A COMPLAINT has been lodged with Cheshire West’s trading standards team over Alan Ward Furniture amid concerns the retailer will not reopen from lockdown.

None of the Alan Ward Furniture branches in Winsford, Chester, Shrewsbury or Newcastle-under-Lyme have yet reopened despite non-essential shops returning from lockdown on June 15.

The Guardian has been contacted by Winsford residents who purchased items from the retailer but have not received them, while other customers raised the same concern on the Trustpilot website.

Cheshire West and Chester Council says it has received one recent complaint relating to Alan Ward Furniture and is urging customers affected to contact the borough’s trading standards team.

Cllr Karen Shore, deputy leader, said: “The council has received one enquiry regarding Alan Ward Furniture logged via the Citizens Advice Consumer Service since the beginning of March.

“This enquiry is in relation to the Chester store.

“We would advise anyone who needs assistance regarding an order with the company to contact Citizen Advice Consumer Service for help and advice on 0808 223 1133.”

Staff at Alan Ward Furniture in Shrewsbury, where the company is based, told both BBC Shropshire and the Shropshire Star last month that the company was going into liquidation.

However, no details have been confirmed by the retailer, and the Guardian has been unable to get in touch with the company.

It was also still listed as an active business on Companies House, registered to a property in Shrewsbury, as of 4.50pm today, July 2.

After emailing an address listed on the company’s website, an automated response from Alan Ward Furniture said: “Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, all our stores are currently closed and the majority of our staff are furloughed.

“The safety and wellbeing of our staff and customers remains our utmost priority.

“There will undoubtedly be a delay in responding to you for which we sincerely apologise, but your enquiry is important to us and we will contact you in due course.”

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The company’s website also says that Alan Ward’s ‘showrooms and website are temporarily closed’ and asks customers with queries regarding an existing order to email websales@alanward.co.uk with their order number.

Shropshire Council told the Shropshire Star its trading standards team has received 12 reports relating to Alan Ward Furniture since June 1.

The firm’s Winsford branch was renovated in 2018 when the company said it had ambitious plans to grow by 2020 – with a major recruitment drive and a target of annual sales of £20 million.