD LIFE chief executive Sandy Crombie apologised to the Irish people yesterday for a jibe he made when referring to a potentially confusing change in its reporting calendar as “Irish”.

Billionaire tycoon Philip Green extended his retail empire today by clinching a deal for loss-making UK business Etam.

Billionaire entrepreneur Philip Green was today reported to be finalising a deal to buy the loss-making UK retail business Etam.

Billionaire entrepreneur Philip Green said today there were no acquisitions on his radar as he warned the retail sector would see little growth this year.

Kate Winslet has donated her little black dress to raise money for the Asian tsunami appeal.

The UK has the second highest number of biggest private companies outside the US after Germany, it emerged today.

MUSGRAVE has made the list of the world’s largest private companies, the only Irish firm do so.

Marks & Spencer boss Stuart Rose was today facing up to the task of delivering a trading revival after fending off a proposed £9.1bn (€13.6bn) takeover bid.

Retail tycoon Philip Green is preparing to wage a high street war on Marks & Spencer after dropping his £9.1bn (€13.6bn) takeover bid.

Takeover target Marks & Spencer is to return £2.3bn (€3.4bn) of cash to shareholders and focus on its core business as part of a strategy unveiled by chief executive Stuart Rose today.

Billionaire Philip Green was today thought to be preparing for talks with Marks & Spencer shareholders as he ponders whether to raise the stakes in his takeover bid.

Philip Green’s legal team was deciding today whether to fight an injunction barring its involvment in the entrepreneur’s battle for Marks & Spencer.

The prospect of a drawn-out battle for ownership of Marks & Spencer grew today after the retailer came out fighting against Bhs owner Philip Green.

The newly-appointed team at Marks & Spencer is preparing to begin work at the troubled high street giant today.

Retail tycoon Philip Green, who owns the Bhs, Top Shop and Dorothy Perkins retail chains in Britain, is expected to launch a bid for Marks and Spencer next week.

Shares in Marks & Spencer surged 4% today amid speculation that a £10bn (€15bn) bidding battle for the retailer was set to break out.

A statement issued tonight by M&S after an announcement by retail tycoon Philip Green that he plans to launch a bid for the chain read: “The Board of Marks and Spencer Group notes the announcement made by Revival Acquisitions Limited."

British jewellery chain Goldsmiths was today reported to be in the sights of the Icelandic retail group Baugur.

London’s famous Hamleys toy store was today the subject of a management buyout deal worth £47.4m (€67.9m).

The convenience chain Spar is reportedly planning moves to take over rival supermarket group Londis.

Bhs billionaire Philip Green will make a cash bid of around £3.2bn for Safeway within the next 10 days, it was reported today.

Retail entrepreneur Philip Green today reported Christmas sales rises at his Arcadia store chain.