One of the biggest retail trends in Ireland over the past year has been the withdrawal of a significant number of foreign retailers from the Irish market. Even before Covid, many retailers were struggling to deal with steep rents, falling footfall and online competition. The pandemic made a bad situation calamitous. Within weeks of the first lockdown, Debenhams had collapsed into liquidation in a move that would lead to a year-long protest by workers. Monsoon and Laura Ashley quickly followed. Carphone Warehouse has shuttered its 80 Irish outlets, while Abercrombie & Fitch and Tommy Hilfiger have both shut high-profile city-centre…

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