As retailers across France take stock of the destruction caused by Saturday’s violence, Birmingham-based security manufacturer Warrior Doors has revealed how one of its installations protected a Paris jeweller from attack, allowing the business to reopen on Monday morning.
The scenes of looting and vandalism that swept through Paris on 17 October left some of the world’s most prestigious shopping districts facing extensive damage. According to figures reported by Vogue Business, approximately 1,500 shops and retailers across France were affected, with Burberry, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Celine and Lacoste among the luxury brands whose premises were targeted.
For Warrior Doors Managing Director Brett Barratt, the scale of the destruction was deeply troubling. Over the weekend, however, he received a telephone call from a customer in Paris with some welcome news. Their jewellery premises had been targeted during the unrest, but the Warrior Doors security installation had withstood the attack.
“The scenes coming out of Paris have been absolutely horrendous,” said Barratt. “These are businesses that people have spent years building, employing staff, serving customers and contributing to their communities. We condemn the violence completely, and our thoughts are with everyone affected.
“Over the weekend, one of our customers in Paris called me to explain what had happened. Their premises had been targeted, but our door had stood firm. As a manufacturer, hearing that your technology has performed under those circumstances makes you immensely proud of the people who designed and built it.”
The consequences of Saturday’s violence have prompted widespread concern among French retail executives, particularly over the longer-term impact on businesses, employees and the country’s international reputation. Writing in response to the attacks, Thierry Guibert, CEO of Lacoste’s parent company Maus Frères, warned that the destruction placed jobs, years of investment and the expertise of thousands of retail employees at risk.
Nicolas Houzé, executive chairman of Galeries Lafayette, similarly highlighted the substantial economic losses suffered by retailers and the damage to France’s reputation as an international shopping destination.
Catherine Spindler, president of Sephora Europe and the Middle East, placed particular emphasis on the welfare of employees after several of the company’s stores were ransacked. Sephora took the decision to close its French retail network on Sunday, prioritising the safety of staff and customers.
For Barratt, these concerns reflect the wider consequences of an attack on a high-value retail premises.
“When people see footage of a jewellery shop being smashed up, their first thought is understandably the value of the stock. But there is an enormous amount of investment in the premises themselves,” he explained. “The shopfitting, bespoke displays, specialist glazing, lighting and furnishings can cost a fortune. These are often beautiful stores that have taken years to establish. The damage can run into extraordinary sums before you even begin to account for stolen merchandise.
“Then there is the downtime. Every day a retailer remains closed represents lost trade, wages to pay and customers to look after. I genuinely worry that some of the businesses affected by these attacks will struggle to reopen.”
Warrior Doors has established a strong presence among high-value retailers and jewellers in London, Birmingham and Manchester, supplying specialist security doors and protective systems developed using the company’s proprietary technology. Manufactured in Birmingham, its security solutions are designed to withstand determined physical attacks, drawing on years of engineering development and practical experience protecting premises containing high-value merchandise.
The events in Paris have provided a particularly demanding real-world test of that expertise.
“We have spent years developing our own technology because we understand exactly what is at stake for our customers,” said Barratt. “Jewellers are particularly vulnerable to these kinds of attacks. The speed and violence involved can be extraordinary, and the physical security protecting the premises has to perform when it matters most.
“Our engineers put a tremendous amount of work into the design, manufacture and testing of these products. Seeing that investment deliver the protection it was intended to provide, in circumstances as extreme as those witnessed in Paris, is enormously satisfying.”
While damaged retailers across Paris began boarding up shopfronts, assessing losses and arranging repairs, the Warrior Doors customer was able to resume trading. For Barratt, that outcome illustrates the commercial importance of effective physical security, particularly in an industry where the consequences of a forced-entry attack can threaten the future of a business.
“Our customer was able to open their doors again today,” he said. “When you consider what so many other retailers are facing, that is a remarkable outcome.
“Security is ultimately about protecting people’s livelihoods. It means the staff can return to work, the customers can come back and the business can carry on trading. “I’m incredibly proud that technology developed and manufactured by our team in Birmingham has helped a customer in Paris through such a difficult weekend.”
As the French retail industry assesses the full impact of the violence, Warrior Doors has joined business leaders in condemning the attacks and expressing solidarity with those affected.
“We stand with Paris and with every retailer facing the consequences of this appalling destruction,” Barratt concluded.
“Our thoughts are particularly with the employees and business owners who now have to rebuild. For our customer, thankfully, the door stood firm and they were back in business this morning. That is exactly what Warrior Doors is here to achieve.”
