‘Visionary’ retail entrepreneur Sir Terence Conran dies aged 88

Sir Terence Conran, who was best known for founding the homewares chain Habitat in 1964, died on Saturday at his Berkshire home, Barton Court, according to a family statement.

Born in Kingston upon Thames in 1931, Conran began his career by making and selling furniture in London. Habitat went on to form the foundations of a retail empire that spanned brands such as Mothercare, Heal’s, Richard Shops and BHS.

A designer and restaurateur as well as a retailer, Conran was at the centre of the aesthetic revolution of the 1960s.

In 1989 he founded The Design Museum and throughout the 1990s he established a series of renowned restaurants, such as Le Pont de la Tour, Quaglino’s and Bibendum.

An early and enthusiastic supporter of Retail Week, Conran was on the inaugural advisory board for the magazine and remained on the editorial advisory board for the early years of its publication.

A family statement said: “A proud patriot, Sir Terence promoted the best of British design, culture and the arts around the world, and at the heart of everything he did was a very simple belief that good design improves the quality of people’s lives.

“Sir Terence enjoyed a remarkable life to the full and always maintained that his work never felt like a job – everything he did for business he would have done for pleasure.

“In his private life, he was adored by his family and friends and we will miss him dearly.

“It gives us great comfort to know that many of you will mourn with us, but we ask that you celebrate Terence’s extraordinary legacy and contribution to the country he loved so dearly.”