Who owns Bodycare and Poundworld?

cashman · 06-11-2011, 16:50

Was informed staff at Bodycare in arndale were sent home fer wearing poppys,also staff at the poundshop on broadway were told they could not wear em, anyone know who actually owns these shops? i would like to convey me disgust to these people, also we shall never enter these firms ever again.

littlepom · 06-11-2011, 16:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by cashman

Was informed staff at Bodycare in arndale were sent home fer wearing poppys,also staff at the poundshop on broadway were told they could not wear em, anyone know who actually owns these shops? i would like to convey me disgust to these people, also we shall never enter these firms ever again.

Good on you Cashy both Barrie and myself agree with you.

steve2qec · 06-11-2011, 17:08

I've heard this as well but put it down to a vicious rumour. What retail boss in their right mind would come up with that rule?

heth · 06-11-2011, 17:11

I have just had a quick search and what I can find it is a company called - Warburg Pincus.

Apparently they are a US company.

I am disgusted that they have stopped employee's wearing them.

heth · 06-11-2011, 17:13

Bodycare is apparently owned by GR & MM Blackledge which are based in Preston.

jaysay · 06-11-2011, 17:17

If that's the case, it should be made known and let people taken the appropriate action, steering clear

yerself · 06-11-2011, 17:19

A quick Google found the following excerpt from 'The Holy Bible according to jaysay'. It seems Bodycare have been banning the wearing of poppies since 2009 at least.

Bodycare is owned by husband and wife Graham and Margaret Blackledge, whose wealth has been estimated at £40million, and is based in Preston, Lancashire. It has more than 1,600 staff.

Read more: Anger and outrage as national toiletries store bans employees from wearing poppies | Mail Online

heth · 06-11-2011, 17:21

You got the same search as me then Yerself.

yerself · 06-11-2011, 17:31

Was it Poundworld or Poundland? Google found this (yet again in jaysay's Bible).

Poundland backs down on shopfloor poppy ban after customers threaten boycott

Read more: Poundland backs down in staff poppy row after Twitter and Facebook storm | Mail Online

Tealeaf · 06-11-2011, 17:36

I've heard of both these outfits before. Warburg Pincus is private equity investment company and I'm pretty sure it has it's offices just off Piccadilly in London. I'm sure I knew a lass that worked for 'em and I've also got a recollection that they once tried to buy Liverpool FC. I think their London office is a subsidiary of their main Yank operation.

As for Bodycare, wasn't this lot in the news about two or three years ago when they tried to pull exactly the same stunt and after the outcry they reversed the decision? There may even have been a thread about it on here.

maxthecollie · 06-11-2011, 19:48

Lets all boycott them

cmonstanley · 06-11-2011, 20:41

a diagrace, i just dont get it. we can all agree on this is a disgrace

Neil · 06-11-2011, 20:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by yerself

A quick Google found the following excerpt from 'The Holy Bible according to jaysay'. It seems Bodycare have been banning the wearing of poppies since 2009 at least.

Bodycare is owned by husband and wife Graham and Margaret Blackledge, whose wealth has been estimated at £40million, and is based in Preston, Lancashire. It has more than 1,600 staff.

Read more: Anger and outrage as national toiletries store bans employees from wearing poppies | Mail Online

If you read the story in the paper its appears simple enough, they dont allow any charity badges, pins, bands etc so they can not be accused of being biased to any one organisation. They only backed down so as not to lose customers.

garinda · 06-11-2011, 20:51

Disgusting.

Will still be disgusting if/when they cave into public pressure, and allow poppies to be worn by their employees.

I feel sorry for the staff, who may have their jobs put at risk if there's a prolonged boycott, and may suffer more than those who made this despicable decision.

Actually spoke about something similar tonight, at a family dinner.

Young lad asked how it was his Grandma had written a letter of complain to someone last year, and why.

She explained that it was to the Co-op head office, after they'd refused to serve a soldier in uniform, in some garrison town in the south. She told them if lads we're being killed to protect this nation, they should have the decency to allow them to buy a few beers, whilst home on leave.

As this woman being questioned, my Mum, was born four months after her Dad was killed, fighting in Normandy, things like this means they're always going to be on a lose/lose situation with her, and us, her two sons.

She turned into a screaming Banshee when a sports bar attached an advertising board to Ossy war memorial, and caused hacvoc in there.

If she hears about this she'll probably be so incensed, she start on a window smashing spree, nevermind a boycott.

lancsdave · 06-11-2011, 20:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil

If you read the story in the paper its appears simple enough, they dont allow any charity badges, pins, bands etc so they can not be accused of being biased to any one organisation. They only backed down so as not to lose customers.

Presumably they refuse to serve customers who wear any of these items because they don't want their money