114:
240:
321:
102:
220:. Another 98 stores were added to the portfolio. The majority of these stores were re branded as Focus, except for some larger stores which became Wickes. By 2002, through rapid expansion and acquisition, Focus had become the second biggest DIY chain in Britain with 430 stores and sales of over £1.66 billion.
201:
in
September 2000, a no frills DIY chain which focused on building supplies to the trade. This was whilst the existing Focus company had targeted the consumer end of the market. The two store formats were thought to complement each other, and so were retained as separate entities. The group became
230:
By
January 2007, it was clear that the company had run into financial difficulties; it was close to breaching its banking covenants, and struggling under debts built up over the acquisition spree in the preceding years. The DIY market as a whole had experienced a two-year drop in sales. and Focus
178:
The company had its origins in the beginning of the 1980s, when Mike
Williams launched Focus Homecentres for AAH Holdings plc. In December 1987, Focus Homecentres was acquired by Choice Group Ltd. The new company's shareholders included Mike Williams,
358:
At the time of the appointment of the administrators, the 178 strong retail chain collapsed owing businesses, shareholders and funders around £1 billion. The sale of assets generated £70 million, leaving most creditors out of pocket, including
816:
332:
In August 2009, Focus narrowly avoided administration, when BDO Insolvency practitioners achieved a company voluntary arrangement. This was to restructure, and repay debts over a contracted period of time.
718:
258:, formerly CEO of Wickes, as CEO. In an attempt to tackle the financial problems the owners restructured the business, and injected fresh capital in the form of £200 million via loans by the owners
796:
801:
638:
678:
826:
351:
had bought 31 stores in cash for £23 million, with a plan to refit the properties and reopen them as B&Qs by July 2011, with Focus employees transferring to the stores.
821:
811:
452:
806:
726:
520:
611:
367:, ceased trading. In December 2011, the brand was bought by the Walker Group, which owns Victoria Plumb. The trademarks are now owned by AHK Designs Ltd.
162:
to be rebranded. The remaining 123 stores were all closed by 22 July 2011. The defunct Focus brand is owned by AHK Designs Ltd, who also own the defunct
239:
113:
231:
blamed "challenging" market conditions for the difficulties. Focus appointed bankers
Rothschild to advise it on a potential sale of the business.
139:
By its peak in 2002, it was the second-largest home improvement retailer in the United
Kingdom with 178 stores and over 3,000 employees, behind
29:
151:
in the mid-2000s. The company began running losses every year from 2007. In the year up to 2011, the company had a loss of £25 million.
692:
384:
748:
227:
for £950 million, making a tidy return on the £350 million initial investment. The sale was completed in
February 2005.
186:
Focus increased its market share with a mix of both acquisitions and organic growth. This included the purchase of the
427:
320:
101:
548:
180:
652:
355:
announced the closure of the remaining stores, which were over 120, which resulted in up to 3,000 job losses.
293:
announced the purchase of six stores from Focus DIY, which were converted into supermarkets later that year.
305:
118:
360:
777:
273:
Costs were slashed, and under performing stores were either closed or sold to other retailers, including
289:. A programme of new store formats and further cost cutting was undertaken in 2009. In February 2011,
593:
364:
525:
484:
446:
213:
352:
341:
337:
263:
259:
251:
155:
133:
312:
distribution centre was announced in
October 2008, citing adverse financial circumstances.
575:
497:
296:
By
January 2011, the number of stores had gradually been reduced from 256 in 2007 to 178.
163:
781:
325:
286:
267:
224:
129:
158:
appointed as administrators. The administrators sold 55 stores to B&Q, Wickes and
790:
469:
344:
placed Simon
Allport, Alan Hudson and Tom Jack as joint administrators at midnight.
340:
had placed Focus into administration, after failed attempts to find a rescue deal.
255:
624:
752:
191:
28:
309:
217:
187:
167:
194:
in August 1998. Until 2001, both chains were rebranded as Focus Do It All.
183:
and Greg
Stanley, who had previously built up and sold the DIY chain Fads.
510:
Letter dated 23 December 1987 from Choice Group Limited to Mr M J Williams
389:
DIY International - The online magazine for the home improvement industry
274:
244:
206:
144:
308:, which was acquired with Do It All in August 1998. The closure of the
719:"Focus DIY collapse leaves Wincanton and Lloyd Fraser facing £2m loss"
416:
Ernst & Young. Administrators' Statement of Proposal. 24 June 2011
282:
212:
In December 2000, the group expanded again, with the purchase of the
198:
148:
106:
348:
159:
140:
319:
278:
238:
112:
100:
817:
Companies that have entered administration in the United Kingdom
290:
223:
In December 2004, the Wickes business and stores were sold to
39:
304:
In November 2008, Focus had one main distribution centre, in
197:
The company added a further 131 stores, with the purchase of
693:"Kingfisher swoops on 31 of struggling Focus DIY's stores"
612:
Focus DIY falls into administration as debt crisis mounts
521:"Focus targets Homebase after Wickes yields to £289m bid"
254:
purchased Focus DIY for £1 in June 2007, and appointed
91:
81:
63:
45:
35:
653:"Focus DIY in insolvency deal to save 5,000 jobs"
607:
605:
470:https://www.walkermodular.com/about-us/our-brands
363:. On 22 July 2011, the final store, which was in
154:Focus entered administration on 5 May 2011, with
797:Home improvement companies of the United Kingdom
589:
587:
585:
570:
568:
566:
412:
410:
408:
406:
802:Defunct retail companies of the United Kingdom
8:
827:2011 disestablishments in the United Kingdom
625:"Business - Focus DIY looks at sale options"
336:On 5 May 2011, it was announced that owners
21:
451:: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (
428:"B&M Bargains acquires 11 Focus stores"
426:Harrison2011-05-20T09:29:00+01:00, Nicola.
27:
20:
822:1987 establishments in the United Kingdom
679:"Thousands Of Jobs At Focus DIY At Risk"
812:Retail companies disestablished in 2011
376:
143:. However, Focus would be overtaken by
493:
482:
444:
205:The company also considered acquiring
347:On 6 May 2011, it was announced that
7:
807:Retail companies established in 1987
749:"Walker Group buys Focus DIY brand"
639:"1,300 Jobs Axed As Crisis Spreads"
14:
16:UK building materials store chain
549:"Focus abandons Homebase chase"
725:. 23 June 2011. Archived from
1:
751:. diyweek.net. Archived from
95:AHK Designs Ltd (trademarks)
576:"Duke Street :: Focus"
385:"Focus Wickes to go public"
136:retailer, founded in 1987.
69:; 13 years ago
51:; 36 years ago
843:
209:, but decided against it.
26:
627:. BBC. 12 January 2007.
328:, Leicestershire (2009)
247:, West Yorkshire (2010)
202:known as Focus Wickes.
119:Rawtenstall, Rossendale
329:
248:
122:
110:
594:Focus DIY sold for £1
467:www.walkermodular.com
323:
242:
116:
104:
778:Focus DIY companies
755:on 16 February 2015
109:, Derbyshire (2005)
23:
529:. 1 September 2000
330:
249:
123:
111:
49:December 1987
723:roadtransport.com
578:. dukestreet.com.
551:. 30 October 2000
526:Independent.co.uk
492:Missing or empty
353:Ernst & Young
342:Ernst & Young
156:Ernst & Young
99:
98:
834:
765:
764:
762:
760:
745:
739:
738:
736:
734:
715:
709:
708:
706:
704:
689:
683:
682:
675:
669:
668:
666:
664:
659:. 23 August 2009
649:
643:
642:
635:
629:
628:
621:
615:
609:
600:
591:
580:
579:
572:
561:
560:
558:
556:
545:
539:
538:
536:
534:
517:
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508:
502:
501:
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490:
488:
480:
478:
476:
463:
457:
456:
450:
442:
440:
438:
423:
417:
414:
401:
400:
398:
396:
381:
338:Cerberus Capital
264:Bank of Scotland
260:Cerberus Capital
252:Cerberus Capital
134:home improvement
77:
75:
70:
59:
57:
52:
31:
24:
842:
841:
837:
836:
835:
833:
832:
831:
787:
786:
774:
769:
768:
758:
756:
747:
746:
742:
732:
730:
729:on 29 June 2011
717:
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677:
676:
672:
662:
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651:
650:
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637:
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632:
623:
622:
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614:The Independent
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603:
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583:
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554:
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519:
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425:
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404:
394:
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383:
382:
378:
373:
318:
302:
237:
235:The "new" Focus
190:DIY chain from
176:
164:Land of Leather
84:
73:
71:
68:
55:
53:
50:
17:
12:
11:
5:
840:
838:
830:
829:
824:
819:
814:
809:
804:
799:
789:
788:
785:
784:
782:OpenCorporates
773:
772:External links
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767:
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710:
684:
670:
644:
630:
616:
601:
581:
562:
540:
512:
503:
458:
418:
402:
375:
374:
372:
369:
326:Melton Mowbray
317:
316:Administration
314:
301:
298:
236:
233:
225:Travis Perkins
175:
172:
130:do-it-yourself
128:was a British
97:
96:
93:
89:
88:
87:United Kingdom
85:
82:
79:
78:
67:July 2011
65:
61:
60:
47:
43:
42:
37:
33:
32:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
839:
828:
825:
823:
820:
818:
815:
813:
810:
808:
805:
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800:
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795:
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779:
776:
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741:
728:
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694:
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671:
658:
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631:
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541:
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486:
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94:
90:
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66:
62:
48:
44:
41:
38:
34:
30:
25:
19:
757:. Retrieved
753:the original
743:
731:. Retrieved
727:the original
722:
713:
701:. Retrieved
699:. 6 May 2011
697:The Guardian
696:
687:
673:
661:. Retrieved
657:The Guardian
656:
647:
633:
619:
598:The Guardian
597:
553:. Retrieved
543:
531:. Retrieved
524:
515:
506:
494:|title=
473:. Retrieved
466:
461:
435:. Retrieved
431:
421:
393:. Retrieved
388:
379:
357:
346:
335:
331:
303:
300:Supply chain
295:
272:
256:Bill Grimsey
250:
229:
222:
216:chain, from
211:
204:
196:
185:
177:
153:
138:
125:
124:
18:
780:grouped at
555:28 February
533:28 February
432:Retail Week
391:(in German)
324:Focus DIY,
287:Sainsbury's
243:Focus DIY,
214:Great Mills
181:Bill Archer
117:Focus DIY,
105:Focus DIY,
83:Area served
791:Categories
733:27 October
703:12 October
371:References
365:Gillingham
310:Severnside
759:13 August
218:RMC Group
188:Do It All
22:Focus DIY
485:cite web
447:cite web
306:Tamworth
275:Homebase
245:Keighley
207:Homebase
170:brands.
145:Homebase
36:Industry
475:1 April
437:1 April
395:1 April
349:B&Q
174:History
160:B&M
141:B&Q
74:2011-07
72: (
64:Defunct
56:1987-12
54: (
46:Founded
283:Wickes
199:Wickes
149:Wickes
121:(2012)
107:Belper
663:4 May
279:Tesco
192:Boots
126:Focus
92:Owner
761:2014
735:2019
705:2014
665:2015
557:2017
535:2017
498:help
477:2024
453:link
439:2024
397:2024
361:HMRC
291:Asda
285:and
268:GMAC
266:and
166:and
147:and
132:and
168:MFI
40:DIY
793::
721:.
695:.
655:.
604:^
596:.
584:^
565:^
523:.
489::
487:}}
483:{{
449:}}
445:{{
430:.
405:^
387:.
281:,
277:,
270:.
262:,
763:.
737:.
707:.
681:.
667:.
641:.
559:.
537:.
500:)
496:(
479:.
455:)
441:.
399:.
76:)
58:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
