Mike Ashley thinks Flannels shops are 'bonkers' says new Doncaster company boss

33-year-old Michael Murray, who took over as CEO of the Frasers Group from his father in law a year ago, is reshaping the retail empire – but he says the former Newcastle United owner doesn’t get the Flannels brand, which has a branch in Doncaster’s Priory Walk.

In an interview with the BBC, Mr Murray said he is targeting "new luxury, aspirational" customers, especially in his 60 Flannels shops, which sell designer clothes.

He admits his father-in-law, however, thinks the shops are "bonkers".

Mr Murray, married to Mr Ashley's eldest daughter Anna, said Mr Ashley, 58, is still the majority shareholder in Frasers Group as is still very much involved in the business.

"Mike's an expert operator," he says. "We call him 'The Mechanic' - he looks after the warehouse, the supply chain, he's optimising that engine.

"He's making sure the back-end system and the logistics keep up with the front end. That's what he spends his day and night thinking about."

At family occasions like Christmas, "business is all we talk about, there's nothing else, it's our common interest."

"It's difficult," Mr Murray says with a smile. "We're both obsessed, we live and breathe it."

But one area where Mr Ashley and his son-in-law don't necessarily see eye-to-eye is Flannels, where Mr Murray is showcasing his vision for "aspirational shopping".

The chain sells sports tops for £600, trainers for £400 and hoodies for £300.

"He thinks it's bonkers," Mr Murray told the BBC. "He can't understand why people would spend so much on luxury clothing. But he understands that he doesn't understand, and he understands you have to be relevant to consumers.

"He understands when he sees the results. It's quite remarkable what we've done."

Mr Murray is the son of Doncaster property and business magnate Mick Murray, who set up the all-conquering Doncaster-based Lazarus Properties with business partner Lloyd Nicholson in 1997.

The firm is one of the town's best known and owns prime residential and commerical buildings across the region as well as London.