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Damaged Goods: The Inside Story of Sir Philip Green, the Collapse of BHS and the Death of the High Street
DISCOVER THE SHOCKING TRUTH BEHIND THE BUSINESS AND LIFESTYLE OF SIR PHILIP GREEN 'Superb' Evening Standard'From the glitzy parties to the threatening phone calls, the larger-than-life characters to the speedy downfall, this real-life tale of hubris has all the elements of a Greek tragedy' City AM 'Entertaining stuff, pacily written. Filled with colourful characters - and expletives' The Times'Shah has written a hard-hitting, often funny, ultimately sobering tale of how fortunes were made and lost in late 20th and early 21st century Britain' Financial Times'A detailed and entertaining dismantling of the 'king of the high street'' GuardianLonglisted for the FT and McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award'Some stupid f*cking book' Sir Philip Green In this jaw-dropping expose, Oliver Shah uncovers the truth behind one of Britain's biggest business scandals, following Sir Philip Green's journey to the big time, the wild excesses of his heyday and his dramatic demise.Sir Philip Green was once hailed one of Britain's best businessmen. As chairman of Arcadia Group, home to brands such as Topshop, Dorothy Perkins and Miss Selfridge, Green had prime ministers and supermodels on speed dial. But the retail magnate's reputation came crashing down when Shah, a Sunday Times journalist, uncovered the methods Green used to amass his gigantic offshore fortune, and the desperation that drove his doomed BHS deal.In 2015, Green sold British Home Stores for £1 to Retail Acquisitions, owned by Dominic Chappell, a charlatan who siphoned off BHS's remaining millions before filing for administration. By the time it went under in April 2016, BHS had debts of £1.3bn, including a pension deficit of £571m. Its collapse left 11,000 employees without jobs and 20,000 pension fund members facing the loss of their benefits, prompting the government to launch an inquiry into Green's sale of the company. While one of Britain's oldest department stores boarded up its shop fronts, former employees and shoppers protested in the streets and MPs rallied in parliament, demanding Green be stripped of his knighthood. The furore over the sale subsided in 2017 when Green agreed a £363m deal with the Pensions Regulator, but with revelations surrounding Topshop's pension deficit now surfacing, could tragedy strike again?Oliver Shah is the award-winning Business Editor of the Sunday Times and one of the most respected national commentators on business and the high street. He was named business journalist of the year at both the Press Awards and London Press Club Awards in 2017 for his investigation into Sir Philip Green. Shah studied English at Cambridge University and journalism at City University before joining City AM in 2009 and the Sunday Times in 2010. Aged 34, Shah lives in east London.
334 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 28, 2018
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November 8, 2018Damaged Goods: The Inside Story of Sir Philip Green by Oliver Shah – review. All mouth and dodgy trousers … how the king of high street retail became the unacceptable face of capitalism
November 21, 2021
Very good.
August 5, 2018
This was just what I needed as a non-Brit working in London. It was a great catch-up on London retail/business. It’s dreary, but incredibly propulsive tale.
March 18, 2021
I've rated this book quite highly as the business information is very well researched an interesting, yet summoning the will and gusto to push towards the finish took a large amount of persistence and soul searching.
I'm certainly glad it's behind me, for me this was almost a step too far away from my comfort zone.
I'm certainly glad it's behind me, for me this was almost a step too far away from my comfort zone.
July 8, 2020
This book describes how the asset stripper and trader Philip Green rose to the top of the retail chain and became a billionaire tycoon. On his journey Green became a High Street 'untouchable' and this allowed him to plunder his acquisitions and siphon off millions of pounds for personal use. The BHS debacle is revealed in great detail. Green's behaviour is shown to have been morally reprehensible. A vulgar, greedy man, and foul mouthed bully, he struck fear. But let's not run away with the idea that Green was the only shark in the water. Banks, financial advisers, corporate lawyers, public relations, the media etc. benefited from his financial manipulation and plunder. The unacceptable face of capitalism? This is it.
August 16, 2020
The inside story of SPG is hard to hear. He was considered a success by all and I found him intriguing. But this recount of the actual events of his rise and demise is astonishing.
July 23, 2018
Quite a long time ago, I read the book “Top Man”, by Stewart Lansley. This book described very well the history of Philip Green and his activities until just after the botched bid on M&S.
So for me the first half of “Damaged Goods”, was just a repeat for me. I honestly have to say that the book of Lansley is way better than the first half of “Damaged Good”. I found the latter too much a simple summation of facts instead of a story.
The second part of “Damaged Goods” was new for me. It was interesting to read. But again, I missed something whilst reading. It just couldn’t capture my full attention.
When I look at the events themselves, they show similarities with the takeover of Rover from BMW by a group of people. The heavy loses of Rover were most certainly going to push Rover in bankruptcy. Also then it was the purpose of BMW to have the new owners to survive more than 1.5 (?) years. This because if Rover went bankrupt under the new owner within 1.5 years, BMW would still be liable for pensions etc.. The new owners also enriched themselves massively during their short ownership period until bankruptcy. So similar of what I read in this book on BHS.
All-in-all, this book couldn’t really capture my full attention. As already mentioned, I found it too much a summation of lost of facts. I think it rates between 3 and 3.5 stars.
So for me the first half of “Damaged Goods”, was just a repeat for me. I honestly have to say that the book of Lansley is way better than the first half of “Damaged Good”. I found the latter too much a simple summation of facts instead of a story.
The second part of “Damaged Goods” was new for me. It was interesting to read. But again, I missed something whilst reading. It just couldn’t capture my full attention.
When I look at the events themselves, they show similarities with the takeover of Rover from BMW by a group of people. The heavy loses of Rover were most certainly going to push Rover in bankruptcy. Also then it was the purpose of BMW to have the new owners to survive more than 1.5 (?) years. This because if Rover went bankrupt under the new owner within 1.5 years, BMW would still be liable for pensions etc.. The new owners also enriched themselves massively during their short ownership period until bankruptcy. So similar of what I read in this book on BHS.
All-in-all, this book couldn’t really capture my full attention. As already mentioned, I found it too much a summation of lost of facts. I think it rates between 3 and 3.5 stars.
February 12, 2019
A waste of a great story
Could have done with a very thorough edit. A mix of rash leaps of judgement / logic based on flimsy content and esoteric details and figures that didn’t add much. Characters were constantly being reintroduced in a confusing manner. Got better when describing the fall of BHS (the part of the story Shah knows most about, having reported extensively on it - he struggled when filling in backstory to flesh out a book).
But ultimately the book fell down because of its slant. What should have been a well balanced read on a very interesting tale read like a badly written assassination piece on Green and the reader is left almost on Green’s side in protest despite Green being an objectively terrible person.
Could have done with a very thorough edit. A mix of rash leaps of judgement / logic based on flimsy content and esoteric details and figures that didn’t add much. Characters were constantly being reintroduced in a confusing manner. Got better when describing the fall of BHS (the part of the story Shah knows most about, having reported extensively on it - he struggled when filling in backstory to flesh out a book).
But ultimately the book fell down because of its slant. What should have been a well balanced read on a very interesting tale read like a badly written assassination piece on Green and the reader is left almost on Green’s side in protest despite Green being an objectively terrible person.
March 3, 2019
The book is readable but not remarkable. It is a bit of a minority sport reading about successful (he made lots of money) but nasty people (he made lots of money) but I suppose it has to be done. There isn't a lot in the book that isn't in the Wikipedia entry more detail obviously but no surprising revelations or alternative insites. I am still glad the book exists and there will be more Philip Greens and they will still get their knighthoods.
October 17, 2019
If you had any doubt about the repugnance of Philip Green and his wife, this book will set you straight. Interesting reading if you want to understand why Green is a revolting, pension grabbing scumbag and why his wife is shallower that a puddle of water. Towards the end I felt I just couldn't listen to any more. Well done to Oliver Shah for the research and dedication he's put into this book. Well worth a listen
July 28, 2020
Olivef Shah.
That little shit Phillip Green, my god, his story is one to make into a movie. In fact surely it's on the cards somewhere. The business wranggling he gets up to totally confuse me and I have to keep re reading and still don't understand what's going on. That's because he was up to mischeif all the time. Interesting, but I'm afraid it got lost me. But I did get that that Green dude is a fucker though.
That little shit Phillip Green, my god, his story is one to make into a movie. In fact surely it's on the cards somewhere. The business wranggling he gets up to totally confuse me and I have to keep re reading and still don't understand what's going on. That's because he was up to mischeif all the time. Interesting, but I'm afraid it got lost me. But I did get that that Green dude is a fucker though.
March 20, 2021
Absolutely how it was. Arcadia was a great concept run originally by professionals of the rag trade who had steadily built great reputations. He was not of that ilk and BHS proved it. Valuable book on history of 20th century rag trade. Story of one man's greed. Hardly reflects title 'sir'. Should be relieved of knighthood. Well done Oliver Shah for exposing truth.
April 23, 2025
Probably the most interesting revelation from this book was that Philip Green wasn't even a particularly good retailer - that the successes of initial cost cuts and margin expansion at Topshop were really driven by related-party supply from Richard Caring. He makes for easy caricature, with his portly frame and volcanic temper, which Oliver Shah deftly and humorously exposes.
More than anything what beggars belief is the minimal due diligence apparently performed on the BHS sale to Dominic Chappell, a man so clearly grossly unsuited to listed directorship.
There's not masses to learn from this tale really, as basic DD would have revealed some of the issues with BHS / Arcadia / Topshop. Ultimately a not-very-talented retailer rode his luck for a while before coming phenomenally unstuck. That's not to say that Green wasn't a successful dealmaker, but he was a financial engineer rather than a real value creator, in my book.
More than anything what beggars belief is the minimal due diligence apparently performed on the BHS sale to Dominic Chappell, a man so clearly grossly unsuited to listed directorship.
There's not masses to learn from this tale really, as basic DD would have revealed some of the issues with BHS / Arcadia / Topshop. Ultimately a not-very-talented retailer rode his luck for a while before coming phenomenally unstuck. That's not to say that Green wasn't a successful dealmaker, but he was a financial engineer rather than a real value creator, in my book.
January 15, 2020
A fascinating read that I truly found hard to put down! Green’s business dealings are complex are marred in a web of questionable transactions mostly aimed at boosting his family’s personal wealth which ultimately led to the downfall of one of Britain’s most well loved department stores with a pension deficit in the hundreds of millions of pounds. Throw in quotes and accounts of various meetings and you get a good idea of how Philip Green runs his businesses and treats his employees. My only criticism would be the huge number of people introduced throughout which at times can be hard to keep track of. I’d highly recommend it for those interested in knowing the detail behind his obscene net worth and power for the man previously known as ‘the king of the high street’.
March 9, 2023
He gets a bad wrap but he's lived a life most people dream of.
What my 👂 heard below
I hope you swallowing knot of fear
She represented everything I lacked
2022 was my final. . period Of unhappiness
Is strong mutual dislike festered
He's an erratic villain
The rhetoric doesn't match the reality
If you shake hands with them you have to check to make sure all your fingers are left
He has a reputation for strangeness
Do you want to know the best business advice of your life? Never do business with assholes
I'll put on a confident performance
You cannot deny your level of deceit
This is a strange mixture of excuses
He could turn the pants off a nun
Your name has already turned to Ash
He had an error of serene authority
We fought like rats in a sack
What my 👂 heard below
I hope you swallowing knot of fear
She represented everything I lacked
2022 was my final. . period Of unhappiness
Is strong mutual dislike festered
He's an erratic villain
The rhetoric doesn't match the reality
If you shake hands with them you have to check to make sure all your fingers are left
He has a reputation for strangeness
Do you want to know the best business advice of your life? Never do business with assholes
I'll put on a confident performance
You cannot deny your level of deceit
This is a strange mixture of excuses
He could turn the pants off a nun
Your name has already turned to Ash
He had an error of serene authority
We fought like rats in a sack
March 11, 2023
Strong on Philip Green and the collapse of BHS. Over the course of the book you get to appreciate on a deep level Green's personality, grift and narcissism, supported by a coterie of other swindlers and the greedy who for various reasons ultimate exploited workers for large sums of money (and mostly little in the way of personal repercussions).
While Shah is good on Green, he doesn't spend much time examining the legal, financial, media and political framework that allowed him to behave the way he did. Not nearly enough time is spent on the impact on BHS workers, society or, indeed, the impact on the high street (as promised in the title).
Ultimately good, dry in parts but failing on context that would have made it great.
While Shah is good on Green, he doesn't spend much time examining the legal, financial, media and political framework that allowed him to behave the way he did. Not nearly enough time is spent on the impact on BHS workers, society or, indeed, the impact on the high street (as promised in the title).
Ultimately good, dry in parts but failing on context that would have made it great.
May 30, 2025
The inside story of the rise and downfall of Philip Green. Fascinating take on how he achieved such retail success. a huge emphasis on cost cutting and rag trade relationships in Hong Kong that gave him a sourcing edge for many years.
There is a large section that goes into great detail on the collapse of BHS and the pension fund deficit which became a bit tiresome but had to be told.
Ultimately Green was a trader and dealer instead of a pure retailer. It’s a fascinating story of greed, ego and excess in the pre-crash high street economy.
There is a large section that goes into great detail on the collapse of BHS and the pension fund deficit which became a bit tiresome but had to be told.
Ultimately Green was a trader and dealer instead of a pure retailer. It’s a fascinating story of greed, ego and excess in the pre-crash high street economy.
February 14, 2021
In spite of the author I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Oliver shah writes cogently and with purpose. Philip Green is an enigma. The cast of characters is dizzying, making the "cast of characters" section at the start of the book invaluable. There is something scintillating about reading a book about such recent events, where sources are revealed and emails are shared. The art with which shah crafts a picture of green makes the book compelling and inspite of himself he loves Philip green..
December 31, 2021
Detailed and captivating account of the deals that made and (slightly) dented Philip Green's wealth.
Shah has that ability to provide all the detail you'd want without making it a "this happened", "then that happened" type of book. Will definitely be looking out for any future books of his.
The personal relationship between Shah and Green is a plus, the way he recounts his brash interactions with Green gave me a chuckle.
Shah has that ability to provide all the detail you'd want without making it a "this happened", "then that happened" type of book. Will definitely be looking out for any future books of his.
The personal relationship between Shah and Green is a plus, the way he recounts his brash interactions with Green gave me a chuckle.
May 11, 2019
Brilliant. I read this via Audible as usual and it was read by the author.
It was an incredible look in to the world of Philip Green, his early life and then moved on to his bid for M&S, asset stripping BHS and it’s sale and then unfortunate bankruptcy.
If you like business / retail industry this is a fantastic read.
It was an incredible look in to the world of Philip Green, his early life and then moved on to his bid for M&S, asset stripping BHS and it’s sale and then unfortunate bankruptcy.
If you like business / retail industry this is a fantastic read.
April 26, 2021
Before reading Damaged Goods, I thought the Green-inspired fashion behemoth that Steve Coogan portrayed in Michael Winterbottom's Greed was the crudest of cartoons. Upon the book's conclusion, I now believe Mr Coogan's performance in said film deserves praise for both its understatement and subtlety.
December 10, 2023
After watching the compelling BBC programme regarding the collapse of Topshop, I thought that this would be an interesting read. It's a sad tale of greedy corporate raiders, asset strippers and swindlers.
I haven't a clue why the author felt the need to comment on most of the characters' weight, though - his descriptions of people being 'corpulent, overfed and portly', etc were rather bizarre.
I haven't a clue why the author felt the need to comment on most of the characters' weight, though - his descriptions of people being 'corpulent, overfed and portly', etc were rather bizarre.
October 13, 2025
Lifts the lid on how vast sums of money are made in undeserving fashion by deal makers using other people’s cash and hard work. Quite a few familiar names crop up whose significant (at times) philanthropy is welcome but - at least until now - disappointingly marginal to their personal spending and accumulation of wealth
December 17, 2018
Extremely well researched, loses a little narrative in the middle. Oliver Shah paints a chilling but painfully realistic portrait of the engine of unbridled greed, and unchecked boredom of capitalists within the UK economy.
June 9, 2019
Very informative account of Philip Green's rise and fall. I'd preferred something that took more of a look at the system that allows such a person to succeed but this tells the story of the man and his businesses well.
June 17, 2019
Compelling. A strong critique of unscrupulous corporate raiders. A tale of corporate fraud of the group of criminals that brought BHS down.
An incredible account of the controversial corporate raider, SPG, a complex figure that deserves to be studied.
It reads like a thriller
An incredible account of the controversial corporate raider, SPG, a complex figure that deserves to be studied.
It reads like a thriller
June 3, 2020
I love a good take down and Green is the perfect villain. As much as I was expecting brutal- this surprised me with just how much of a giant shit Green actually is. If you didn’t stop shopping in Topshop before this then you will after. A very well written piece of journalism
August 29, 2025
Entertaining and well researched. Though doesn’t ever really explain why an ex-owner should be responsible for his previous business’s pension liabilities - that would be a total non-issue in the States.
September 19, 2018
Excellent writing from Oliver Shah. Incisive and detailed but never tiresome. Congrats to the author.
December 13, 2018
Fascinating and detailed account of Philip Green's business dealings. What a vile greedy man (along with many similar from the cast of characters). Hard to see how he has any redeeming features.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews