DRAGONS' DEN star Theo Paphitis was this weekend trying to mount an eleventh-hour rescue deal for Woolworths' high street stores, potentially saving thousands of jobs.
The entrepreneur, a judge on the BBC reality television show, had a meeting with the administrators of the retailer at Woolworths' London headquarters at the end of last week. He is working on a plan to salvage a core of the chain's most profitable stores and keep the Woolies name on the high street.
Paphitis, who made his name turning round the Ryman and La Senza chains, is one of a number of possible bidders lining up to save the store group.
Tony Page, the former Asda director who runs the stores division at Woolworths, is working with other members