Ossian, said sad to see it go .This is what a debt does, well if cerberus and the moneylenders hadn't taken 2.6 billion out of the old business, then it myself and the 3000+ staff would still be here.But we were run by monkeys, getting Bill in after Iceland near collapse and wickes, I guess the writing was on the wall what was next.

Having been in the retail DIY sector for 40 years this year,its sad to see one of the top four having to make such a massive step in appointing administrators to help bail out what ie a very strong business apart from the debt its been carrying for several years.For someone who was Managing a Dodge City Store when B+Q bought them back in the early 80s Allen Forster Great Guy and of Coarse Jim and Hugh what a team to work for good days hard work but a lot of fun.Then Jim Anderson and Texas again a lot of fun and hard work,Then Great MIlls Mike Robertshaw,Ken Loader,Russell Booth and of coarse Barry Norris again Hard Work but a lot of fun,Then Focus what can I say carring to much bagage,Steve Johnson and who can forget Simon,Simple Simon to the troups nice enough people but lacked the drive to put the business on its feet and then,although to be fair Bill and Rob have done there very best to drive the business forward but the draining of the shop floor troups certainly took its toll and has played a massive part in the companies decline The business is task driven and if the troups are not there then the task might be completed but to what standard.The point I am making is that the business is way to serious and needs to urgently inject some fun to the shop floor troups,B&Q.Homebase and Wickes will feel smug at present but from someone who has been about a while you need to lighten up and have some fun otherwise you could end up the same as FocusDIY.

It is sad that after dragging in Great Mills, A company operating well and profitably, they sold off the family silver and dragged them down as well

Focus gone bust, eh? What? Even after all that blackmail and bluster last year about getting their landlords to reduce the rent or they would be responsible for putting all those poor people out of work? No doubt they have paid their rent right up to date, though, eh? Their landlords ought to have let them go bust last year.

Very sad and this has been on the cards for a few yars now, certainly since 2009. A perfect example of what happens when you have a huge debt, it never goes away and comes back to bite you when times are tough.