Courts takes on ousted Texas chief

Furniture retailer Courts is hiring a former Texas Homecare marketing chief to be its first marketing director, as it expands into the North.

The chain has brought in Clive Roylance to take control of marketing, previously run by chief executive Bruce Cohen. The company says the move will free Cohen to concentrate on expansion.

Roylance says: “It was felt the time was right to bring a specialist on board.”

Roylance was fired from Texas in 1993 in a purge of senior staff by managing director John Coleman.

He was later replaced by Peggy Cornwell, who was marketing director until Texas was sold to Sainsbury (MW December 11, 1993).

He has since worked as a marketing consultant, and most recently advised home furnishings chain The Reject Shop, which is in receivership.

Courts is expanding its out of town and edge of town sites, from 36 to 45 over the next three years.

But at the same time it plans to close a number of its 52 high street stores.