Jobs at risk as kitchens firm closes its stores
BETTA Living, which has a store at the Dobbies site in Southport, has gone into administration.
Hundrds of jobs are at risk, including three in Southport.
The firm sells kitchens, bedrooms, and wardrobes, and was promoting 70% sales deals last week.
Lots of local customers will have placed orders for new kitchens and bedrooms with the hope they will have been ready in time for Christmas.
Betta Living, whose head office is in Oldham, was set up in 1966 and has retail outlets in Southport amongst more than 70 towns.
On its website, the firm posted: “As at Friday 4th November Betta Living has made an application to appoint an administrator. We anticipate the administrator will be appointed next week and will consider all options to try and secure the continuation of the business but at present Betta living has temporarily ceased to trade.”
Betta Living was formed under the name ‘Betta Bedrooms’ and remained that way until, in 2000, it was taken over by current chairman Noel Dean.
Mr Dean, a long-time retail expert who previously worked for the Burton Group, merged Betta Bedrooms with his own company, the English Kitchen Company, which he started in 1984.
Last week, Betta Living was offering up to 70% off the price of kitchens ordered before Christmas.
One Betta Living employee said: “On Friday, Noel Dean told his staff the company was in administration and the business closed its doors. “The administrators are in today and it is reported that the company has gone down with debts of £18m – not confirmed.”
An automated message announcing the company is to appoint an administrator has been left on the company’s phone line.