I’ve heard some funny rumours about our business over the years but the ones that are making the rounds at the moment are amongst the best. Last week it was announced that shortly after West Ham move into the new Olympic Stadium, it will be renamed the Ann Summers Bedroom Olympics Stadium. This would of course give new meaning to the idea of the Olympic Rings, which The Sun helpfully illustrated by including a pair of pink fluffy handcuffs in the famous logo. Amusing, newsworthy but not true.

I’ve also heard that the return of Downton Abbey to our TV screens has seen sales of our maid’s outfit go through the roof – going “below stairs” has never been loaded so much innuendo. It has been suggested that we might even extend the collection – the “Going Downton Abbey” range - and include a butler’s outfit that we’ll call Master Bates. Nice ideas but alas not true either.

It has also been widely reported that the riots that blighted the UK in August was caused by a whole generation of disaffected young people, angry at the lack of opportunity, frustrated by their inability to afford the high tech goods flaunted by retailers and driven to crime by boredom and a missing moral compass. Half-truths and sweeping generalisations that not only knock consumer confidence but also besmirch the reputation of the fantastic young people that work in all of our stores. When I visit my stores as well as yours, I see the same generation of young people, some of whom who have come from challenging backgrounds, working hard, taking pride in what they do and delivering outstanding customer service. They would no more condone the rioters than you or I.

According to the British Retail Consortium (BRC) 40% of new jobs in retail last year went to people aged 16-21. This is a statistic for which collectively we should be receiving plaudits from the media. Although as Stephen Robertson, Director General of the BRC pointed out, how ironic that our industry that was on the frontline facing the riots, is actually on the front foot when it comes to solving one of the mooted causes.

I also all too regularly read about the death of our industry each time one of our leading retailers reports less than outstanding results. The truth that I witnessed the other week at Westfield, Stratford was very different: I saw retail in the rudest of health. Westfield is an outstanding new retail development, full of great brands, wonderful new store designs and all launched with a series of exciting opening events and a sprinkling of celebrity. Most importantly, the place was rammed with customers and we for one opened with a record week. It was here that I heard another rumour, that there’s a 6ft high black rampant rabbit at the front of our new Westfield Store that customers are queuing up to be photographed with. I mean really: would we do a thing like that?