Bill Archer (businessman)
Encyclopedia
In 1987 Archer and Greg Stanley of Fads DIY acquired Choice DIY, a small DIY company with six stores in the Midlands
and the north of England
for £900,000. In 1988 the Focus DIY company was bought by Archer and all stores were re-branded Focus DIY. With the help of private equity the chain rapidly grew to 72 stores nationwide. According to a former associate, Archer was so ambitious he ran the business with a “rod of iron”. “He had an old-fashioned approach to management,” said another.
By 2002 the chain had grown to over 450 stores following several buyouts including the Wickes DIY chain. Archer and his partners pocketed over £650 million from the sale of Wickes in 2005. But collapse of his core Focus business loomed, US turnround specialist Cerberus bought Focus for £1 in June 2007. Cerberus, which also took on debts of £180m, brought in Bill Grimsey, former chief executive of Wickes, to transform the business. “When we came in, staff morale had been wiped out and the shelves had no stock because suppliers thought it was going bust. The business was still selling eight-year-old kitchens because there had been no investment,” said Grimsey.
Archer was also a leading figure in the controversial 1997 sale of the Goldstone Ground
, the former home of Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
for conversion into a retail park. Without having secured an alternative site for a stadium Archer and Chief Executive David Bellotti pressed through the sale on the grounds of the club's debt. He is reviled by many in Sussex to this day and inspired the popular refrain 'Build a Bonfire', which is regularly and heartily sung at football matches in the county and further afield.
At the height of the troubles over the sale of the Goldstone Brighton fans resorted to direct action, travelling the length of the country to target Mellor, Lancashire
, where Archer lived. The normally quiet village was taken over by large groups of irate Albion fans who informed neighbours of his actions, put up posters and attempted to embarrass Archer into reconsidering his decision to sell their club's ground. But in the words of one resident "In my opinion, he will let it pass without a thought." This turned out to be the case.
English Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
and the north of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
for £900,000. In 1988 the Focus DIY company was bought by Archer and all stores were re-branded Focus DIY. With the help of private equity the chain rapidly grew to 72 stores nationwide. According to a former associate, Archer was so ambitious he ran the business with a “rod of iron”. “He had an old-fashioned approach to management,” said another.
By 2002 the chain had grown to over 450 stores following several buyouts including the Wickes DIY chain. Archer and his partners pocketed over £650 million from the sale of Wickes in 2005. But collapse of his core Focus business loomed, US turnround specialist Cerberus bought Focus for £1 in June 2007. Cerberus, which also took on debts of £180m, brought in Bill Grimsey, former chief executive of Wickes, to transform the business. “When we came in, staff morale had been wiped out and the shelves had no stock because suppliers thought it was going bust. The business was still selling eight-year-old kitchens because there had been no investment,” said Grimsey.
Archer was also a leading figure in the controversial 1997 sale of the Goldstone Ground
Goldstone Ground
The Goldstone Ground was a football stadium and home ground of Brighton & Hove Albion F.C. between 1902 and 1997. The club currently plays at American Express Community Stadium, a stadium on the outskirts of the city, following the move from their temporary stadium in the Brighton suburb of...
, the former home of Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
for conversion into a retail park. Without having secured an alternative site for a stadium Archer and Chief Executive David Bellotti pressed through the sale on the grounds of the club's debt. He is reviled by many in Sussex to this day and inspired the popular refrain 'Build a Bonfire', which is regularly and heartily sung at football matches in the county and further afield.
At the height of the troubles over the sale of the Goldstone Brighton fans resorted to direct action, travelling the length of the country to target Mellor, Lancashire
Mellor, Lancashire
Mellor is a village situated in the Borough of Ribble Valley in Lancashire, England. It is reasonably large in size for a village, with two churches, one Church of England Parish Church and one Methodist, as well as a primary school, three public houses and a hotel...
, where Archer lived. The normally quiet village was taken over by large groups of irate Albion fans who informed neighbours of his actions, put up posters and attempted to embarrass Archer into reconsidering his decision to sell their club's ground. But in the words of one resident "In my opinion, he will let it pass without a thought." This turned out to be the case.