Bill Archer (businessman)

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Bill Archer is a businessman who is responsible for creating the British company Focus DIY.

In 1987 Archer and a former business partner acquired Choice DIY, a small DIY company with 6 stores in the midlands and the north of England. 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. ^[1]

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 the 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. ^[2]

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..he was also included in the popular old Sussex 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. ^[3]

[edit] References

<http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/retailing/article5487963.ece?token=null&offset=0&page=1>