Tributes have been pouring in for The Pier founder Alison Richards, who died at the weekend after a long battle with cancer.

“She was one of the most lovable and colourful characters on the retail scene,” said Fat Face chairman Alan Giles, who worked with Richards when she was an assistant buyer at Boots in the 1970s. “The Pier was very much her creation and she built one of the best businesses of its type anywhere in the world.”

One of the best-known names in furniture and homewares retailing, Richards began her retail career at Boots, but made her name at Habitat. In 1983 she became both the youngest person and the first woman on the board of the upmarket homewares retailer when she was made buying director.

Richards launched The Pier in 1989 with a store in Richmond and built up the business to 48 stores before its sale to Icelandic investor Lagerinn last year. She was also a non-executive director of Beales and a prominent figure in the industry as a long-standing judge of the Retail Week Awards.

“She gave us very forthright advice,” said Beales chief executive Allan Allkins. “She had an entrepreneurial style about her that brought a different perspective.”

Richards was also devoted to international children’s charity Unicef, raising more than£1 million for the organisation during her time at The Pier.

“We got on very well,” commented Debenhams chief executive Rob Templeman. “I’d known her for years, back to her Habitat days, and she was a really nice person.”

The Pier plans to set up a condolence book. Contributions should be sent to rememberalison@pier.co.uk.

Topics