Betta Living

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Betta Living
Company typePrivate
IndustryRetail
FoundedOldham, United Kingdom (1966)
HeadquartersOldham, United Kingdom
Area served
United Kingdom
Key people
Noel dean
Number of employees
38 (2014)

Betta Living was a home improvement retailer based in Oldham, Greater Manchester with stores in more than 70 towns and cities throughout England and Wales until it went bust in November 2016.[1] Betta Living was owned by Dean House PLC and designs, manufactures and installs fitted kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms. Betta Living's fittings were manufactured in Lancashire

History[edit]

Betta Living was formed in 1966 under the name ‘Betta Bedrooms’ and remained that way until in 2000 it was taken over by current chairman, Noel Dean. Dean merged Better Bedrooms with his own company, the English Kitchen Company which he started in 1984.[2] Noel Dean's credentials also include a period at The Burton Group, where he became the first ever Store Manager for Topman (formerly Mr Burt).[3]

In 2008, Betta Living launched their first partnership, in which they supplied bedrooms to Blackburn-based kitchen firm Interior Contracts.[4]

In 2012 Betta Living started supplying bathrooms following the acquisition of a number of Moben and Dolphin showrooms from HomeForm Group.[5] That same year, Dean House PLC reported record year-end results, selling around 6,000 fitted kitchens per year as well as thousands of bedrooms. Betta Living saw sales across its shops rise by 22%, totalling £29.9 million by 20 November 2012[6]

In 2013, Betta Living partnered with high street retailer Next.[7] They sold fifty of their most popular kitchen designs through the brand, both online and in thirteen Next Home and Garden stores across the UK.

In 2014, Dean House PLC reported a 61% increase in year-on-year sales between Boxing Day and the height of the January trading period.[8] This came after year-end results for 2013 showed a 23% increase in turnover, taking Betta Living's sales to £39 million.[9] In April 2014, Betta Living announced the launch of its second partnership, this time with Dobbies Garden Centres.[10]

On Friday 4 November 2016 Betta Living made an application to appoint an administrator. Anthony Collier and Benny Woolrych of FRP Advisory were appointed to handle the case. They completed the sale of Betta Living's order book, customer database and intellectual property for £3 and agreed a licence fee for plant and machinery of £12,000 plus VAT per month to We Fit Any Furniture, a company created by the former management of Betta Living and owned by Noel Dean.[11]

Philanthrophy[edit]

Betta Living has held fundraising events for Macmillan Cancer Support since 2013. More than twenty of their stores take part in the annual Macmillan Coffee Morning.[12] In June 2014, Betta Living raised £2,437[13] for Great Ormond Street Hospital whilst exhibiting at the Ideal Home Show. Later that year, Betta Living launched a campaign to raise awareness about Child Safety Week,[14] publishing advisory articles and creating an interactive hazard awareness test for parents.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "New stores point towards Betta living".
  2. ^ "Interview with Noel Dean". Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  3. ^ "Betta Living seeks expansion as record profits announced". 7 April 2013.
  4. ^ "Interior Contracts targets bedroom market".
  5. ^ "Betta Living acquires showrooms".
  6. ^ "Betta Living unveils record year end results". Archived from the original on 20 July 2014. Retrieved 17 November 2014.
  7. ^ "Next teams up with Betta Living to launch new kitchen range". 30 May 2013.
  8. ^ "Betta Living reports strong sales". May 2019.
  9. ^ "Betta Living enjoys record sales and all-round success".
  10. ^ "Betta Living launches Dobbies concessions". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
  11. ^ "Last-ditch offers to rescue Betta Living revealed". Insider Media Ltd. Retrieved 25 April 2017.
  12. ^ "Community news in brief: 24th September". 24 September 2013.
  13. ^ "10 corporate fundraising partnerships in June 2014". 18 June 2014.
  14. ^ "Betta Living support Child Safety Week 2014". Archived from the original on 17 November 2014.

External links[edit]