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Locations of acquired Focus stores revealed

Published: 26 May 2011
Administrator Ernst & Young issues list of 55 stores bought by B&M Homestore, Wickes and B&Q.
Locations of acquired Focus stores revealed
B&Q parent Kingfisher has taken on the largest slice of the Focus portfolio, agreeing to acquire up to 31 stores in the following locations:
AshingtonLaunceston
BuxtonLeominster
CardiganLeven, Fife
ChardLouth
ConsettMalvern
DevizesMelton Mowbray
Dorchester Melton Mowbray
Ebbw Vale, GwentNewark-on-Trent
Fakenham, NorfolkPembroke Dock
GainsboroughShepton Mallet
Goole, Yorkshire Skegness
HarrogateSpalding
HaverhillStroud
HuntingdonSudbury
KendalUttoxeter, Staffs
ThetfordWitney, Oxon


Kingfisher group chief executive Ian Cheshire said: "We hope to be able to bring B&Q's choice, convenience and value to these communities as soon as possible. However, the final number of stores is dependent on clearance from the regulatory authorities and satisfactory negotiations with landlords. A swift conclusion to this process would enable B&Q to take on all the staff at these stores."

Meanwhile, Wickes will take on 13 Focus stores and all associated staff members at the following locations:
Beverley, East Yorks
Bishops Stortford
Burgess Hill
Chesham
Hailsham
Hertford
Hinckley
Maldon, Essex
Nuneaton
Rushden
Tunstall
West Wickham, Kent
Winsford

B&M has agreed to acquire 11 stores, with staff also set to transfer over under the transaction. The locations of these stores are:
Alloa
Bathgate
Brownhills, Walsall
Burnley
Coalville
Cramlington
Darlington
Dunfermline
Leek
Shipley
Skipton

About 120 remaining Focus stores now face closure, with retail disposal specialists Gordon Brothers appointed to liquidate stock with a view to closing the retail chain. Closing down sales have already started, with discounts across all stock lines.

Comments

Published prior to March 2014
By Louise betts
Sorry Janice but I think your very wrong. We at Louth store have worked very hard with hardly any staff and are always very polite and helpful. It's been a hard few weeks and we've taken alot of abuse from customers. But we have never been rude to them even though we may have wanted to. Good look to all focus staff everywhere !
Published prior to March 2014
By ANON
Some of the old Focus contracts are shocking, with many old dated stipulations like being fixed to work in one store and Sunday preimuim payments and in some cases company cars.

Very wise by B&Q
Published prior to March 2014
By Janice Davenport
if you have shopped in both B&Q and Focus you should be able to guess why b&q don't want their staff, especially true of the Welsh branches of Focus
Published prior to March 2014
By Quizzical
I think the main reason B&Q won't/can't take on the Focus staff is more to do with the monopoly and merger commission part of the government, if they decide that B&Q can't have the quantity of stores or locations then the staff would end up being made redundant by B&Q if they'd been TUPE'd across, hence they would pick up a redundancy bill for staff they've never even had the benefit of! Andy, both companies' are DIY stores, granted one much more succesful than the other, mainly due to having better management at the top and not riddled with a burden of debt from greedy individuals/venture capitalists who took the money and ran time and again. I'm sure the current board of FLP2 (that ISN'T in administration) have looked after themselves.
Published prior to March 2014
By Andy
B&Q are agreeing to transfer the staff, providing the individuals fit the requirements of the company. Both companies are very different animals and B&Q, a lot more competitive. Hence their success.
Published prior to March 2014
By anom
its cos they wud have too keep them on their focus contracts, i,e same pay rates and terms and conditions.
Published prior to March 2014
By Louise betts
We don't understand why b&q won't keep the staff and wickes and bm are ?

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