The Queen of Shops Mary Portas talks about her new memoir, Mary Portas: Shop Girl, in which she describes how she rose from humble origins to become one of the world’s leading advisers on retail strategy and brand. Portas was born into a large Irish family living in a small semi-detached home in Watford. A college course in visual merchandising eventually led to her dressing the windows in Harrods and Harvey Nichols. Portas is credited with turning Harvey Nichols from a staid department store into a fashion powerhouse.

Portas travels the world advising on retail strategy and frequently lectures on brands and retail. She is a big advocate of the high street and was commissioned by Prime Minister David Cameron to produce The Portas Review, which outlined 28 recommendations to rescue failing high streets.