Allied Carpets
Encyclopedia
Allied Carpets is one of the largest retailers of floor coverings operating a chain of large out-of-town superstores around the UK
. It also has some High Street stores. It is the second-largest retailer of carpets in the UK.
. In 1978, it was bought by the Asda
Group. In 1980, curtains were introduced. In December 1983, it opened its first two out-of-town stores in Edinburgh
and Chester
. Beds were introduced in 1984. In 1985, the company was rebranded as just Allied. A Contracts Division and an Insurance Replacement Division were started in that year, and upholstery
products were first sold. By 1989, the company had over 180 shops and the company changed its name to the Allied Maples Group Ltd.
. At this point, the company was valued at about £200m. The company also owned Carpetland.
Twenty seven stores, including some of Carpetland, were bought by Carpetright
in November 1998 for £12m.
, France; they are France's largest carpet retailer. At the same time TS-M bought Teppich Essers of Aachen
, Germany, who also own Ihr Teppichfreund. In 2001 it opened thirty more out-of-town retail warehouse
stores.
, the investment bank, to find a buyer for its stores.
On July 17, 2009, it was announced that the company (Allied Carpets Properties) had entered administration. Allied was one of several high profile chains to fall into receivership during the recession of this time
.
The administrators BDO Stoy Hayward immediately sold 51 of the company's 217 stores and the insurance part of the business to Allied Carpets Retail Limited, securing 400 jobs and saving the company from going the same way as other retail giants including MFI, Woolworths
and Zavvi
.
Among the casualties was the store at Merry Hill Shopping Centre
in the West Midlands
, which closed over that summer after 23 years in operation – having been one of the first retailers to take advantage of the Enterprise Zone that was designated in the area to relieve high unemployment when it opened that store in 1986. The store has since been taken over by HomeSense
.
and laminate flooring
and curtains.
in the London Borough of Bromley
. It is near the junction of the A208 and A224. In Scotland, it runs the General George brand of shops.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It also has some High Street stores. It is the second-largest retailer of carpets in the UK.
History
It was formed by Harold Plotnek on market stalls Birmingham in the 1950s. In the late 1950s, a warehouse was opened in Birmingham. In 1974, a head office was opened in West BromwichWest Bromwich
West Bromwich is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell, in the West Midlands, England. It is north west of Birmingham lying on the A41 London-to-Birkenhead road. West Bromwich is part of the Black Country...
. In 1978, it was bought by the Asda
Asda
Asda Stores Ltd is a British supermarket chain which retails food, clothing, general merchandise, toys and financial services. It also has a mobile telephone network, , Asda Mobile...
Group. In 1980, curtains were introduced. In December 1983, it opened its first two out-of-town stores in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
and Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
. Beds were introduced in 1984. In 1985, the company was rebranded as just Allied. A Contracts Division and an Insurance Replacement Division were started in that year, and upholstery
Upholstery
Upholstery is the work of providing furniture, especially seats, with padding, springs, webbing, and fabric or leather covers. The word upholstery comes from the Middle English word upholder, which referred to a tradesman who held up his goods. The term is equally applicable to domestic,...
products were first sold. By 1989, the company had over 180 shops and the company changed its name to the Allied Maples Group Ltd.
Sale to Carpetland
In December 1993, it was bought by the Asda Group to Carpetland. Carpetland traded as Carpetland Carpet Centres Ltd, and had financially collapsed in 1990 then had a management buyout in August 1991 which resulted in the company having 85 stores. At the time of the Allied sale, it had about half as many stores as Allied. The company after the sale had about 250 stores. The Allied head office in West Bromwich was closed in March 1994. The company's name was changed from Carpetland to Allied Carpets. The upholstery part of the company was closed and it just sold carpets.Public offering
In the summer of 1996, it was listed on the London Stock ExchangeLondon Stock Exchange
The London Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located in the City of London within the United Kingdom. , the Exchange had a market capitalisation of US$3.7495 trillion, making it the fourth-largest stock exchange in the world by this measurement...
. At this point, the company was valued at about £200m. The company also owned Carpetland.
Financial irregularities
In July 1998, the company had its shares suspended when financial irregularities were recorded in some of the sales figures from its stores. This came from the practice of recording sales when they had been made, instead of after the carpets had been fitted. The managing director, Ray Nethercott, resigned in April 1999.Twenty seven stores, including some of Carpetland, were bought by Carpetright
Carpetright
Carpetright plc is one of the largest British retailers of floor coverings. The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.-History:...
in November 1998 for £12m.
Sale to French carpet company
In September 1999, it was bought for £84m by Tapis Saint-Maclou of WattrelosWattrelos
Wattrelos is a commune in the Northern department in the Nord-Pas de Calais region in northern France. It is located on the border with Belgium, northeast of the city of Lille. It the fifth-largest component of the metropolitan Urban Community of Lille Métropole.-Heraldry:-References:* -External...
, France; they are France's largest carpet retailer. At the same time TS-M bought Teppich Essers of Aachen
Aachen
Aachen has historically been a spa town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Aachen was a favoured residence of Charlemagne, and the place of coronation of the Kings of Germany. Geographically, Aachen is the westernmost town of Germany, located along its borders with Belgium and the Netherlands, ...
, Germany, who also own Ihr Teppichfreund. In 2001 it opened thirty more out-of-town retail warehouse
Warehouse store
A warehouse store, as opposed to a warehouse club, is a retail location with a limited variety of merchandise sold in bulk at a discount to customers...
stores.
Administration
In December 2008, it appointed LazardLazard
Lazard Ltd is the parent company of Lazard Group LLC, a global, independent investment bank with approximately 2,300 employees in 42 cities across 27 countries throughout Europe, North America, Asia, Australia, Central and South America...
, the investment bank, to find a buyer for its stores.
On July 17, 2009, it was announced that the company (Allied Carpets Properties) had entered administration. Allied was one of several high profile chains to fall into receivership during the recession of this time
Late 2000s recession
The late-2000s recession, sometimes referred to as the Great Recession or Lesser Depression or Long Recession, is a severe ongoing global economic problem that began in December 2007 and took a particularly sharp downward turn in September 2008. The Great Recession has affected the entire world...
.
The administrators BDO Stoy Hayward immediately sold 51 of the company's 217 stores and the insurance part of the business to Allied Carpets Retail Limited, securing 400 jobs and saving the company from going the same way as other retail giants including MFI, Woolworths
Woolworths Group
Woolworths Group plc was a listed British company that owned the high-street retail chain, Woolworths, as well as other brands such as the entertainment distributor Entertainment UK and book and resource distributor Bertram Books...
and Zavvi
Zavvi
Zavvi was an entertainment retail chain in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, originally Virgin Megastores. Zavvi was formed in September 2007 when a management buy-out team purchased the company from Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group....
.
Among the casualties was the store at Merry Hill Shopping Centre
Merry Hill Shopping Centre
Westfield Merry Hill is a shopping centre in Brierley Hill near Dudley, West Midlands, England. It was developed between 1985 and 1990, with several expansion and renovation projects taking place since. The original developers and owners were Richardson Developments but the Centre has had a number...
in the West Midlands
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
, which closed over that summer after 23 years in operation – having been one of the first retailers to take advantage of the Enterprise Zone that was designated in the area to relieve high unemployment when it opened that store in 1986. The store has since been taken over by HomeSense
HomeSense
HomeSense is a chain of off price home furnishing stores operated by TJX Companies with stores in Canada and the United Kingdom.-HomeSense in Canada:At year-end 2010, HomeSense operated 82 stores in Canada...
.
Chief executives
- Geoff Brady 1999–2001
- Julian Lee 2001–
Products
Carpets account for 80% of its products. The other products are beds, woodWood flooring
Wood flooring is any product manufactured from timber that is designed for use as flooring, either structural or aesthetic. Bamboo flooring is often considered a wood floor, although it is made from a grass rather than a timber....
and laminate flooring
Laminate flooring
Laminate flooring is a multi-layer synthetic flooring product fused together with a lamination process. Laminate flooring simulates wood with a photographic applique layer under a clear protective layer. The inner core layer is usually composed of melamine resin and fiber board materials...
and curtains.
Structure
The company is based at Allied House, 76 High Street, OrpingtonOrpington
Orpington is a suburban town and electoral ward in the London Borough of Bromley. It forms the southeastern edge of London's urban sprawl and is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
in the London Borough of Bromley
London Borough of Bromley
The London Borough of Bromley is a London borough of south east London, England and forms part of Outer London. The principal town in the borough is Bromley.-Geography:...
. It is near the junction of the A208 and A224. In Scotland, it runs the General George brand of shops.