The retail tycoon, the City spinners and the mandate...

Word reaches little old Betaville that Mike Ashley's Frasers Group is in advanced talks to hire Brunswick, the so-called "Goldman Sachs" of "corporate communications", otherwise known as spin.

Now, that is surprise as maverick Mike is not usually a fan of stuffy corporate Square Mile types and hasn't had a "proper" City public relations firm on retainer for quite a while...