R2OK!

mark occomore · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK

Two in one day.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7750250.stm

Minx · Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 5:59 pm Post subject:

There's going to be a lot more yet. Today we were advised that Speedferries has not found a buyer to take them over and are going into receivership. Shame! We have used them about eight times a year over the last 5 years, and had a stashful of pre-bought discounted tickets waiting to be used. We paid by credit card, so hopefully we might recover something.

I'm sad no-one has taken them over. They were really fast (around 50 minutes Dover to Boulogne, efficient, (when the Boulogne fishermen weren't flexing their muscles), and friendly. Should have spotted the writing on the wall though, because the duty free shop was getting noticeably more sparsely stocked over the last few visits. I'll miss them though. Crying or Very sad

gfloyd · Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 6:50 pm Post subject:

Its always the worst companies that go belly up first - MFI, Wollworths, etc. These companies can scarpe by in good times. But the recession does them in.
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His name was ernie ........ and he drove the fastest milk cart in the west.....

SantaFefan · Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 11:05 pm Post subject:

I've bought a lot of stuff from MFI since the early 80s.

About 18 months ago, I went to our local MFI to order our usual standard set of bedroom furniture items for our business and was quite shocked at the amount - over £900.
I asked the very young assistant if he had got it right.

The "discussion" soon caught the ears of the manager and it soon developed into a soap box argument about the fortunes of MFI.

I explained the whole concept of MFI, as I saw it, was to select the furniture you wanted ( from a wide, but affordable price range ) and take it home with you in boxes, job done.
Now, the prices are through the roof and you have to wait 4 or 5 weeks for it! "They've priced themselves out of the market" I exclaimed.
He wasn't having any of it and pointed to a press article calling MFI the best value in town.
" Then where are your customers?" I asked smugly " This high tech, super lit, over staffed store's empty! don't you want to move this stuff?"

We parted on non too friendly terms and I haven't used them since, preferring instead to buy Argos furniture which is just the same but cheaper and with a 14 day delivery time.

So, I'm not at all surprised by the news.
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Johnnie Walker read out my message on Pirate Radio! Very Happy

13/8/07
I have heard how radio should be.

RockitRon · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 7646

MFI were bought out of administration a couple of years ago (another £1 deal) and the new owners decided to take the brand "upmarket", hence the fancy price for your furniture.

Unfortunately this confused 99% of their existing customer base, who still associated the name with cheap(ish) flat-pack lines, and 99% of people who prefer quality, who still associated the name with cheap flat-pack lines and dodgy kitchen installations.
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Ron

SantaFefan · Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 8:17 pm Post subject:

On Drivetime this evening, the chap doing the business news said administrators would keep MFI and Woolworth stores open for business whilst a solution is sought.
I can understand this with Woolies but who the heck would order five grand's worth of kitchen from MFI now??
"delivery might be 4 weeks or not at all"
_________________
Johnnie Walker read out my message on Pirate Radio! Very Happy

13/8/07
I have heard how radio should be.

gfloyd · Posted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 8:19 pm Post subject:

mark occomore · Joined: 07 Dec 2006 Posts: 9955 Location: UK