In late December, publicly listed global leisurewear giant American Eagle Outfitters pulled the plug on a European franchise agreement with an Irish-based company, AEOEU Limited. Established in 2019, the franchise holder had failed to meet agreed growth targets due to difficult trading conditions brought about by Covid-19.  Without a licence to sell American Eagle’s clothing products, the writing was on the wall for AEOEU and its European subsidiaries – including Irish subsidiary AEO Retail, which months earlier opened stores in the Jervis Centre in Dublin and in the Whitewater shopping centre in Newbridge, Co Kildare, employing 24 staff. James Anderson…