Focus DIY

geri1965_2

adandem wrote: »

We're miles away from a B&Q, I rely on our Focus and would be really sad to see it go.:(

Yes, me too. I don't have a car and it's the only DIY shop I can get to on the bus.

littlemissbossy

My local Focus has a 50% off sale on this weekend and a sign up saying they are reopening under a new name which I cant exactly remember, something DIY.

HTH

Silk

littlemissbossy wrote: »

My local Focus has a 50% off sale on this weekend and a sign up saying they are reopening under a new name which I cant exactly remember, something DIY.

HTH

That will probably be just the one store and not the chain ...it happens a fair bit

This was on the FT Alphaville earlier this week which is just one of the many latest problems for them,

Jan 26 05:30.
Focus DIY, the UK home improvement retail chain, has called for a government investigation after the company’s credit insurers withdrew almost all cover for its suppliers. Less than 5% of the stock Focus buys is now insured, down from about one-third in September. The company, owned by US private equity group Cerberus, said it had persuaded its 300 or so suppliers to stick to the standard 67-day payment terms, rather than demand up-front payment. Bill Grimsey, chief executive of the 200-store chain, said he had met a dozen suppliers in the past fortnight to discuss the issue.

As I see it perhaps Bill Grimsey has managed to keep the suppliers sweet for the time being ( he was the ex Wickes chappie ) but I think if I was a supplier I would be getting cold feet especialy if I found the stock wasn't being insured.

Julesiep

I never quite keep up with who owns who in the retail world. We had a Focus Do It All in my town (sure its the same thing). It closed nearly four years ago. I still have a glass shower screen in my garage which I bought for a fiver along with loads and loads of other bargains like bath sheets for £1. Best sale I had ever been to! Didn't realise there were still Focus stores around. Thought they had all closed.

zenseeker

Not sure if it's a sign, but our local Focus DIY has sold their store to Asda. It will be closing soon and converting over to an Asda by the Autumn.

badlass

Was in our local focus this past weekend...I did notice the stock in the store is pretty sparse, but just put it down to the seasons change over of stock. I have to go back this week so might pass comment on the stock situation and see if anything is said...don't want to panic staff by saying I hear the firm is bust.

Lx

Slightly at a tangent...our high street is over run with charity shops...I couldn't believe of them all our local Oxfam closed it doors for good last weekend...really a sign of the times

Lx

Doc_N

zenseeker wrote: »

Not sure if it's a sign, but our local Focus DIY has sold their store to Asda. It will be closing soon and converting over to an Asda by the Autumn.

The troubled DIY chain Focus has offloaded six stores to the supermarket group Asda for an undisclosed sum. Focus, which narrowly avoided collapse in 2009, said the stores are in Aberystwyth, Clevedon, Gillingham, Stamford, Torquay and Woking.
The 180-store DIY retailer, which is burdened by loans of about £230m, needs fresh funds to invest in its new store format that has so far yielded promising results. Last week, Bill Grimsey, the chairman of Focus, said: "If there are selected assets that can be disposed of to create funds for future investment in the new stores that would be considered. And we are in discussions with many retailers including the big four supermarkets."

One round this way was going to close to become a Sainsburys two or three years back, but planning was a problem and it didn't happen.

egyptiangirl

Just been into our local. 15 % off everything til tomorrow (min £50 spend)

However, bad news, the assistant told me they are closing in a few weeks

TBeckett100

Focus was always rubbish, homebase tolerable and B&Q best for DIY.

Money_maker

littlemissbossy wrote: »

My local Focus has a 50% off sale on this weekend and a sign up saying they are reopening under a new name which I cant exactly remember, something DIY.

HTH

Payless?