Anger from customers as furniture chain Dwell goes bust

 

Customers of the collapsed up-market furniture chain Dwell today vented their anger amid uncertainty over the safety of an estimated £1 million in deposits.

The firm has closed its 23 stores, mainly in London and the South-East, and 300 staff were told yesterday not to come into work.

Dwell, which was founded in Balham 10 years ago, has lined up administrators Duff & Phelps. The firm said no further deliveries will be made and it advised customers with outstanding orders to contact their bank or credit card firm for advice.

Dwell had been on the verge of collapse for weeks but was unable to obtain emergency funds. Despite this, its website was still taking orders as late as Wednesday evening.

Customers have deluged Dwell’s Facebook page with complaints. Nick Pettigrew wrote that a staff member tried to help him “but sadly, dealing with such a two-bit, dreadfully run, company she was basically a very willing sailor with a bucket trying to bail out the Titanic.”

Another customer, Graham Hills, said: “If these guys have gone bust the least they could do is put a message up on their website stating where we stand.”

Dwell’s accounts for the 12 months to January 2012 show pre-tax losses increased from £439,721 to £1.69 million, and said that “the current economic situation is uncertain, consumer confidence is low and trading conditions are challenging within the declining household goods and furniture sector”. Suppliers have also been affected by the collapse. One said she was owed £10,500 after her Natural History business supplied Dwell with 400 cushions on sale for £60 each.

A Dwell spokesman said: “The business had been working with its advisers to secure further working capital and was actively in the process of talking to interested parties who saw the value of the Dwell brand. However, despite this it did not progress. As a result we have been left with no option but to close with immediate effect.”

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