Irvine Gerald Sellar (3 September 1934 – 26 February 2017) was an English fashion retailer, and later property developer. He was the founder of the Sellar Property Group, and the developer of The Shard.
Irvine Sellar | |
|---|---|
| Born | Irvine Gerald Sellar 3 September 1934 London, England |
| Died | 26 February 2017 (aged 82) England |
| Occupation | Property developer |
| Spouse | Elizabeth Sellar |
| Children | 3 |
Early life edit
Sellar was born on 3 September 1934[1] in London, England.[2][3][4]
He worked with his father on markets in and around the East End of London.[5][6] His family was Jewish, and he grew up in Southgate, London. Sellar left school at 16 and studied accounting but decided to start working instead.[4]
Career edit
Sellar started his career as a market trader before opening his first shop in St Albans. A second shop followed in Soho's Wardour Street in 1964. The following year, along with his wife Elizabeth, a third shop was opened on Carnaby Street,[4] a parade that was to become a worldwide Mecca for fashion, helping to define London's swinging 60s.
Meanwhile, he founded the first unisex fashion company in the United Kingdom,[4] Mates by Irvine Sellars.[6] The company later became "Britain’s second-biggest fashion chain,"[5] with 90 shops in 1981. That year, he sold it to a South African investor.[6]
Sellar founded Ford Sellar Morris, a property company listed on the London Stock Exchange.[citation needed] Sellar borrowed £111m in 1989 and,[4] because of a property downturn in 1991, the company went bankrupt in 1991-92,[5] when Sellar lost £30 million.[6]
Sellar founded the Sellar Property Group. He acquired the headquarters of PwC in London Bridge in 1998.[5] That year, he acquired the site of what would later become The Shard.[6] With 80% from Qatari investors, Sellar completed the construction of The Shard in 2012. He subsequently developed buildings near Paddington Station.[5]
In December 2016, his plan to develop the 19-storey Paddington Cube for £775 million was approved by Westminster City Council.[7]
Personal life edit
With his wife Elizabeth,[6] Sellar had two sons, James, who went on to serve as chairman of SPG, and Paul, a playwright, as well as a daughter, Caroline.[4][5]
In 2015, Irvine and James Sellar had an estimated joint wealth of GBP£220 million.[8] Sellar was a black belt in judo, drove a Rolls-Royce and smoked cigars.[4]
Death edit
References edit
- ^ Adeney, Martin (7 March 2017). "Irvine Sellar obituary". Retrieved 15 March 2017 – via The Guardian.
- ^ Glancey, Jonathan (18 March 2002). "That's nice - but what's it doing there?". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 March 2017.
- ^ "Irvine Gerald SELLAR". Companies House. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Irvine Sellar: Tenacious property developer who made a fortune with Britain's first unisex fashion chain and later masterminded the Shard". The Times. 28 February 2017. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g Evans, Judith (27 February 2017). "London Shard developer Irvine Sellar dies at 82". Financial Times. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g Bury, Rhiannon (27 February 2017). "Shard developer Irvine Sellar dies aged 82". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
- ^ Sleigh, Sophia (7 December 2016). "Renzo Piano's £775m 'Cube' building given green light to transform 'tatty' Paddington". London Evening Standard. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
- ^ "Sunday Times Rich List". The Sunday Times. No. page 62. 26 April 2015.