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Revision as of 14:35, 13 October 2020 editJohnny three shoes 96 (talk | contribs)227 edits ←Created page with '{{Infobox person | name = Mike Clare | image = thumb|MikeClare | caption = Mike Clare in 2020 | bi...'  Latest revision as of 03:28, 7 March 2023 edit undoRobert McClenon (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users, Page movers, New page reviewers, Pending changes reviewers197,249 editsm Added {{R with history}} tag to redirectTag: Twinkle 
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| caption = Mike Clare in 2020
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| birth_date = February 1955
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'''Mike George Clare''' (born February 1955)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/OC343112|title=OC343112|date=2009-02-05|access-date=2020-09-26|website=Companies House|url-status=live}}</ref> is a British businessman and the founder and former director of Dreams.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/mike-clare-s-dream-buy-back-8512299.html|title=Mike Clare's dream of a buy back|date=2013-02-17|access-date=2020-09-26|website=The Independent|last=Thompson|first=James|archive-url=/web/20200926112255/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/mike-clare-s-dream-buy-back-8512299.html|archive-date=2020-09-26|url-status=live}}</ref> After leaving dreams, he began developing properties under the holdings company Clarenco. The Sunday Times placed Clare at 281st position on their 2020 rich list.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/sunday-times-rich-list#TableFullRichList|title=The Rich List 2020|date=|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925105157/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/sunday-times-rich-list|archive-date=2020-09-25|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Career==
Clare embarked on several ventures before opening a shop specialising in sofa beds in Uxbridge and named it, Sofa Bed Centre. The company sold sofa beds, which Clare claims were popular during the 1980s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/start-up-how-i-made-it-mike-clare-founder-of-dreams-xg7mq9brcv0|title=Start Up: How I Made It Mike Clare, founder of Dreams|date=2003-12-14|access-date=2020-09-26|website=]|last=Bridge|first=Rachel|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/*/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/start-up-how-i-made-it-mike-clare-founder-of-dreams-xg7mq9brcv0|archive-date=2020-09-12|url-status=live}}</ref>

Clare opened three more Sofa Bed Centres during the business’ first two years. He changed the chain’s name to Dreams in 1985,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/OC343112|title=OC343112|date=2009-02-05|access-date=2020-09-26|website=Companies House|url-status=live}}</ref> after adding beds and sleep accessories such as pyjamas to the shop’s inventory.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/start-up-how-i-made-it-mike-clare-founder-of-dreams-xg7mq9brcv0|title=Start Up: How I Made It Mike Clare, founder of Dreams|date=2003-12-14|access-date=2020-09-26|website=]|last=Bridge|first=Rachel|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/*/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/start-up-how-i-made-it-mike-clare-founder-of-dreams-xg7mq9brcv0|archive-date=2020-09-12|url-status=live}}</ref>

Clare sold dreams to a private equity firm in March 2008 for £222 Million. <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/mike-clare-s-dream-buy-back-8512299.html|title=Mike Clare's dream of a buy back|date=2013-02-17|access-date=2020-09-26|website=The Independent|last=Thompson|first=James|archive-url=/web/20200926112255/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/analysis-and-features/mike-clare-s-dream-buy-back-8512299.html|archive-date=2020-09-26|url-status=live}}</ref> He attempted to buy back the firm in 2013 with backing from the private equity firm Apollo.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mirror.co.uk/money/city-news/dreams-administration-bed-firm-founder-1745939|title=Bed firm founder Dreams of new business as 400 workers face nervous future|date=2013-03-07|access-date=2020-09-26|website=]|last=Hiscott|first=Graham|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160828183010/http://www.mirror.co.uk/money/city-news/dreams-administration-bed-firm-founder-1745939|archive-date=2016-03-07|url-status=live}}</ref> However, his attempted £32 million buyback failed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/OC343112|title=OC343112|date=2009-02-05|access-date=2020-09-26|website=Companies House|url-status=live}}</ref>

Clare invested the proceeds of the 2008 Dreams sale, into private and residential property. He created Clarenco as an umbrella company to house his property investments. Clarenco’s portfolio included several office blocks in Slough and residential property developments in Beaconsfield.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/businessclub/people/11129039/Turning-austere-nuns-cells-into-luxury-bedrooms-Dreams-founder-on-new-ventures.html|title=Turning austere nuns' cells into luxury bedrooms: Dreams founder on new ventures|date=2014-09-30|access-date=2020-09-26|website=]|last=Burn Callander|first=Rebecca|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160829204406/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/businessclub/people/11129039/Turning-austere-nuns-cells-into-luxury-bedrooms-Dreams-founder-on-new-ventures.html|archive-date=2016-08-29|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2012 Clare purchased three sea forts, Spitbank, Horse Sand, and No Man’s Land Fort.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-17509416|title=Palmerston Forts bought by Clarenco|date=2012-03-26|access-date=2020-09-26|website=]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/2016*/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-17509416|archive-date=2016-01-02|url-status=live}}</ref> Clare put all three properties on the market in 2020 following extensive restorations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.itv.com/news/meridian/2020-08-25/trio-of-historic-forts-in-solent-put-up-for-sale|title=Trio of historic forts in Solent put up for sale|date=2020-08-25|access-date=2020-08-25|website=]|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200829003847if_/https://www.itv.com/news/meridian/2020-08-25/trio-of-historic-forts-in-solent-put-up-for-sale|archive-date=2020-08-25|url-status=live}}</ref>
Other businesses under Clarenco’s umbrella include a property company specialising in venues for parties. The original Stanbrook Abbey building in Worcestershire was among the company’s first developments.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/businessclub/people/11129039/Turning-austere-nuns-cells-into-luxury-bedrooms-Dreams-founder-on-new-ventures.html|title=Turning austere nuns' cells into luxury bedrooms: Dreams founder on new ventures|date=2014-09-30|access-date=2020-09-26|website=]|last=Burn Callander|first=Rebecca|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160829204406/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/businessclub/people/11129039/Turning-austere-nuns-cells-into-luxury-bedrooms-Dreams-founder-on-new-ventures.html|archive-date=2016-08-29|url-status=live}}</ref> Clare also purchased Ackergill Tower and sold it in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/business_hq/16212967.15th-century-ackergill-tower-put-sale-dreams-founder-mike-clare-3-9m/|title=15th century Ackergill Tower is put up for sale by Dreams founder Mike Clare at £3.9m|date=2018-05-09|access-date=2020-09-26|website=]|last=McConnell|first=Ian|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926121442/https://www.heraldscotland.com/business_hq/16212967.15th-century-ackergill-tower-put-sale-dreams-founder-mike-clare-3-9m/|archive-date=2020-09-26|url-status=live}}</ref>

Other ventures included a bar with foot spas and an estate agency for unusual properties such as lighthouses and windmills.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/businessclub/people/11129039/Turning-austere-nuns-cells-into-luxury-bedrooms-Dreams-founder-on-new-ventures.html|title=Turning austere nuns' cells into luxury bedrooms: Dreams founder on new ventures|date=2014-09-30|access-date=2020-09-26|website=]|last=Burn Callander|first=Rebecca|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160829204406/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/businessclub/people/11129039/Turning-austere-nuns-cells-into-luxury-bedrooms-Dreams-founder-on-new-ventures.html|archive-date=2016-08-29|url-status=live}}</ref>

Clare briefly considered launching a new bed company to rival Dreams but shelved the idea.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/businessclub/people/11129039/Turning-austere-nuns-cells-into-luxury-bedrooms-Dreams-founder-on-new-ventures.html|title=Turning austere nuns' cells into luxury bedrooms: Dreams founder on new ventures|date=2014-09-30|access-date=2020-09-26|website=]|last=Burn Callander|first=Rebecca|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160829204406/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/businessclub/people/11129039/Turning-austere-nuns-cells-into-luxury-bedrooms-Dreams-founder-on-new-ventures.html|archive-date=2016-08-29|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2020, Clare is 281st on the Sunday Times Rich List with a net worth of £270 million.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/sunday-times-rich-list#TableFullRichList|title=The Rich List 2020|date=|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925105157/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/sunday-times-rich-list|archive-date=2020-09-25|url-status=live}}</ref>
==Personal life==
In 2009, the University of Buckinghamshire awarded Clare an honorary degree.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.berksandbuckslife.co.uk/people/mike-clare-on-his-remarkable-career-encompassing-remarkable-business-and-charitable-endeavours-1-3461742#:~:text=But%20first%20we%20touch%20on,and%20computer%20sciences%20and%20statistics.|title=Mike Clare on his remarkable career encompassing remarkable business and charitable endeavours|date=2014-03-24|access-date=2020-09-28|website=Berkshire Life|last=Smith|first=Sandra|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/save/https://www.berksandbuckslife.co.uk/people/mike-clare-on-his-remarkable-career-encompassing-remarkable-business-and-charitable-endeavours-1-3461742|archive-date=2020-09-25|url-status=live}}</ref>
He established the charitable Clare Foundation in 2009.<ref>{{Cite web|url=11. https://www.thirdsector.co.uk/big-giver-mike-clare-clare-foundation/fundraising/article/1044443|title=Big Giver: Mike Clare, Clare Foundation|date=2010-12-14|access-date=2020-10-13|website=Thirdsector|last=Hudson|first=Sophie|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/save/https://www.thirdsector.co.uk/big-giver-mike-clare-clare-foundation/fundraising/article/1044443|archive-date=2020-10-13|url-status=live}}</ref>
==References==
{{Reflist}}

Latest revision as of 03:28, 7 March 2023

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