Olan Mills in Administration

deanos

OLAN_MILLS_NORTH wrote:

. Then yesterday finding out the wages that had been paid to me had been taken out via the company setting up a direct debit (which I DID NOT authorise) and that my bank couldn't stop it leaving my account.

You should contact the bank and use the direct debit guarantee you may be covered, good luck.

http://www.bacs.co.uk/BPSL/directdebit/generalpublic/yourrights/

OLAN_MILLS_NORTH

Thanks for that - thanks very much

hullmale_2

http://www.piperprivateequity.com/recent_olan_mills.htm

The Investment - 2004

Piper led the buyout of Olan Mills, the leading child, family and makeover photography business. The strategy is to roll out new studios, to continue the investment in the digitalisation of the business and to develop and diversify the Olan Mills marketing strategy. Please see the press release.
The Business
Olan Mills is the largest studio photography business in the UK operating out of 73 studios. The business is primarily focused on Mums with young children and also has a substantial make-over business. The business serves about 200,000 customers a year and recruits these customers by telemarketing. The business is fully digitalised with a central production facility based in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire.

The Management Team
We backed Steve Gray, managing director and his team, to buy the business. Steve had started in the business as a photographer and had worked his way up, becoming Managing Director in 2000. We have brought in Neil McCausland, chairman of TJ Hughes and formerly MD of C&A UK and MD of the NAAFI, as non-executive Chairman, and Manny Matharu, who has previously worked at Coral Eurobet, Jessops and Signet, as Finance Director, to augment the existing management team.

Key Attractions
We liked the:

Strong brand in an underserved market
High gross margin business model
Clear opportunity to open new stores
Under-managed business that could be run more efficiently
Freehold property portfolio

cassy34

I paid £200 for a photo package last Wednesday. Fortunately it was on credit card. I also bought the CD of the pictures which was done straight after the shoot so at least I can get the photos printed elsewhere.

Lyndsay_21

i recently bought a watch me grow plan so luckily i'm only out £25 plus im glad i didnt book earlier and pay for pics. i was due to go thursday to have the photo's done then found out about the administration so im just glad i didnt pay for photo's in not going to recieve.

I feel sorry for those who have lost their jobs especially as its right before xmas.

poorbutgettingricher

i know that if i had been working in the studios i'd have just put all the photos onto cds for customers to come in and collect as a good will gesture, and ignore the usual £150 for the cd.

i found out via a text message via the it department, saying i had no more olan mills calls ever again.

the two girls in the it support dept were very upset, as they have lost more than most, on monthly salarys 10 days before xmas.

the company has been in trouble since the takeover in 2004, but im not in a position comment.

however, i do feel for the people like me, working a contractors for olan mills, not knowing what the future holds.

loulabelle1985

I had a modelling portfolio done and although the photo's were fantastic as they were copyrighted to get copies done they would cost a lot and can't be done anywhere else.
Does anyone know if this copyright still count if the company is in administration???

Star

I loved Olan Mills and have lost out about £100 worth in unused plans and gift vouchers. However, more upset over the fact I won't have anywhere to get my childrens photos taken as they grow up.
My heart goes out to all the staff who have lost their jobs also.

cassy34

Question: I have paid a deposit/paid in full and I have not yet received my photographs. How do I get my photographs?

Answer:

*
Regrettably Olan Mills is in Administration however we are in the process of fulfilling orders where photos had been taken but the order not yet completed and sent out. These pictures will be going to a central distribution centre this week and will then be sent out.
*
You will not receive these pictures until the New Year but we anticipate that you should receive them by the end of the second week in January.
*
Unfortunately if your order included a frame we are not able to send the photos in frames but you will receive the photograph ordered.
*
If you order was placed through a Mothercare concession we along with Mothercare are doing everything we can to ensure these orders are sent out.
*
Orders that were in studios are in the process of being collected and are being taken to central locations and then coming back to the plant to be re-labelled and these will be distributed with the other orders.
*
Unfortunately any orders where the pictures were on the computers in studios and not been sent through to the plant for production will not be able to be fulfilled.

Looks like some customers will be getting what they paid for at least.

I'd just like to say thanks to the staff at the Preston branch. We've been coming for about 3 years and have had some great photos as a result and always enjoyed out visits. Hope everything works out for you all.

jennarothen

if you paid by switch you can still contact bank and i think they will charge it back to the company, its worth a try ring up and ask