Brides may have to bid for thei r dresses

LAST WEEK, we exclusively revealed how Baneswell-based The Wedding Collection had closed, leaving some heartbroken brides-to-be facing being hundreds of pounds out of pocket.

The chartered accountant dealing with the closure told us that there is not enough cash left at the firm to fund going into liquidation.

Since then, we have been inundated with brides telling us their stories about the firm.

One of them says she has been told her dress is up for auction - and she will have to bid for it.

The Wedding Collection was run by Yvonne Arthur and Lillian Gillgrass.

Ray Purnell, the chartered accountant dealing with the closure, was unsure when an auction would take place but said: "Certain suppliers have been paid a deposit."

He said they were waiting for the information which should be with them today, but some of the brides could pay the balance for their dresses, which would keep everybody happy.

After being contacted by the Argus with the women's complaints, James Collingbourne, director of Newport Auctions, said: "I can confirm that we do hold the company's stock and that it has ceased to trade but we are unable to comment any further due to client confidentiality.

"No bride's outfit will be auctioned if they can prove they have paid a deposit on it.

"No date has yet been set for the auction.

"I would urge those who may have claims to contact us and we will see if we will be able to help them."

The auction can be contacted on 01633 262626.

Here are three bride-to-be's tales of woe:

RUTH'S STORY RUTH Thompson, pictured, had paid almost half the cost of the "fairytale" dress she had ordered from The Wedding Collection.

Although she isn't due to marry boyfriend Paul Jones until next July, she decided to look for her dream gown early.

"I wanted a fairytale dress and I paid early so I could afford a nice dress," said Ruth, of Twmbarlwm View, Llanfrechfa.

The dress and veil were going to cost £829, and Ruth claims £400 had already been paid.

"For me that is a lot of money," said Ruth. "That was going to cost more than the church, cars, everything."

Ruth said she and her mother were due to pay half the cost of the outfit each. Now mother-of-three Ruth doesn't know how she will afford another dress for the wedding, due to be held at Llanfrechfa Church.

Ruth claimed she had been told her dress may be sold at auction, leaving her to bid for it if she still wanted it.

"Regardless of the fact I have paid £400, I will have to pay whatever I bid," she said. "I do not see why I should have to pay more.

"But I feel sorry for the girls getting married in the next few weeks. I had a shock but I can get over it and go out and buy a new dress."

TANIA'S STORY Tania Reynolds also says she is luckier than some of those who ordered their dream dresses from The Wedding Collection.

Although only weeks away from her big day on August 11, she has been able to find a replacement.

And she and partner Adrian Hall, of Morden Road, Newport, took out wedding insurance so they should get their money back.

She found the dress she wanted last October so paid £640 to The Wedding Collection. Mr Hall claimed: "It was supposed to be delivered at the beginning of June for a fitting but she (Mrs Arthur) kept putting it back. By last weekend we had got fed up."

EMMA'S STORY

EMMA O'Brien had already bought bridesmaids' dresses and pageboys' outfits to match the wedding gown she had ordered from The Wedding Collection.

She found out the shop had closed when she returned from a weekend away at 4am on Monday and her boyfriend Ian Morgan told her.

"I was gutted," said Emma, of Lambourne Crescent, Bettws, Newport.

Emma and Ian are due to marry in the Dominican Republic next February. She said her mother had already paid £275 towards the outfit, which with the veil and headpiece was set to cost around £475.

Now Emma, 21, is hoping she may be able to deal with the dressmakers directly.

out on a limb: Ruth Thompson paid out £400 towards the cost of her dress