Olan Mills goes into Administration....

Richard1234

Richard1234

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Just read this on Sky News site, I am sure prople have views on the photography style and the prices that they charged but still not good reading...

The group has announced that it ceased trading on Boxing Day and is poised to call in administrators.

Olan Mills said it was "endeavouring to fulfil all outstanding orders" for photography already taken, but admitted that those that had pre-paid for vouchers or gift boxes would have to queue up in the list of creditors for any refunds.

Its collapse will hit many families that bought photographic studio sessions as Christmas presents and it is thought that hundreds of jobs have also been put at risk.

The group, which is based in Irthlingborough, Northamptonshire, said it hoped to post out photography direct to customers during January.

Details for customers with outstanding orders were posted on the Olan Mills website.

Those that pre-paid by credit card will be able to claim refunds from their credit card company, but customers who paid by cash, debit card or cheque will have to claim as unsecured creditors.

Olan Mills Photography specialised in baby and family portraits, with more than half its 34 UK studios based within the Mothercare chain, but it also operated stand-alone studios at sites including Coventry, Derby, Peterborough, Nottingham
 
if they did thats quite interesting
 
In the wise words of Biggie Smalls

eeeeuuunnnnnn..... and another one :D
 
6th company to go into administration in December :(
 
It seems that this business of taking the money for gift vouchers in the run up to Christmas and then not allowing customers to use them is the way to go. Zavvi have just done that too.

As we say in St. Helens - What for do!
 
the olan mills in sheffield closed about 1.5 yrs ago. i dodnt think it stil lexisted till this thread.
 
im fairly sure they went into administration last year, and we had a rather disgruntled employee on the site defending them..
 
Badger UK said:
It seems that this business of taking the money for gift vouchers in the run up to Christmas and then not allowing customers to use them is the way to go. Zavvi have just done that too.

As we say in St. Helens - What for do!
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I think Zavvi got pulled down by woolies going bust from what i've read, wollies distribution company supply a lot of high st music/dvd/games retailers, when they went under the shops couldn't get any stock so missed out on pre christmas sales
 
I think we are still at the tip of the iceberg.

Both the high street & the unemployment levels will be very different in 6 months time when only the strong are left. We don't even qualify as a nation of shopkeepers anymore.

My thoughts are with anyone suffering as part of this recession
 
If they have done this three times, and all at Christmas time, it could be taken that they have specifically done it to 'take advantage' of the money spent on gift vouchers.

If that it the case, the people who have organised it should stuck away. It's just plain and simple theft. Get the b***ards in prison.

If it was a 19 year old lad breaking in to cars stealing Christmas presents from the boot we would be looking to see his giblets in a plastic bag.
 
wack61 said:
I think Zavvi got pulled down by woolies going bust from what i've read, wollies distribution company supply a lot of high st music/dvd/games retailers, when they went under the shops couldn't get any stock so missed out on pre christmas sales
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Yes I think that's right, it was the Woolies domino effect. Even so, Zavvi are still trading and I think they should have allowed people to redeem the vouchers.
 
We're still waiting for our photos (they sent the wrong ones several times) least they gave me a cd with all the pics on as compo with full copyright release. Still, we had paid for the prints and will be a bit miffed if they don't turn up.

Off to check their website out now (didn't know they'd posted up there about this)
 
Just had a look at the website...
Questions :
Question: I have paid a deposit/paid in full and I have not received my photographs.
Answer: Regrettably, Olan Mills has ceased trading and will shortly be placed in administration. However the company is endeavouring to fulfil all outstanding orders, which will be posted direct to customers’ home addresses during January.
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so it looks like we'll be getting someone else's pics then, as that's the problem we have had - they kept sending the wrong order through to our local branch..

Thought it funny when I last visited them before Xmas and their camera had gone, the lad there was using his own Canon 1Ds instead of the ancient tethered Oly E1 (said ge was trying to persuade them to get one, wonder if the staff knew about it all then?)
 
artona said:
They did the same last year!!!!!!!!
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matty said:
http://www.olanmillsinadministration.co.uk/ - 2007
http://www.bjp-online.com/public/showPage.html?page=358114 - 2006
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7804393.stm - today
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Badger UK said:
If they have done this three times, and all at Christmas time, it could be taken that they have specifically done it to 'take advantage' of the money spent on gift vouchers.

If that it the case, the people who have organised it should stuck away. It's just plain and simple theft. Get the b***ards in prison.
Click to expand...
Calm down ... They haven't done this three times. And they may not be b***ards.

Olan Mills Ltd went into administration in December 2006, and was wound up in May 2007. Then there was some sort of management buy-out which allowed the business to re-start, albeit on a smaller scale (30-odd branches instead of 90-odd.)

Now Olan Mills Photography Ltd has just gone into administration.

Yes, doing so at Christmas, just after they've taken in a load of money for pre-paid vouchers, isn't nice. But you can see how it happens. The bank is thinking of foreclosing ... the company persuades them to wait until Christmas, because there are always bumper sales at Christmas and that might (fingers crossed!) be enough to keep the business going ... but Christmas sales fall short of expectations and the bank loses its patience.

I think it's also worth pointing out that the management team who led the buy-out have probably lost all the money they put into the business.

So whilst it's clear who are the victims, I'd suggest it's perhaps not quite so clear who are the villains (if indeed there are any villains).
 
Zavvi are in administration which as they had a viable business model will probably mean they'll survive - they used Woolworths trade music company as one of their suppliers. Replace the supplier and they'll be back.
 
Badger UK said:
Yes I think that's right, it was the Woolies domino effect. Even so, Zavvi are still trading and I think they should have allowed people to redeem the vouchers.
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thats the administrators though and I can understand why.
 
andrewc said:
Zavvi are in administration which as they had a viable business model will probably mean they'll survive - they used Woolworths trade music company as one of their suppliers. Replace the supplier and they'll be back.
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I heard that Branson sold it to the mgmt team for £1 (IIRC). Doesnt demonstrate a good business model to me! :LOL:
 
Badger UK said:
I think you 'll find that a shed load more than 6 have gone this December. We're in for a very rough 2009.
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Smaller companies yes, I was just referring to the bigger companies that are national.
 
matty said:
zavvi owed woolies over £100m apparently, THAT is why they are in administration!

http://www.marketingweek.co.uk/cgi-bin/item.cgi?id=63688
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Sort of, but Zavvi didn't go into administration because they owed EUK £100m, their problem was that the administrators for EUK called in the debt early, leaving them with a major cashflow problem.

There's a good chance that quite a few companies will get their bank debts called in come January when they are cash rich, leading to more closures.


Anyone want to chip in a tenner and we'll make a takeover bid for Jessops? :D
 
Jessops have been close to the edge for ages, hopefully they will keep going
 
I think in the current economic climate no one should be buying any new equipment by any other means than a credit card. At least you have some ways of getting back your money in cases like these.
 
I have to say buying a company that went bust in the first place (Olan Mills) maybe isn't the greatest idea since sliced bread. Why is it people always think they can do better than the people who started it all.
So the "managment team" lost their deposit, tough, thats life in business. It's their customers I feel sorry for, they paid up in good faith. No doubt they will make another comeback. Roll on next December! Wayne
 
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