Burnley on Flood alert

The company, started by Brendan Flood fifteen years ago, has diversified over the years. It includes a property investment fund, a perfume retailer called Passion for Perfume and the public events and mall specialists Shoppertainment. They are also now leaders in the field of urban regeneration.

Prior to Modus, he had a background in banking with Barclays, but since a difficult first year for his company it has been nothing other than a huge success. “I got an office in Manchester and started to look around for development opportunities and thought I was clever. But the middle of a recession wasn't a good time to start your own business and I found it difficult to find opportunities,” said Flood in a recent business magazine article.

It took 15 months before Modus made money and longer still before Flood began to establish a reputation. A still-growing Matalan needed a store in Bolton and Flood stepped in, eventually selling the property for around £2 million.

“That's when people started to notice who I was,” says Flood. “After that I started to focus more on retailing; it was obviously very rewarding if you got it right – and very bankable. Once you've got it right, the banks will happily lend you the money.”

And he has got it right. Last year, in the Ernst and Young's Entrepreneur of the Year Awards, he won the accolade of Business Products Entrepreneur of the Year.

Brendan is a successful business man and is now a member of the Board of Directors at Burnley Football Club. The most obvious question is why he would want to become involved at Turf Moor. The answer is simple, on his own company's web site he says his hobbies include watching Burnley – yes, he's a Claret.