CUSTOMERS left in limbo after purchases from a furniture retailer in Winsford failed to arrive will now receive their items from another company.

Alan Ward Furniture closed its doors at the beginning of lockdown and failed to reopen when other non-essential shops returned last month.

But now West Midlands-based firm Cousins Furniture has confirmed it will be fulfilling all orders for Alan Ward Furniture customers ‘who previously thought they’d lost their money’.

And the retailer says it is negotiations with landlords of both the Alan Ward Furniture branches in Winsford and Chester with a view to opening them up as stores of their own.

The Guardian was previously contacted by Winsford residents who had placed orders with Alan Ward Furniture that failed to arrive, 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 by calling 0808 223 1133.

Alan Ward Furniture staff in Shrewsbury, where the company was based, told BBC Shropshire and the Shropshire Star last month that the company was going into liquidation – but the firm never confirmed this.

After being contacted by the Guardian, an automated email 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.”

Cousins Furniture, which had a store in Salford until earlier this year, says it has purchased the site of Alan Ward Furniture’s flagship store in Shrewsbury, and will be reopen the Newcastle-under-Lyme branch.

The statement added: “Following on so soon after closing their Manchester store, it was always [Cousins Furniture’s] intention to look for opportunities closer to home, but probably not so soon.

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“Talks with Alan Ward only started during lockdown and were concluded on Friday afternoon [July 3].

“Talks are still ongoing with the landlords of Chester and Winsford, before deciding on their long term future.”

Cousins Furniture was founded in 1985 by three cousins, and has branches in Birmingham and Dudley.

For more information visit alanwardfurniture.co.uk