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Mike George Clare (born February 1955) is a British businessman and the founder and former director of Dreams. 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.

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.

Clare opened three more Sofa Bed Centres during the business’ first two years. He changed the chain's name to Dreams in 1985, after adding beds and sleep accessories such as pyjamas to the shop's inventory.

Clare sold dreams to a private equity firm in March 2008 for £222 Million. He attempted to buy back the firm in 2013 with backing from the private equity firm Apollo. However, his attempted £32 million buyback failed.

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.

In 2012 Clare purchased three sea forts, Spitbank, Horse Sand, and No Man's Land Fort. Clare put all three properties on the market in 2020 following extensive restorations.

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. Clare also purchased Ackergill Tower and sold it in 2018.

Other ventures included a bar with foot spas and an estate agency for unusual properties such as lighthouses and windmills.

Clare briefly considered launching a new bed company to rival Dreams but shelved the idea.

In 2020, Clare is 281st on the Sunday Times Rich List with a net worth of £270 million.

Personal life

In 2009, the University of Buckinghamshire awarded Clare an honorary degree. He established the charitable Clare Foundation in 2009.

References

1. "OC343112". Companies House. 2009-02-05. Retrieved 2020-09-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
2. Thompson, James (2013-02-17). "Mike Clare's dream of a buy back". The Independent. Retrieved 2020-09-26. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= requires |archive-url= (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)
3. "The Rich List 2020". Archived from the original on 2020-09-25.
4. Bridge, Rachel (2003-12-14). "Start Up: How I Made It Mike Clare, founder of Dreams". The Times. Retrieved 2020-09-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
5. "OC343112". Companies House. 2009-02-05. Retrieved 2020-09-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
6. Bridge, Rachel (2003-12-14). "Start Up: How I Made It Mike Clare, founder of Dreams". The Times. Retrieved 2020-09-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
7. Thompson, James (2013-02-17). "Mike Clare's dream of a buy back". The Independent.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
8. Hiscott, Graham (2013-03-07). "Bed firm founder Dreams of new business as 400 workers face nervous future". Daily Mirror. Archived from the original on 2016-03-07. Retrieved 2020-09-26. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; 2016-08-28 suggested (help)
9. "OC343112". Companies House. 2009-02-05. Retrieved 2020-09-26.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
10. Burn Callander, Rebecca (2014-09-30). "Turning austere nuns' cells into luxury bedrooms: Dreams founder on new ventures". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 2016-08-29. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
11. "Palmerston Forts bought by Clarenco". BBC News. 2012-03-26. Archived from the original on 2016-01-02. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
12. "Trio of historic forts in Solent put up for sale". ITV News. 2020-08-25. Archived from the original on 2020-08-29. Retrieved 2020-08-25.
13. Burn Callander, Rebecca (2014-09-30). "Turning austere nuns' cells into luxury bedrooms: Dreams founder on new ventures". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 2016-08-29. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
14. McConnell, Ian (2018-05-09). "15th century Ackergill Tower is put up for sale by Dreams founder Mike Clare at £3.9m". The Herald (Glasgow). Archived from the original on 2020-09-26. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
15. Burn Callander, Rebecca (2014-09-30). "Turning austere nuns' cells into luxury bedrooms: Dreams founder on new ventures". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 2016-08-29. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
16. Burn Callander, Rebecca (2014-09-30). "Turning austere nuns' cells into luxury bedrooms: Dreams founder on new ventures". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 2016-08-29. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
17. "The Rich List 2020". Archived from the original on 2020-09-25.
18. Smith, Sandra (2014-03-24). "Mike Clare on his remarkable career encompassing remarkable business and charitable endeavours". Berkshire Life. Archived from the original on 2020-09-25. Retrieved 2020-10-13.
19. Hudson, Sophie (2010-12-14). "Big Giver: Mike Clare, Clare Foundation". Thirdsector. Archived from the original on 2020-10-13. Retrieved 2020-10-13.

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