CUSTOMERS who paid thousands of pounds to a furniture store at Derry’s Crescent link which has now gone bust fear they have lost all their hard earned money.
World of Furniture, which also has stores in Belfast and Lisburn, shut its doors on Tuesday of this week leaving staff high and dry.
Derry Daily can reveal that one director – 50-year-old James Joseph Lynch – resigned from the company three weeks ago on January 5, just 12 months after being appointed a director.
Legal proceedings were taken against World of Furniture (NI) Ltd, an independent trader.
The move followed reports of the retailer closing its doors and customers setting up a Facebook group in response.
Up to 170 people who put down deposits are understood to have been left out of pocket.
Representatives of the Crown Solicitor’s Office brought a petition against the firm at the High Court in Belfast.
The Courts Service confirmed that a winding up order was made by the Bankruptcy Master.
Many customers have paid up, but have not received their goods.
Some have claimed they were asked to pay in cash as the company card machine was faulty.
It is believed that up to 170 customers have been left in limbo following the developments, unsure whether they will ever get their furniture or their money back.
A statement from the company posted on Facebook states: “World of Furniture NI would like to sincerely apologise to all customers who are at a loss or have been affected …
“Every effort was made to prevent this from happening.”
Receivers are understood to currently be dealing with the company’s assets.
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