Issue 47

"After uni I took a job as a part-time sales assistant with a small retailer called J B Armstrong. I was then promoted to full-time sales assistant then store manager before finally undertaking a role as a trainee buyer at their head-office in Nottingham. After, I moved from there to Brook Taverner and then Douglas and Grahame as a buyer. I then returned to J B Armstrong as Merchandise Director but left to go to Crombie when five years later the company was sold.

I joined BMB in October as the buyer for Baracuta. I'm a Scouser originally, but Belfast and Yorkshire have taken the edges off my accent."

"Before BMB I was Finance Director of LINPAC Packaging, based up the road in Knottingley. I was there for nearly 20 years in total. The products are much less interesting than BMB's! It is very international, having operations in about 20 countries around the world, which is one reason for joining BMB, hopefully, to use my international experience, and experience on strategy and acquisitions, in due course to grow the business into new markets, rather as we have done with the acquisition of Melka.

My role at BMB, or rather, within the new holding company we are setting up, is Group Finance Director. Reporting to Peter Lucas, I am heading up Finance across all the European businesses owned by Peter and Arafa Holdings, including BMB, Melka, John Langford, Worth Valley, and SRG. These businesses are being organised into a group under a single holding company, which is likely to be called Baird Group PLC, provided, as now seems likely, we are able to use the name. I will also be looking after IT, company secretarial matters (trade marks and the like), and property. Personally, I am married to Vanessa, who is a teacher, and we live in Harrogate with 3 sons, Ollie, Henry and George, aged 17, 15 and 11. In my spare time I like music (I sing in a small chamber choir, but like most types of music), cinema, and outdoor activities, particularly mountain biking and skiing."

A Tailor Made Partnership

BMB and Ben Sherman have teamed up to create a new formalwear partnership - launching in January 2009 and available in-store, June 09.

Ben Sherman recognise its customer's desire for quality suiting at a commercial price. A new offering of slimmer, mod styled suits will strengthen customer loyalty and increase customer satisfaction.

Miles Gray CEO, Ben Sherman said "We are pleased to announce the partnership between Ben Sherman and BMB as we believe both companies have similar chemistry and international aspirations."

Taking inspiration from Ben Sherman's unrivalled British Heritage and mod roots; the suits and formal shirts are based on clean lines with sharp tailoring throughout.

For those with the savviest of style, or others who want to stand out from the crowd, the collection offers something for all Ben Sherman devotees.

The collection has been designed in-house by our formalwear Buying team who have also worked in tandem with the creative group at Ben Sherman HQ.

The Ben Sherman Formalwear sales are being heading up by Mark Hickling who has recently joined BMB. Mark has a great reputation having previously worked for Sand, Hugo Boss and Ralph Lauren.

During the last month the team have bene pre-lining the new collection and receiving a great reception with a great reaction from Suits You, Moss, Debenhams (shirt department), Littlewoods, ASOS and Slater's.

One of our showrooms in London will be turned into a Ben Sherman display during December and January complete with Union Jack armchairs, mannequins, black and orange furniture, and of course a Lambretta Scooter sporting a Union Jack seat with mirrors galore.

Westfield's, or as more generally known, White City (just five stops on the tube from Oxford Street) opened it's doors just a few weeks ago and the customer reaction has been one of amazement. A truly stunning piece of engineering alone. The complex offers everything that a shopaholic would wish for, and trades for as many hours allowing you to do just that.

Within the Debenhams store the brief was simple: everything had to be completely new and different from any other store open. With this in mind a concept for a modern designer wall was proposed by Kevin Stone and created by Steve Parr. With the latest floor fixtures, walling and graphics we tried and succeeded to do something completely different, and guess what? It looked really good. No, not just good, superb in fact!

Finally part of the jigsaw was to look at how we branded the store - a new idea was put forth: to give less options to fill the space thus creating more depth. It works.

Everyone's feedback including the customers, staff and host store were totally positive, and above all the trade was excellent. Every week we're in the Top Five stores.

Last, but not least the biggest factor is the staffing, and we have a brilliant team of people managed by Kalina - whom of which are giving their everything to make it a sound success. Sincere thanks for what your are doing and the message you are putting across to Debenhams and customers: that BMB really can retail.

Every year we send out the Audit questionnaire to gage a clearer picture on how the business 'feels'. Here is a summary of some of the key findings from each category of the 2008 report.

1. Response

The response has been good again with 69.5% of you replying to the questionnaire. Because of this positive response meaningful analysis can be drawn from the results.

The graph shows the response of 69.5% - Hartlepool 96%, Leeds 59%, Goole 64%, Retail 70% and Overseas 41%. Thanks goes to all those involved in distributing and collecting the audit forms particularly Retail Team Leaders.

2. General Communication

The results in this area mirror the positive upward trend in 2007 in almost all categories. In fact most categories have recorded the most positive return ever. The graph shows that results are consistent across all the subjects covered in the questionnaire.

The only are of concern is that there is a small shift from employees feeling 'reasonably well informed' as opposed to 'fully informed'.

3. Training & Development

Figures on the whole are up on 2007 which continues the positive feedback we have had in these areas from 2000 onwards.

85% of employees agreed that their performance review was meaningful. In retail this figure was even higher at 88% (see figure 3).

An area we have highlighted as being "concerning" in the past has been Induction Satisfaction. However, the results in 2008 are the most positive since Audits began. There are still 18% who don't think inductions are good enough so there is still work to be done. Across all locations, level of work is widely regarded as reasonable and challenging with 91% agreeing.

4. BMB: A Place to Work

Once again the general trend is an improvement on 2007. BMB continues to compare favourably with other companies that our employees have worked at - 63% believe BMB is one of the best or above average, 32% average, 5% below average/one of the worst, as is demonstrated in the graph.

Pay is still a key issue especially at the lower grades admin/clerical/production/warehouse.

Views on Job security differ across each location depending on various factors, but has improved from 2007 across all sites apart from Goole.

If you would like to take a closer look at the full report, all Divisional Directors have been given a photocopy and you can request to look at this.

Jeff Banks was licensed to dress our competition winners at our store in Banbridge.

Miss Money Penny (Maggie) was there to ensure all the competition winners had a good facial, ready to dress up to face the Outlet.

Overseeing them all was M (Carla) ensuring that all the photographers were kept at bay, and the competition winners got what they deserved!

The day started early for myself, David Basterfield and Louise Blair (in her skimpy clothes looking like someone from Vogue, but forgot what the weather was like outside). However, as we got into our hired car and headed towards Banbridge we couldn't see for more than 20 yards ahead of us. We had never seen so much fog in our lives. Not to mention minus 3 degrees, it was bitterly cold. (I was feeling sorry for Louise looking very fashionably COLD)!

As we arrived at the Outlet there was a massive billboard with Jeff Banks picture on it, which of course Jeff loved.

The Outlet provided us with a mic and Jeff being a true natural showman started the day.

The footfall and sales were superb - this was well planned by the Outlet from start to finish, and I thank them.

Jeff had a live radio broadcast and lots of photographers (including myself)!

There is, as always, a great buzz about Jeff and all the team thoroughly enjoyed the day.

Thanks also to Louise for making the effort for flying over and giving up her Saturday.

Well done to Scott, Patricia and the team in the store for making the shop look perfect for the day.

By the way it was 5.30pm and the fog still didn't cease nor the freezing temperatures.

Banks will be back...

Next location we will be filming in "Gloucester keys" April / May 2009, so watch this space...

BBC films in Debenhams for current affairs programme "Week In Week Out"

In September the BBC filmed in Swansea, Debenhams for a half hour stint in the current series of BBC Wales current affairs programme "Week In, Week Out" - broadcast on 21st October at 10.35pm

The programme looked at the barriers which people face in returing to work. One person they filmed, David, had been abroad for 12 years. He hadn't any savings nor decent clothes. Whilst on Job Seeker's Allowance he had very little money to buy a new outfit - something he needed especially if he is going to attend job interviews.

BMB were filmed with him choosing a new suit, shirt, tie and shoes. After being fitted David was then asked a few questions, with his advisor from Remploy, to find out if he felt more confident as a result?

Debenhams and the BMB suit department was filmed in a very positive aspect with Peter and Kayvan (pictured) from Debenhams, Swansea also being involved.

Blackpool, always the poor relation in terms of retail against its close neighbours in the North West, has changed for the better with the new Debenhams' multi-million pound development at the heart of the £100m Houndshill Centre makeover which opened on August 21st.

The 70,000 sq ft space which has cost £6.5m to fit out, and is the first department store in the town in 15 years, opened at 10am by Coronation Street's actress, Jennie McLain, who plays factory girl Fiz. Andy Mitchell, who has worked for BMB as Concession Manager in various roles over the last six years, states: that he has been eagerly awaiting the store and new complex opening. He is also looking forward to the challenge of competing with near neighbours, Preson, in capturing the local suit trade.

One of Debenhams' largest ever new build projects.

On May 28th Debenhams joined the new John Lewis department store as the second key anchor tenant in the new Liverpool One development. This will make Liverpool the largest shopping center per sq foot in Europe, and is expected to transform the city's retail fortunes.

At 180,000 sq ft, the four-level store is one of the largest new-build projects ever undertaken by Debenhams. This in turn has created more than 500 jobs which could rise to as many as 700 at peak times such as Christmas.

The new development boasts the chain's largest menswear department outside London - as well as the first-ever male personal shopping suite.

The BMB trading area is one of the beiggest in the company boasting all our leading brands. The early trading pattern indicates the store will be one of the leading concessions in the county.

Chris Glancy, Area Manager, would like to thank everyone including the Implementation Team for all their hard work in setting up the store and good luck for the future.

Chris can be seen with Kevin Robey, Concession Manager, and his assistant Manager, Peter McAlister.

John Openshaw, field based auditor has retired after working for 47 years within the BMB Group and John Colliers. For those of you who don't know, John Colliers was a store chain on the high street which was taken over by The Burton Clothing Group. John Jackson and Harold Rose then bought the business and named it JR Clothing, which was in turn taken over by the Baird Group. John took early retirement from BMB on 28 November 2008, due to ill health and he will be missed by everyone within BMB. He is looking forward to new challenges in his retirement.

John is pictured above celebrating with other colleagues and below with auditors David Evans, Neil McMillan, Toney Carey and Ashley Gratton (left to right).

Paul Parkes retired on 27th September 2008. He has a total of 35 years service with BMB and has seen many changes over the many years with the company. Paul will be sorely missed.

He is a keen gardener and is planning on spending a lot of time in his garden, and also with his love of the theatre he is hoping to enjoy seeing the top musicals whenever he can.

Paul spent the majority of his career as concession manager of Burtons, Canterbury where he perfected his skills in Made to Measure.

On the 25th September, Ray James, Debs, Sunderland achieved his 25 year service with BMB. Here he is seen being presented with his Gold watch from Tony Devey, Regional Manager and Chris Brunskill STC in recognition of his achievement. Ray said he has enjoyed the last 25 years with BMB and has been privileged to be part of the company's development over the years. He looks forward to the next 25 years with BMB.

David Johnston, pictured, of Debs Derby retiring after 11 years of service with BMB. We wish him all the best.