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18 May 2011
ERNST & YOUNG ADMINISTRATORS have sold 13 Focus DIY stores to Wickes Building Supplies, a subsidiary of Travis Perkins.
Simon Allport, Tom Jack and Alan Hudson, partners at Ernst & Young, were appointed joint administrators to the collapsed retailer earlier this month.
Further reading
Allport (pictured) said: "We are delighted to secure a sale for these stores and to save the jobs of all 345 associated employees.
"Since the date of the administrators' appointment, stores have been trading at record levels as we have been able to offer very competitive prices across the full product range."
Shortly after their appointment, the administrators were able to sell 31 stores to Kingfisher, the parent company of ScrewFix and B&Q.
The administrators are left with approximately 135 stores to sell following the latest deal, however, all 178 will continue to trade under the Focus DIY brand and under the watchful eyes of the administrators until a handover period to purchasers in the summer.
Focus DIY was founded in 1987 and has annual sales of about £450m.
The retailer avoided administration in 2009 when BDO insolvency practitioners achieved a Company Voluntary Arrangement to restructure and repay a percentage of debts over a contracted period of time.
The administrators will be left with about 160 stores following completion of the latest deal.
For more company information visit the Share Price Centre.
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Visitor comments Add your comment
What about the customers who had orders!!
Focus went into administration 4 days after i ordered and payed(in cash) for my conservatory furniture. I have phoned and left messages,written to the administrators and got nowhere. No one is telling me whether i am getting my furniture or not, or my money back. I think this is terrible keeping us hanging like this!! Does anyone actually answer the phones or read the mail. I only want what i have payed for!
Posted by: Mrs Fairley, 18 May 2011 | 19:15
Bathroom suite ordered on the 2nd of may
focus or administrators have not got in touch with me about fulfilling my order or returning my hard earn cash!!! dispicatable please can someone inform all those who placed orders about what is going to happen whether or not we get our order or our cash back!!!
Posted by: derek mobley, 22 May 2011 | 03:02
and what about my OAP Mother?
My elderly OAP Mother received a telephone call YESTERDAY to say that her New kitchen had been cancelled and who is now extremely upset and confused with the situation as know one would advise her on what to do next.
She has saved for this Kitchen for several years and after seeing a "Special Offer" in store, promptly purchased a complete Kitchen outfit with Oven, Hob and Work surface in full, totaling almost £3,000.00.
When you consider that it has taken her a number of years to save for this and now appears that she may lose a considerable amount of money which as a pensioner she cannot afford to do.
SO MUCH FOR CUSTOMER SERVICES?
Posted by: Paul Lapham, 25 May 2011 | 13:24
@ Fairley
I guess any orders placed before they went into administration should be delivered or atleast refunded in full. Since it has gone into administration, they usually take it at thier own pacem as they have other priorities and would be looking for a buyer as a whole or atleast sell some of the stores to interested buyers... - Hope you get the goods or the money back soon . Good luck - Satya
Posted by: Satya, 25 May 2011 | 16:09
Bad Service
I am not surprised they have doen bad...at my local store, the staff always seemed clueless as to how to do things!...I have been in numerous times and you always get the vibe that the staff needed decent training. Didnt like using my store, but went there as it was only DIY store close by. I hope B and Q take ours over ,maybe we will get better service!
Posted by: G Cormack, 25 May 2011 | 21:42
Bad Service
I think from my experience, my local staff were not trained enough to do the job!...one time I went to my local store to swap a small patio gas cannister...I was told I would have to sign up to "The Scheme"...I said I had already done this with the "Gas " company....I was told I had to do it again!....another 30 odd pounds!.....I had about 5-6 people including the branch manager telling me that I couldnt exchange my empty for a full one and just pay the price of the refill!...I went home empty handed to phone the Gas Supplier up......they were very sorry on behalf of Focus for letting me dowb...and delivered a bottle to my door for the hassle. I for one hope that B and Q take over our store...get rid of the useless people and keep/train the others...then they will be profitable!....
Posted by: G Cormack, 25 May 2011 | 21:49
focus DIY
three days before administration was announced i ordered and paid in cash for conservatory furniture. The branch have not honoured my order or are able to give a refund. i was told i couldnt purchase the display model only to find the following day the manager had sold it to another customer. learning yesterday of the closing down sale i was advised to arrive early and i could purchase a replacement using my credit as part payment, i was prepared to accept this and even pay extra for a more expensive replacement, however, the branch manager wouldnt allow it. administrators have acknowledged my complaint with a letter asking me to provide information that was forwarded to them on 13th may! i would just like either my hard earned cash back, the furniture i ordered or a decent replacement PLEASE
Posted by: karen kirby, 26 May 2011 | 10:01
focus DIY
three days before administration was announced i ordered and paid in cash for conservatory furniture. The branch have not honoured my order or are able to give a refund. i was told i couldnt purchase the display model only to find the following day the manager had sold it to another customer. learning yesterday of the closing down sale i was advised to arrive early and i could purchase a replacement using my credit as part payment, i was prepared to accept this and even pay extra for a more expensive replacement, however, the branch manager wouldnt allow it. administrators have acknowledged my complaint with a letter asking me to provide information that was forwarded to them on 13th may! i would just like either my hard earned cash back, the furniture i ordered or a decent replacement PLEASE
Posted by: karen kirby, 26 May 2011 | 10:01
Focus to honour all orders
My oldest son works for a branch of Focus DIY in the E Yorkshire area, as a design consultant for their kitchens, and as far as I know any paid for orders are now being honoured and released to customers. The store where he is based has fulfilled all outstanding orders. There has been delays but this is due to staff having to wait until the administrators have advised them of the next step forward. Please have a thought for all the staff involved who have been left in the dark to a degree and don't know wether they will hold a job or not.
Posted by: Bev Skelton, 27 May 2011 | 11:32