Secretive workaholic Arthur Ryan who founded Primark and turned ‘cheap chic’ chain into £2billion a year business has died aged 83
- Dublin-born Arthur Ryan opened his first store ‘Penneys’ in Irish capital in 1962
- He exported the concept to Britain in 1974 where he renamed the shop Primark
- Ryan never gave interviews and was intensely private following the Troubles
The founder of Primark, Arthur Ryan, has died aged 83, the company has confirmed.
Ryan was born in Dublin, moving to London as a young man to work in tailoring.
On his return to Ireland he continued to work in retail before he was taken on by a man called Garfield Weston, who tasked him with setting up a discount clothing chain.
He opened his first shop – Penneys – in Dublin’s Mary Street in 1962. Twelve years later he exported the concept to Britain, where he changed the name to Primark to avoid a legal battle with US JC Penney.
Founder of discount store Primark Arthur Ryan has died at the age of 83, the company said today
The founder of Primark Arthur Ryan (pictured with his wife Alma Carroll Ryan as he was given an honorary doctorate at Dublin Institute of Technology in 2011) has died age 83
He was often described as a ‘workaholic’, completely committed to his work, never seeking fame or celebrity.
Ryan was an intensely private man and was barely known among City types, refusing to giving press interviews and residing in one of Dublin’s most secure houses.
He had a huge fear of kidnap after two colleagues were snatched by the IRA during the Troubles in the 1980s.
Primark has celebrated huge success bringing ‘cheap chic’ to the UK High Street, accumulating billions in annual sales.
This year the chain’s biggest outlet opened in Birmingham to the delight of shoppers, boasting a cafe, restaurant and beauty salon.
Pictured: Primark’s biggest store in Birmingham city centre
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