Today I phoned my dealer to see when my Beolab 10 in blue would be coming in and found out they have now closed down [:'(]

Bv7Mk3:

 Today I phoned my dealer to see when my Beolab 10 in blue would be coming in and found out they have now closed down [:'(]

Now that's customer service!

Bv7Mk3:

 Today I phoned my dealer to see when my Beolab 10 in blue would be coming in and found out they have now closed down [:'(]

Hope you have not paid them any money yet.

 

 

Craig

yes very sad, my very good friend was the manager there, I will miss the shop.

 

Sadly, I can see a few more dealers going this way.

 

Craig

Very sad news, have heard Salisbury have gone, is it true??

I have not payed any money Craig but Under a deal they owed me a beo lab 10 which was ment to be ordred months ago they orded the bracket but I was still waiting for a speaker and now have something at home Im not happy with because the rest of the deal has not happend

 I was told it was orded by a phone call months ago but no one can find the order on the computer so now the swop part payment looks like it wont happen as the new dealer says can't find order on the computer. But the old dealer has said it should have happend.

Bizarrely a new franchisee has just taken over the Bath store. Interesting time to take over a B&O store, heading in to a very unpredictable 2009.

I feel sorry for B&O store owners at the moment. The immediate future would not be looking too good for them. I hope B&O lifts its game and starts to produce exciting things like they used to.

OH NO!! That was a brilliant store! [:'(]

Bang & olufsen Horsham, Banstead and Kingston have taken over the area as Brighton has now closed.They are dealing with all outstanding sales orders and service .The Brighton telephone number and email has now been redirected to the Horsham store.Colin Seal is the manager of  Horsham and will be happy to resolve any issues.Bang & Olufsen Horsham,Banstead and Kingston Group have been established for over 50 years and have there own service centre and installation team.Any future sales or service queries please contact Colin Seal or Alan Ford on the Brighton number or Horsham on 01403 241100.

Craig:

Sadly, I can see a few more dealers going this way.

 

Craig

EDIT - The B&O Eastbourne is still open for business.  They must have been simply been closed as two people told me the shop was completely empty on Tuesday and three members of the public called us on Wednesday asking why Eastbourne B&O had closed down. I retract my statement for now and i apologise to the owners and staff at B&O Eastbourne, and can confirm B&O Eastbourne are closed on Wednesdays.  Unfortunately being in Denmark at the time i could not confirm, but simply added 2 & 2 to get 5.

As for your comment on B&O Bath moxxey, well - when is a good time?  I don't imagine that the new owner paid an over-inflated premium price to get in there based on massive projected future sales.  I would guess it was priced sensibly, and if he can build a good, loyal customer base in a downturn/recession or whatever you care to call it - then he will have a really solid business when things pick up again. 

I've not met him, but on asking a few people that have either met or dealt with him, he seems the perfect man for the job.

Craig is absolutely right, there are more dealers that are in trouble, but in the main this will 'sort the wheat from the chaff' - there are dealers out there that shouldn't have opened a store in the first place or opened a second/third store without thinking long-term. Good times end, fact.    When they do, two, three or four dealers in close proximity will not be able to survive.. the fittest will survive, and the fittest are usually the dealers with the best customer base - earned by good service and marketing creativity.

I feel for a few dealers taking on extra stores during the good times where B&O were looking to expand aggressively and basically had implied to them  'well, if you don't want it - we'll put someone else in there and they could be your rival'..  

Really sad news, but what we will end up with is a very lean and streamlined network containing the best dealers and most needed stores.

Lee 

I agree. I hope that the good dealers keep going - I still miss my old dealer Windows of the Arcade, who epitomised everything that B&O seemed to aspire to. A caring and helpful store with a certain old time luxury that I find missing from most B1 stores that I have visited. Only Rex Radio has really captured that for me elsewhere though King Street in Manchester had the best staff that I have encountered in a B1 store. Knowing Denis Carr, I imagine his store would also be right up there. I have never had the pleasure of visiting him since he left Newcastle. I know he was up recently visiting some of the old team and I do hope that a good night was had by all.

Brighton was always my dealership, despite the fact I now live in London, they always came and looked after me........and never charged a penny for the 120 mile roundtrip, now that is service.

I am very sad to see them go, they were an excellent dealership and great people....

I really worry for the B&O brand ....with the exception of BL2, I can't think of product I want or could justify buying at this point.
 

Peter :

I still miss my old dealer Windows of the Arcade, who epitomised everything that B&O seemed to aspire to. A caring and helpful store with a certain old time luxury that I find missing from most B1 stores that I have visited.

 

WOW Windows huh? Man they have a lot to answer for, that's where I first fell in love with B&O

Peter :

I agree. I hope that the good dealers keep going - I still miss my old dealer Windows of the Arcade, who epitomised everything that B&O seemed to aspire to. A caring and helpful store with a certain old time luxury that I find missing from most B1 stores that I have visited. Only Rex Radio has really captured that for me elsewhere though King Street in Manchester had the best staff that I have encountered in a B1 store. Knowing Denis Carr, I imagine his store would also be right up there. I have never had the pleasure of visiting him since he left Newcastle. I know he was up recently visiting some of the old team and I do hope that a good night was had by all.

Ahhhhhhhh......................... Windows of the Arcade, the only place I have ever bought new B&O, "rock instruments in the basement (guitars, synths etc), B&O, hifi and listening booths and vinyl on the ground floor (CD's hadn't been invented) and pianos and sheet music upstairs - what a shop!

edit: and the most fantastic front window you've ever seen - B&O and all the latest and greatest instruments (at the time DX7's etc. but also Sax's, trumpet etc).

While you were "licking the window" there was invariably a University contingent either, a string quartet, Clarinetist or a close harmony vocal group taking advantage of the Arcade's acoustics - the finest shop in the world!

Ask Peter - I'm not exaggerating!

Totally true, the best music store I've ever seen, just accross from The Theatre Royal / The Momument Metro, always very handy

Still there along with musicians! Has changed ownership - Mr Windows has retired and only Brian remains from the old days. However they now major on keyboards downstairs and other classical instruments and music upstairs. They still keep the rock instruments in the basement! The old B&O wall lights are still there I think!

I've never been to Newcastle, sounds like the kind of place I'll have to give a visit...

Bang & Olufsen of Brighton & Hove has just opened.

New address, New owner and a New Vision.

56 Church Road, Hove, BN3 2FP

Tel 01273 205448 Email brighton@bang-olufsen.co.uk

Go and have a look at this very large new showroom. Its GREAT!!!