Q 01/05

Which American video rental chain opened its first British store in 1989 and shut the last of them in December 2013?

A) Hollywood Video

B) Global Video

C) Blockbuster

D) Choices Video

Answer · why

C) Blockbuster

Blockbuster ran more than 800 British stores at its 2002 peak, yet went into administration twice in 2013 when no buyer could be found.

Q 02/05

Toys R Us, which closed every one of its British stores in 2018, had a mascot named Geoffrey who was which animal?

A) A giraffe

B) A kangaroo

C) A zebra

D) A bear

Answer · why

A) A giraffe

A giraffe first appeared in 1950s adverts for the founder's earlier toy shop, and he grew into Geoffrey as the chain took its famous name.

Q 03/05

Which retail tycoon sold the department store chain BHS for just £1 in 2015, a year before it collapsed?

A) Mike Ashley

B) Philip Green

C) Theo Paphitis

D) Stuart Rose

Answer · why

B) Philip Green

Philip Green had bought BHS for £200 million in 2000, and after its collapse he agreed to pay £363 million into the pension scheme of its staff.

Q 04/05

Which Dutch-founded clothing chain, in Britain since 1922, announced in 2000 that all its UK stores would close?

A) H&M

B) Etam

C) Gap

D) C&A

Answer · why

D) C&A

C&A takes its name from the initials of founding brothers Clemens and August Brenninkmeijer, and it carried on trading across mainland Europe.

Q 05/05

Which jewellery chain nearly collapsed after its boss joked in a 1991 speech that its cheap products were rubbish?

A) Ratners

B) Goldsmiths

C) Beaverbrooks

D) F. Hinds

Answer · why

A) Ratners

Ratners lost its chief Gerald Ratner within two years, and "doing a Ratner" became business shorthand for ruining a company with a careless remark.