A former regional manager at Betta Living has told kbbreview that staff didn’t know the company was going into administration until the announcement was made on its website.
Staff were informed to close concession stores at around 3:15 on November 4, she revealed.
Although she confirmed that cuts had previously been made within the company, she said that no one was expecting the news.
“It’s really shocking for everybody,” she said. “It’s a business, it’s about making money and a business has to decide what it’s going to do. Sometimes with a business you’re expecting it, but we just didn’t expect this.”
But despite the outcome, she defended Betta Living owner Noel Dean and the company saying he was “a lovely gentleman” and that it was “an amazing company to work for”.
“It’s very sad the way it’s gone and I feel sorry for customers who’ve been left and don’t know what’s happening and people who’ve had kitchens taken out for Christmas,” she added.
Dean has opened four new companies since the closure of Betta Living but she said she didn’t know of anyone who had been offered employment with the new businesses.