VETERAN retailer Lord Harris of Peckham is to make a second attempt to step aside from running the Carpetright empire he founded 25 years ago.

The peer, who has been in the carpet trade for more than 50 years, resumed day-to-day involvement in October after chief executive Darren Shapland left the business in the wake of a profits warning.

But the appointment of betting industry boss Wilf Walsh as chief executive means Lord Harris will become non-executive chairman from July and retire from the board on September 4. Mr Walsh is chairman of central European betting business Fortuna Entertainment, having before been MD of bookmaker Coral.