Mrs Thatcher visits a premier store
The Prime Minister dropped a clear hint yesterday that the time has come to move out of equities and get into knitwear. “That's lovely” , she declared, fingering a £200 cashmere sweater. “Now that is what I call an investment.”
Mrs Margaret Thatcher was on a shopping expedition to the newly extended flagship store of Marks & Spencer at Marble Arch, central London. She spent nearly two hours touring the store, meeting staff, greeting customers, and choosing a few items for her own use.
Not everything she wanted was on the shelves, however. Curtains and bed linen were brought over specially from the home furnishing department on the other side of Oxford Street.
Accompanied by Lord Rayner, chairman of Marks & Spencer, and Mr David Sieff, the company's director of personnel and public affairs, Mrs Thatcher visited a Youth Training Scheme session, and a staff meeting.
The media was banned, however, from the shop's second floor, where the company's famous lingerie is on display. The Prime Minister descended from that level quarter of an hour behind schedule. “She made an unprogrammed detour into the footwear department” , M & S executives explained.
Enterprising cameramen had arranged for Mrs Thatcher to be invited to admire some of the most ostentatiously patterned knitwear on display—luxurious sweaters selling at £17.99 and ornamented with gaudy golden bow motifs or lurex stars. “We've got the wrong selection there” , murmured Lord Rayner in disbelief.
The Prime Minister chose a cream cardigan in ribbed lambswool and angora at £39.95 and two silk blouses from the company's Premier Collection.
“I tend to wear the safe colours, black, white, grey and navy” , the Prime Minister confided. “But occasionally I strike out with jewel colours like sapphire, emerald or amethyst to brighten something up. Then people do not realize it is the same suit that you are still wearing” .
Her advice to Christmas shoppers was: “Do not leave it too late.” She admitted that there was usually one important present that got forgotten until the last minute. “With me, it's usually my husband.”
Downstairs two admirers presented Mrs Thatcher with their newly-bought flowers, and a pensioner told her she was lovelier in person than on television. Japanese tourists thronged to take her photograph, and a Spanish woman claimed her autograph.
“It has been lovely” , she said, and with one last admiring glance at a yewtree cabinet priced at £1,150, waved goodbye.