Simon Woodroffe, the founder of the Yo! Sushi restaurant chain and former Dragons' Den investor, has warned that the UK's high streets will eventually become landing areas for delivery drones. In an exclusive interview, the 74-year-old entrepreneur shared his unconventional views on the future of retail and government, while reflecting on a life that saw him go from a privileged upbringing to prison and then to a multi-millionaire fortune.
A life of contrasts
Woodroffe attended elite Marlborough College but left with only two O'levels. He became a music roadie and stage designer for rock legends like Sir Paul McCartney and Ozzy Osbourne, and even played a part in Live Aid. However, in 1970 he was sentenced to three months in a detention centre for drug dealing, describing the first few days as 'absolute hell'. After his release, he rebuilt his life, eventually launching Yo! Sushi in 1997 at age 45 with no restaurant experience.
High street transformation
Regarding the crisis facing many high streets, Woodroffe's solution is blunt: 'Let it go.' He argues that shopping malls should be repurposed into apartments, climbing walls, or ice baths. 'I think in five, 10, 20, 30 years you will look up in the air and see lots and lots of drones going along and the roads will be landing areas,' he said.
Controversial views on government
Woodroffe is critical of government intervention, stating, 'I'm not in favour of the government doing anything. I think the government should stop and get on with implementing the will of the people.' He even suggests that politicians should be replaced by 'this new generation of tech kids.'
From rock shows to conveyor belts
After working with stars like Rod Stewart and Led Zeppelin, Woodroffe moved into selling rock shows to TV stations. By the mid-1990s, he was down on his luck until a lunch meeting sparked the idea for a conveyor belt sushi bar. He invested his remaining funds, and the first Yo! Sushi branch opened in London in January 1997. It eventually became a huge success, and he sold an initial stake for £2 million in 2003. He later sold the entire business for around £12 million.
Other ventures and future plans
Woodroffe also founded the Yotel hotel chain and once attempted to buy the Millennium Dome to create a venue called The Beach. Despite his successes, he admits to having been 'loud, obsessed, egotistical and self-centred' but says he has mellowed. Now based in Thailand and paying no UK tax, he remains unapologetic: 'So what? You don't have to read me.'
His autobiography, 'Yo! Man', is published on June 4, priced at £22.99. Woodroffe says he wants it to be both entertaining and educational. He concludes, 'I think I'm a lucky guy. I'm happier than I have ever been.'
