Written by John Kruse, one of the leading experts on Bailiff Law, this consumer friendly guide is essential reading for anyone who comes into contact with a bailiff.
The book is easy to understand and clearly explains the rights
a bailiff has, and also what they cannot do when collecting debts and repossessing goods etc.
Ashley Robins NIP (Group Xbox360 Worker since 2006) IndustryRetailProductsWhite goods, Telecommunications, Information technologyRevenue n/a (see DSG International plc for group revenue.) Employees 8,843 (2005) WebsiteCurrysCurrys is an electrical retailer in the UK and Republic of Ireland, and is owned by DSG International plc. It specialises in home electronics and household appliances, with 295 superstores and 73 high street stores. Their annual sales in 2003/04 were £1,752 million and £1,852 million in 2004/05.
Currently the store which has the highest turnover is in Fosse Park, Leicester, with a yearly turnover of around £30 million.
In April 2006, it was announced that Dixons stores (except in Ireland) would be rebranded as "Currys.digital", taking the total to 550 stores. In Ireland, the Currys brand will continue to be only used for large-format stores, with Dixons retained on the high street. Currently, Currys is the leading eletrical retailer in the United Kingdom, just ahead of their main competitor Comet. Contents
Currys was founded in 1884 by Henry Curry (born 1850), when he started to build bicycles full time in a shed at the back of his garden at 40 Painter Street, Leicester, England. He opened his first shop in 1888 at 271 Belgrave Gate, Leicester. The company was put on a proper financial footing in 1897 when Henry formed a partnership with his sons, calling the company H. Curry & Sons. The business continued to grow and floated on the stock exchange in 1927. By this time the shops sold a wide variety of goods including bicycles, toys, radios and gramophones. Currys pulled out of cycle manufacturing and retailing in the 1960s to concentrate on electrical goods.
Shop at 285-287 Belgrave Gate in 1903
Interior 1932
Interior 1960
Store count by Year Year Number
of stores 1904 1 1908 6 1914 32 1925 135 1930 192 1940 215 1943 170 1953 251 1963 360 1973 411 1983 550 [edit] 1984: Takeover by DSG International
Currys was taken over by DSG International plc (owners of the Dixons electrical products retail chain) in 1984 but maintained its separate brand identity. In April 2006, DSG announced that its Dixons stores (except in Ireland and in duty-free areas in airports) would be rebranded as Currys.digital, making a total of 550 Currys stores in all.
Before the Dixons rebranding, the chain contained only a few small town centre stores compared with its much greater number of large out-of-town superstores. These stores are generally split into four main departments - Computing, Home Entertainment, Major Domestic Appliances and Small Domestic Appliances. The stores are a mix of display products and self-service sections.
Currys now sells solar panels. Customers can now reserve and collect products, meaning that products can be reserved on the Internet, then checked and bought at the local retail outlet.
It was announced on 17th January 2007, by John Clare, the Group Chief Executive, that as the leases on the remaining 'Currys High Street' stores (not the rebranded Currys.Digital stores) expire, it is unlikely that the leases will be renewed, hence the stores will be closed at the earliest opportunity. This was included as part of 'Jeremy Warner's Outlook', a business comment panel in the Independent newspaper (UK). Business Comment 18th January 2007, The Independent website
The Currys brand, like its Dixons predecessor, continues to flout Advertising Standards Authority regulations. In its February 2006 bulletin the ASA upheld a complaint that whilst Currys was advertising a package featuring the 'latest' AMD processor there were more recent processors available (bulletin-pdf format). A similar complaint was upheld made against similar advertising claims in the May 2006 bulletin (bulletin-pdf format). Also in a recent survey Currys along with Argos and PC World had one of the worst customer services. This was mainly due to the shop format and how customers found it hard to navigate through the stores to find exactly what they wanted. Another set-back was the lack of knowledge that staff had on the products (especially the White Goods). however that could all be changing, the company is currently undergoing a massive restructure to help reduce costs and improve profitability this will also improve the level of service customers receive from the stores, this combined with the recruitment of mr browett - a tesco's director; should mean currys & DSGi are finally trying to sort themselves out.
Currys
Reply With Quote