BLACKWELLS - boom to bust?

Blackwell UK has made an operating loss of nearly £9.4m for its most recent financial year, and is blaming supermarkets and e-tailers for hitting sales and eroding margins through "buying" sales with excessive discounting.

For the 12 months to 27th June 2009, Blackwell UK saw turnover fall from £77.8m to £74.2m. Although costs were also reduced - from £56.6m to £54.9m - administrative expenses rose more than £1m to £28.7m, resulting in an operating loss of £9.4m. The retailer lost roughly £6m the previous year.

As a result, the company's board is planning yet another restructuring, what appears to be the third in as many years. This restructuring will be combined with "a continuous improvement plan in a number of critical services areas" to reduce losses, the company said. Blackwell has already undergone one series of restructures since Andrew Hutchings became chief executive in September 2008, which resulted in the combining of the retail and library supply businesses into one operation, and the departure of commercial director Sue Townsend.

In the review of the business, the directors described it as a "challenging year". The review added: "The bookselling industry in both academic and trade sectors endured unprecedented level of discounting, which damaged sales and margins across all categories.

"This was also evidenced in the market share growths for both supermarket and online retail, where sales were bought at the cost of low margins or break-even deals."

The retailer's library services arm also had a "challenging year", with the report saying "we saw downturns across all markets against the previous year", as a result of funding cut backs and unfavourable exchange rates, owing to the economic situation.

However, the company emphasised that "extensive work around lean methodology meant we were able to take substantial cost out of the business".

In December 2009, Blackwell secured a new three-year loan from Toby Blackwell Ltd for £7m, replacing the asset-based lending facility, which ended that month. In May last year Toby Blackwell told The Bookseller that he had secured the future of the Blackwell bookshop chain as a private business by setting up an "impervious" 80-year trust that will take ownership of the voting shares after he dies.

Blackwell sold the North American division of Blackwell Book Services to US distributor Baker & Taylor in December last year.

SOURCE: THE BOOKSELLER thebookseller.com

WEIGHTWATCHERS BRIDLINGTON

Martin Crossland leaves Weight Watchers at the end of July 2010.
At the start of 2011 he will lead his own meeting in Bridlington and is to launch:
'THE WINNERS PLAN'
He hopes to lead at least 2 meetings, possibly 3 each and every week in the town. His first will start at 10.30am Saturday January 15th back at the Seabirds, Fortyfoot, Bridlington, where he ran his very successfull Weightwatchers meetings.

CALL MARTIN ON: 0779 368 0821 FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

ALTERNATIVELY YOU CAN VISIT THE WEBSITE AT:
www.weightlostwinners.com

The email address for 'Weight Lost Winners' is as follows:
wlw@tokenhouse.net

The cost for all of the new 2011 meetings will be as follows:
Your very first meeting £5.50 which includes a welcome pack.
Second meeting & onwards £3.50 or buy the pass, as shown below.
FOUR WEEK PASS £10.50 GIVES YOU ONE MEETING FREE EVERY MONTH.

BUY BOOKS WITH BOOK TOKENS

REDEEM YOUR NATIONAL BOOK TOKENS HERE

Although we have always exchanged your paper book tokens for books, these had to be posted in to us first.
With the advent of the new plastic book token gift card, which is electronic, you simply have to quote the number on the card and we will deduct the cost of the book direct - there is no charge for delivery of books purchased by book tokens from us within Europe.
Please note however that these books are sold to you at the cover price (RRP) no discounts are given. This is because of the high fees imposed on us by Book Tokens Limited when we cash them in.

To buy books with book tokens, please fill in a request form here:
www.firstbookshop.com/bookordering.htm

Book Tokens Gift Card Launched FEB 1st

ELECTRONIC BOOK TOKENS (EGC)

First day Monday 1st February 2010 - OFFICIAL LAUNCH.
First Bookshop, the very first to sell book tokens online, will be first off the mark with this new historic development, so be amongst the first to buy the NEW BOOK TOKENS ONLINE and don't forget that these are of course the national variety, welcome by bookshops and booklovers throughout the UK

BUY NATIONAL BOOK TOKENS FREEPOST AT:
www.firstbookshop.co.uk

Free £25 Theatre Beak Voucher OFFER EXTENDED

GREAT VOUCHER GIVE AWAY NOW UNTIL 28th FEBRUARY 2010 !

Due to the great success of our offer for a free £25 'Superbreak.com' voucher, these will now be given out with every wallet you request when purchasing Theatre Tokens until the end of February 2010. Vouchers can be used for any theatre break for 2 or more people taken before 30th April 2010.

Order UK National Theatre Tokens freepost now at:
tokenline.co.uk
Or telephone: 01262 604828.

WE ARE THE OFFICIAL ONLINE AGENTS FOR BOOK TOKENS & THEATRE TOKENS

UK Post Strike Over & Our Next Day Service Resumes

Receive your gift vouchers next day again, guaranteed delivery reinstated.
Buy Book Tokens or Theatre Tokens value £100 or more and this service is free.
Orders under £100 can be delivered next day for a subsidised fee of just £3.50 not available Sundays.
No other website offers this feature and we are very pleased to be able to resume our guarantees for next day now the postal strike has ended.
For TOKENS ONLINE go to:
www.sendtoday.co.uk
FREE £25 SUPERBREAK VOUCHERS WITH ALL ORDERS FOR UK THEATRE TOKENS UNTIL CHRISTMAS !

Electronic Book Tokens Now 2010

The launch of electronic Book Tokens has been delayed once again.

The Booksellers Association has postponed the launch of its electronic National Book Tokens gift card until next year, citing "an ongoing regulatory issue" caused by a third party as the cause.

The launch date has been pushed back several times, having initially been scheduled for launch in 2006 or 2007. At its 2008 a.g.m, the BA said the gift card scheme would come on stream in early 2009, and a pilot has been running since June which, in August, was described as "going very well".

We will therefore be continuing to issue the traditional paper book vouchers until further notice, with all orders £100 and over weekdays, being sent free for next day delivery (UK only).