URGENT: Any Bridal Gallery Group brides (north west)?

KirstyV_2

I paid a deposit for a Mark Lesley gown at The Bridal Gallery in Preston on 19 May 2012. I was told it would take approximately 6 months to make. During the last 6 months, I have been back to the shop on several occasions, once to look at bridesmaid dresses (which I am now very relieved I didn't purchase) and once approximately two months ago to try on my wedding dress to show my dad. On no occasion was I aware of the financial difficulties the shop was in.

On learning on Monday about the difficulties, I have emailed the address provided by The Bridal Gallery and have also tried telephoning. The telephone just rang out and I have received no response to my email.

I telephoned Mark Lesley direct yesterday to be informed that my dress was never even ordered! As I said above I paid my deposit on 19 May!! I'm sorry, but this is inexcusable behaviour. I would be very sympathetic had they ordered my dress but they have seemingly taken a large deposit from me without any intention of ordering my dress - which in my eyes is theft.

I am one of the lucky ones. I don't get married for a good few months yet and Mark Lesley has been absolutely incredible and is still making my dress for me - which is being delivered to myself and not a bridal shop!! There are poor people out there who are getting married in a matter of weeks and may not have had their dress ordered.

I appreciate the economic times we are in and the difficulties that retailers face, but to get a lovely letter through the post from The Bridal Gallery telling me they are hoping to fulfil all orders subject to suppliers continuing to work with them and then finding out my dress was never even ordered is a slightly bitter pill to swallow! Would love to know how they can fulfil an order they've never even placed!!!!

Thought I'd just share my experience with everyone and wish you all good luck and hope everyone gets their dress sorted.

Aliciamc91

I just got this email from the BGG

Firstly can we thank you for your patience whilst we got more details from
the Administrators, Suppliers and yourselves so we could find a way to
move forward in a manner which would cause you the least amount of
inconvenience and upset. With the agreement of the insolvency practitioner
we have also been out personally delivering over 70 gowns across the North
West that were in the stores for imminent weddings. With nearly 500 emails
to get through I hope you can understand why this has taken a number of
days to provide answers.

Although we have yet to get a final answer from all of our bridal
suppliers, it appears those we have had an answer from are willing to
either supply the gowns directly with just the balance being paid directly
to them, or they will supply the gowns to another one of their local
stockists. We will be contacting all brides from those designers who have
given us an answer (starting with Mark Lesley and Venus Bridals) with the
specific contact details - unfortunately due to the Data Protection Act we
cannot pass on your contact details to the suppliers themselves without
your permission. Please watch our website for updates as we hear from more
of our suppliers and expect us to contact you as soon as possible after
this.

If you are wishing to use your bridal insurance to claim, then this will
only be possible once the liquidation becomes official which we believe
will be next week - however this is out of our hands as is being handled
by the insolvency practitioner.

After trying for the last 5 days to get an answer from our card processors
(HSBC Merchant Services) about how you can claim via you credit or debit
card payment they have continued to be unhelpful by only saying 'the bride
must claim through their card issuer'. If you contact your credit or debit
card provider then I am sure they will guide you through the process,
however they may also require the liquidation to become official before it
can be processed. If HSBC Merchant Services provide further information
(we are continuing to ask) then we will inform you straight away.

For brides asking for details of the insolvency practitioners dealing with
our affairs then these are Begbies Traynor, No 1 Old Hall Street,
Liverpool, L3 9HF.

We hope this information is helpful to you, and we are continuing to speak
to the remaining suppliers we have yet to hear from, but please keep an
eye on the website for further updates as we do so.

Kind regards,

The Bridal Gallery Gro

EmilyP9

To anyone who has managed to get their dress delivered, does anyone know what time they are delivering till roughly? I am due to have my dress delivered today, and I am on pins worrying as its not yet arrived (i realise its only lunch time but just cant relax!) Thanks

studentnurse86

What are they companies requiring for them to send you the dresses?

I have lost my receipt for my 3 bridesmaid dresses and the order was with Venus? I paid in full for the 3 dresses!

Venus1

studentnurse86 wrote: »

What are they companies requiring for them to send you the dresses?

I have lost my receipt for my 3 bridesmaid dresses and the order was with Venus? I paid in full for the 3 dresses!

Please contact Venus as we may be able to get a copy of your receipt from the liquidator. Did you pay by credit card or debit card?

0113 256 9627 is the number for Venus Bridal UK.

studentnurse86

Venus1 wrote: »

Please contact Venus as we may be able to get a copy of your receipt from the liquidator. Did you pay by credit card or debit card?

0113 256 9627 is the number for Venus Bridal UK.

I paid in cash! All I got was the receipt from the till

Venus1

studentnurse86 wrote: »

I paid in cash! All I got was the receipt from the till

With you name and wedding date we still should be able to get confirmation from the liquidator.

Aliciamc91

Venus can I ask what you mean by confirmation from the liquidator? Will they be passing you any monies you are owed for the dresses that brides have already paid?

Venus1

Aliciamc91 wrote: »

Venus can I ask what you mean by confirmation from the liquidator? Will they be passing you any monies you are owed for the dresses that brides have already paid?

No they do not have any monies from BGG to pass to us or to anybody but they should be able to get a copy of the brides order form and we can see which gowns were ordered etc.

According to the latest release from The Bridal Gallery Group they are passing on the details of Brides orders to the liquidators so that the suppliers can contact them. This is what I was referring to when I said confirmation. As the lady mentioned that she has lost her receipt, how will she know what style and sizes etc to order.

Aliciamc91

I see thanks for confirming that... Was vainly hoping BGG would have paid for the dresses :-(