Grumpy Joe
(Joe Weston-Webb)
Newsletters
October 2009.
Its that time of year again, and you might wonder how I could possibly be anymore grumpy than I’ve been for the past couple of years – but I JUST CAN’T BELIEVE IT. I won’t give you all the boring details, (they’ll be on the web page www.grumpyjoe.co.uk for those following the story) but my son Michael and his crew have done it again! Folded another company leaving a rumoured £700,000 of debts , stocked up well on supplies and opened again almost immediately with the same name, same phone numbers, same web pages and address, customers blissfully unaware, and with only the creditors reeling from what has happened, again. We understand no-one but the administrator will be paid. You might have received a garbled email from them ‘explaining’ the situation, but not explaining that, despite my best efforts to get my company, my trademarks and my products back under one roof, Michael has lost what’s left of my family business to the Americans. Yes, it’s now owned by my ex distributor from Chicago (“friendship doesn’t come into it, Joe, its just business”).
Michael is still running the business for them, but it’s rumoured that the accountant had to go when it was discovered he was factoring your invoices as well as collecting payments on delivery – that’s what their apology for hassling customers in the email was about. Apparently no-one will be prosecuted although it’s obviously fraud, as a forensic accountant would cost too much to investigate the mess. So, if you want to keep your money circulating in England, buy British. Deal with Honest Joe. Remember, I developed all these products over many years in the rental business, and have kept products simple and prices down throughout the years – don’t make a rich American even richer.
We can’t b
e too cheerful and amusing as its coming up to serious selling season and the Showman’s Show at Newbury – October 21st and 22nd, but we thought you might be amused at this picture taken last week of our van delivering a white twinkling LED acrylic dance floor – directly onto the customer’s car. New van, new tail lift, new dance floor – same old Italian labour. Nothing changes. We could show you our three ton lorry on its side across three lanes of the M1, with rescue crew sitting on some of the three hundred gilt chairs that were spread far and wide, or the roof peeled back on the new three tonner when it fueled for the FIRST time at our local garage (sorry Meester Joe, it must be higher than the old one), or the ancient listed stone archway that they hit on the way in AND the other side on the way out (Meester Joe, if its 300 years old, it needed replacing anyway). Luckily our broker has a sense of humour, but when he had to list our claims history – wrong way on one way system, low bridges, lady locked in mobile toilet and driven eighty miles from Tewkesbury to Loughborough), there were tears streaming down his face, and all he could suggest was that we write a book and stop trying to make deliveries – its safer for you to collect.
In an attempt to beat the recession and ease unemployment in our area, we were told to take on more staff, so we’ve applied for a grant to fund expanding our overworked and stressed complaints department, they are working well and busier than ever. (Please turn over for the serious stuff).
Serious Stuff. We will be launching our NEW low profile cassette type floor system at the Showmans Show. It can be used on any frame tent or marquee, and can use your existing stocks of Weblok flooring, or we can sell you compatible, cheaper flooring to go on top. It is a fraction of the price of the established tent floor systems – if you’re exhibiting at the show, we’ll be open on Tuesday to demo it. For visitors to the show, come on Wednesday or Thursday and see for yourself, and we’ll treat you to a free bacon roll, burger and hot drink.
We’ll also be demonstrating for the first time our WIRELESS LED twinkling underlit floor. Most popular has been the all white floor for weddings, but we can do it in any colour and in the parquet floors, and although its expensive (about £16.50 per sq ft) it is creating a real buzz – it works by zigby remote control, with a controller in each panel to send and receive, so one lead in through the custom edge piece, and 40v goes into each panel automatically as the floor is laid. No more bulky wiring looms or customers pulling loose wires and plugs – its foolproof (even the Italians haven’t broken it) and quick and easy to install, with no loose parts.
Also very popular this year have been our new bar counters, corners and back bars. Now available with carry bags and transit boxes, in a range of finishes – as well as the original brushed aluminium, we can clad them in a range of colours including black, in tough aluminium chequerplate and in frosted Perspex if you want to light them up. All front panels can be supplied as interchangeable with Velcro fixings. We can also supply a low voltage LED striplight in blue or red to give a wash of colour to the front panels.
We are still making the best and cheapest dance and tent floors on the market, budget folding stages, tables, custom and equipment trolleys and stillages, and powdercoat our own and customers’ equipment. We now stock a range of budget event carpet for delivery nationwide, including 2m wide rolls for the party tent market.
We offer sanding and resealing of most makes of portable dance floors from £7 per panel, and often have trade in second hand floors for sale. Put your name down on the list for our hotel Florlok part exchanged refurbished and relaquered programme, at 25% off new prices, with edging powdercoated black, white silver or gold if required.
For Sale after the Show – a 24ft long Franzi (Fiat) R.V. Motor home. This has the nicest layout we’ve seen, with a fixed end bedroom, second pull down double bed, shower, hot and cold running water, cassette loo, fridge, microwave, flat screen tv\dvd player and all usual amenities, on mains, battery and gas. Dead reliable, taxed and MoTd for a year. Offers around £8000.
We don’t offer show discounts – we’re already ridiculously cut price, and if anyone tries to start bargaining, I tend to increase the price. We DO sell the display equipment slightly reduced from the show, especially if you’re in a van and can take it with you. I enclose our current price list – everything should be on the web, www.portableflooring.co.uk but if you’d like a brochure, just call and we’ll post you one. We really hope to see you at the show, even if it’s only for a chat and a coffee,
If we don’t see you, have a good winter and a great season next year, and remember, BUY BRITISH. We live on site and tend to be available seven days a week – warn and call us and we can serve you at weekends. We will match or beat any written quote from the Chicago gang at Portable Floormaker
All the best,
Grumpy Joe.
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