mangogrooveworkshop
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| posted on 5/5/11 at 10:10 AM |
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Focus in receivership
Seems that chain has bit the dust ..... Next is homebase I think
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carpmart
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| posted on 5/5/11 at 10:18 AM |
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link to news???
You only live once - make the most of it!
Radical Clubsport, Kwaker motor
'94 MX5 MK1, 1.8
F10 M5 - 600bhp Daily Hack 
Range Rover Sport - Wife's Car
Mercedes A class - Son's Car
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FASTdan
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| posted on 5/5/11 at 10:19 AM |
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By far the worst DIY chain store so I can see why.
Absolutely useless place, every time I go in I just get frustrated at not being able to find anything and if I do find something I nearly fall over at
the price they are charging for it.
Its a weird place - always seems sparse, compared to somewhere like B+Q which is stacked high. But its not national is it?
Our local one was supposed to close Xmas 2009 - massive sales, all the staff were told etc. Then weirdly it re-opened in the new year. The next towns
one did not though (Keighley).
[Edited on 5/5/11 by FASTdan]
NEW danST WEBSITE NOW LIVE! Bike carbs, throttle bodies and more......
http://www.danstengineering.co.uk/
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NOTE:This user is registered as a LocostBuilders trader and may offer commercial services to other users
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eddbaz
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| posted on 5/5/11 at 10:20 AM |
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Was just looking on their website and there's a message on there about it.
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britishtrident
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| posted on 5/5/11 at 10:23 AM |
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Focus were expensive especially since they split from the tie-up with Wickes and my local stores were very badly run with very poor stock
control.
Homebase prices are always at least 20% more expensive than anybody else for most things.
Luckily I have a large Wickes(formerly (Wickes-Focus superstore) close by saves me from using the B&Q robbers who charge the earth for small
stuff like washers and bolts.
[I] “ What use our work, Bennet, if we cannot care for those we love? .”
― From BBC TV/Amazon's Ripper Street.
[/I]
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ashg
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| posted on 5/5/11 at 10:50 AM |
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even screwfix is owned by b&q now so there is no escape. i just go look see what i want then go home and buy it online for half the price.
that's if i can be bothered to go out and look. lately i have just started taking a punt and ordering it of the web without even seeing it.
last month i bought a new tv unit online without ever seeing it in the flesh. turned up and was as expected if not a bit better. don't recall
the last time i visited a shopping centre
Anything With Tits or Wheels Will cost you MONEY!!
Haynes Roadster (Finished)
Exocet (Finished & Sold)
New Project (Started)
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nick205
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| posted on 5/5/11 at 10:50 AM |
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Another 4,000 odd jobs lost 
Homebase doesn't register with me as a DIY store, more a home and garden department store. The only thing they have going for them in my view
is the convenience of later weekday and weekend opening than the proper trade sheds like Sydenhams and Jewson etc.
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Liam
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| posted on 5/5/11 at 11:19 AM |
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Nooooooooooooo!! I used to work there when it was still Do It All when I was doing my A-levels. Such horrible memories. At one point there were 3
branches just in my town! I must admit I drive further just to get to Wickes or Screwfix nowadays as Focus never seem to have what I want, or charge
too much. Their timber often seemed spectacularly banana shaped too.
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britishtrident
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| posted on 5/5/11 at 12:30 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Liam
Nooooooooooooo!! I used to work there when it was still Do It All when I was doing my A-levels. Such horrible memories. At one point there were 3
branches just in my town! I must admit I drive further just to get to Wickes or Screwfix nowadays as Focus never seem to have what I want, or charge
too much. Their timber often seemed spectacularly banana shaped too.
Timber gets picked through in all these places only the warped/knotted/split stuff is left after a few months.
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JoelP
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| posted on 5/5/11 at 05:09 PM |
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agreed with the above, an awful store with diabolical prices. In b&q you can get a crap tape measure for 99p, in focus the cheapest was about a
fiver.
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 5/5/11 at 05:26 PM |
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I hate B&Q with a vengeance, based on their prices, choice, and all the other reasons for hating them...
...but I'd still prefer to go there than visit Focus. Only ever went there out of desperation, and usually walked out in a bad mood - either
they didn't have what I wanted, or they had whatever it was at extortionate prices, or in enormous packs when I only wanted a few items.
I try to go to Wickes if I possibly can - except the one in Ipswich now has parking problems, which means that you could get a parking ticket (or
clamped) when they're busy.
What REALLY pigs me off is that Ipswich used to have a first-rate hardware shop (Martin & Newby) that lost business to the chain DIY stores, and
eventually had to close. Yes, they were a bit more expensive (but not a lot) but the choice and the service was 100%. Occasionally you would get
served by a 16-year-old assistant, and he/she actually KNEW about the stuff they sold. Astonishing...
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loggyboy
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| posted on 5/5/11 at 05:37 PM |
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Havent seen a focus in years, I thought theyd gone under ages ago!
I would expect homebase is relatively secure as its under the argos/home retail group which has been fairly secure witha few brands under its belt.
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Jon Ison
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| posted on 5/5/11 at 05:40 PM |
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Next ? HMV you read it here 1st.
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Ninehigh
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| posted on 5/5/11 at 06:14 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by loggyboy
Havent seen a focus in years, I thought theyd gone under ages ago!
I would expect homebase is relatively secure as its under the argos/home retail group which has been fairly secure witha few brands under its belt.
Same here, I thought it was about the car!
As for HMV, well they will if they only ever stock a few cds at more than amazon sell them for
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rusty nuts
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| posted on 5/5/11 at 07:02 PM |
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At least it was easy to park in our local Focus car park
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meany
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| posted on 5/5/11 at 07:56 PM |
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This is how it goes.
1. Focus expands well, opening more stores, creating jobs, prices are competative.
2. with profits, Focus aims to upgrade stores, some re-fit some relocate..all looking well.
3. Instead, Focus buys wickes and does for wickes what they were going to do for focus.
4. Focus sells wickes for profit, Chairman sells his Majority Focus to the yanks, says bleep you, retires taking his dividends.
5. In 2008, the new majority owners Cerberus decide to close 50 Focus stores but turns out to be more. (of which one was mine).
6. From then on, Focus goes very quickly downhill...some of the recent prices even surprise me.
trust me, i dont owe Focus any favours...
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