Frock horror as shop shut doors
A Black Country bridal shop has ceased trading – prompting a last-minute rush by brides-to-be to claim their dresses from accountants handling the firm's affairs.
Brides of Kingswinford, in Market Street, Kingswinford, has shut up shop and accountants have been called in to sort through the stock. Brides-to-be and schoolgirls who had ordered prom dresses received telephone calls yesterday from the accountancy firm Heathcote and Coleman, based in Edgbaston, Birmingham, about their outfits.
The firm contacted customers who had paid for orders in full and told them they had a three-and-a-half hour slot within which to collect their dresses.
But customers who have only part-paid for frocks may face a long wait to find out whether they will receive their goods or get their money back. And those who have collected their dresses, will not see any alterations completed.
Heathcote and Coleman spokesman Victoria Spokesman said the current economic climate was to blame for the shop's failure.
She said: "Due to the economic downturn, the shop has had to cease trading.
"We have contacted those customers who have paid for their dresses in full to come and collect them. We are in talks with two suppliers over the outstanding orders."
One of the brides-to-be who turned up to collect her dream dress last night was 31-year-old Helen Currien, of Dudley, who is due to marry in nine week's time.
She said: "It is a relief to have my dress but I keep thinking about the women who maybe didn't pick up their phones and those who hadn't paid in full – their wedding day could be ruined."
Fellow bride-to-be Alison Hardy, of Wordsley, said she was grateful for having her dress but said it still needed a number of alterations.
"I had built up a good rapport with the shop staff and now I will have to go elsewhere and start again," said the 44-year-old who works at Birmingham Coroner's Court. I had to get someone to cover my night shift at work in order to be able to collect it in time."
A creditors meeting is expected to take place on April 27 when it will be decided if the company should be put in to liquidation. The bridal shop is above a wool shop called Aladdin's Cave, believed to have the same owner.
