Littlehampton’s Anita Roddick tops all-time British businesswomen chart

The late Dame Anita Roddick, who grew up in the town which still houses the headquarters of her multi-national, The Body Shop, came fifth in a survey of the top 10 British business figures, and was the only woman on the list.

The research was commissioned by website OfficeCavalry.com, which questioned 5,000 freelancers, and Dame Anita, who died in 2007 aged 64, lost out only to the likes of Sir Richard Branson, Lord Alan Sugar, Simon Cowell and Sir Terry Leahy, CEO of Tesco.

Andy Turner, co-founder of OfficeCavalry.com, said: “Dame Anita was a true pioneer and one of the first people to combine business with an environmental and social conscience. She was a truly exceptional entrepreneur, and for her, business and ethics came together.

“Even after her death she is still the most inspirational British businesswomen and she continues to inspire many women, and men, up and down the British Isles to set up themselves in business and become their own boss.”

He added her story, of building from one shop to world-wide success, was obviously one that resonated with people.

“Brits are clearly inspired by the true vision of these business figures, many of whom started from humble beginnings, and have now become household names, like Dame Anita.

“Britons have a great array of business figures to inspire them and many identify her as one of the most important because she is the person who established a conscience in the global business arena.”

She has inspired many close to home as well, not least students at what was then the Littlehampton Community School (LCS), who decided to name their new Enterprise Centre – which she proudly opened – after her in 2004.

Born Anita Lucia Perella, in 1942, her Italian immigrant parents ran the Clifton Café in Terminus Road, near the railway station, where she worked as soon as she was old enough.

Originally training as a teacher, she and husband Gordon set up their first businesses, Paddington 66 Café and a small hotel, in Littlehampton, but 33 years ago the first The Body Shop opened in Brighton.

In 2006, cosmetics giant L’Oreal paid a reported £625m to take over the business which, by then, had more than 2,000 stores across the world.