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JEFFREY Baguley with daughter Sarah and granddaughter Emily, 10
JEFFREY Baguley with daughter Sarah and granddaughter Emily, 10
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Second blow for Farepak familiy

Sue Carr
27/12/2006

A FAMILY who lost money in the Farepak scandal have suffered a second blow after a furniture firm closed its doors without delivering their order.

Jeffrey and Susan Baguley are one of more than 30 families who have not yet received the goods they bought from Homestyle Furniture Show in Ashton.

Police and trading standards are now investigating after the Cavendish Street shop closed without notice on Friday, 15 December.

Customers, who each handed over between £600-£1,800 in cash, are thought to have paid a total of more than £16,000 to the shop.

Mrs Baguley, of Lees Avenue, Denton, paid £800 for a new sofa in September and was promised delivery before Christmas.

"I'm absolutely gutted," she said.

"We saved for nearly a year, putting a little bit back each week. We'd already lost £270 with Farepak -we thought we'd had our bad luck with that.

"I've got nine grandchildren to buy for. It's my birthday on Christmas Day too, but it's not going to be a nice day at all."

Disabled Kathleen Salkeld, from Ashton, paid £1,300 for two new sofas and a dining room table.

Kathleen, 55, said: "I've given all my old furniture away, so I've got nothing to sit or eat on for Christmas."

Despite a notice to say business would resume last Friday, as the Advertiser went to press the firm had failed to reopen. Councillor Catherine Piddington, executive member for trading standards, said: "Despite assurances given earlier in the week by the owner Christopher Grundy, Homestyle Furniture Show failed to open its doors on Friday to continue trading as normal.

"It would appear this may not be the first time Mr Grundy has closed his businesses in this way, leaving people without their goods.

"This sort of thing happens all too often and the law needs to be tightened to stop people like Mr Grundy operating in this fashion."

She added: "Trading standards are still trying to locate the owner but Mr Grundy refuses to contact either us or the police to give any explanations."

Trading standards can be contacted on 342 3565.


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Most recent 2 of 2 user comments

   Is this the same guy that there was an article about in the Advertiser about a year ago? The story was about a furniture shop opposite Ikea, the owner of the land had sold the site to Aldi without telling the tenant (the owner of the furniture store). I remember feeling really sorry for the guy in the story (i'm sure it's the same company) because he had just spent £30k re-fitting out the shop and then found out the land had been sold to Aldi. Is this maybe what has happened here? The land has been sold, so the guy had to close the shop. But rather than do it the decent way he has enticed a load of money out of some buyers and then done a runner? If it is the same story, then a lot of people have a lot to answer for - mostly Mr grundy, but also the people who must have known he had to close and let him continue trading...
Sarah, Mossley
30/12/2006 at 12:12
   We are also people that have been conned by Grundy. We bought a 2 piece suite on the Tusday, off the shop floor so didnt even have to wait for ordering. Delivery arranged for friday night. but nothing arrived. We payed £1500 with the delta card as couldnt remember the visa pin, so even paying on your card is not a safe gaurd, the payment slip didnt even have Grundy or his business on it. A totally different collection company.{previous name of shop) Does Grundy own this too? How many shops has he got out there? conning people. We havent received the solicitors letter either he promised. in his phone message!

Upset couple, [sitting on an old settee brought in from the rain) THANKS GRUNDY!!
Sue Moore & John Saxton, Openshaw
28/12/2006 at 16:06
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