On Thursday we learned an approach has been made to the Weston family for Selfridges, the parent company of Brown Thomas and Arnotts. React news, a UK real estate publication, reported that an unnamed buyer was offering £4 billion for the company. Credit Suisse has been appointed advisor on the prospective deal. What would a change of owners mean for the Irish stores? The industry background is not encouraging. Long before Covid-19, department stores were closing left, right and centre. Debenhams is one example. House of Fraser collapsed in 2018, only to be bought out of bankruptcy by Mike Ashley.…