The ancient city of Arbil is the fourth largest in Iraq. Visitors alighting at the international airport may wish to visit the site where Alexander the Great defeated King Darius III of Persia back in 331BC (about 60 miles away), or they might gaze upon the wonder of the Citadel of Arbil. Like most tourists, they'll want to do a spot of shopping in the colourful bazaars and markets. Soon though, the expectant mothers of the city will be able to browse in one of the most recognisable stores on the British high street: Mothercare. The chain, with its Middle East retail partner Alshaya, is due to open its first Iraqi branch by the end of the year.
Mothercare is no stranger to the region; the first Middle Eastern branch opened in Kuwait in 1984. The overseas market has been a boon: with franchises in locations as far-flung as Kazakhstan and Nigeria, international sales amounted to £570.9m in the past financial year.
Last month it announced plans to open a further 150 international stores – prime expansion regions include South America and the Middle East. Chief executive Ben Gordon said: "Iraq has 30 million people – clearly it is a country with a lot of potential."
By contrast, the company plans to close 110 stores in the UK.
So what will be on sale for Kurdish mothers-to-be? A spokeswoman says: "We do have minimal differences based on climate and country – shorter sleeves because of hot weather, for example. The Middle East customers also like more colourful products. Also, we take into account various festivals. In Middle Eastern countries, partywear is required for the Eid festivals."
Local terrain also plays a part: in Russia, for example, they love a buggy with a thicker wheel – to deal with all the snow.
