Allied Carpets
| Company type | Public company (formerly) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail (floor coverings) |
| Founded | 1950s |
| Founder | Harold Plotnek |
| Defunct | 2015 |
| Fate | Ceased operations |
| Headquarters | Orpington, London Borough of Bromley , United Kingdom |
| Products | Carpets, laminate flooring, wood flooring, curtains |
Allied Carpets was a British retail chain focused on floor coverings, with carpets comprising approximately 80% of its offerings, alongside laminate, wood flooring, and curtains. Following financial difficulties and changes in ownership, the company ceased operations in 2015.
History
Harold Plotnek established Allied Carpets during the 1950s by selling on market stalls in Birmingham. By the end of that decade, the business had grown to include a warehouse. In the early 1970s, Plotnek joined forces with Leon Fisher, George Morris, and Mayer Myers—each running their own independent carpet outlets—to create Allied Carpets.
The firm went public on the London Stock Exchange in 1971 and was among the first to introduce large-scale carpet retail stores located on main roads, often converting former car showrooms for this purpose. Unlike typical smaller carpet retailers who relied solely on sample books, Allied maintained extensive in-store carpet roll stock and operated substantial central warehouses to ensure prompt delivery. In 1972, the company diversified into beds with a dedicated store in Birmingham. By 1973, Allied had expanded to over twenty large-format stores across the country and acquired Williams Furniture, a high street chain comprising more than eighty branches.
To facilitate further growth, a headquarters and major distribution facility were established in West Bromwich in 1974. The company was purchased by the Asda Group in 1978. Curtains were added to the product range in 1980. In 1985, the brand simplified its name to Allied, launched Contracts and Insurance Replacement Divisions, and introduced upholstery products.
By 1989, Allied operated more than 180 outlets and rebranded as Allied Maples Group Ltd.
At its height, Allied Carpets enjoyed notable cultural prominence within Great Britain, being referenced in comedic works such as Reeves and Mortimer's song 'My Rose Has Left Me' and the television series One Foot in the Grave. A prominent customer dispute over service led to a High Court ruling rejecting an application to scatter ashes inside an Allied store in 1997.
Sale to Carpetland
In December 1993, Asda Group sold Allied Carpets to Carpetland, which traded under Carpetland Carpet Centres Ltd. After Carpetland's financial collapse in 1990 and a management buyout in 1991, Carpetland operated eighty-five stores—approximately half of Allied’s store count at that time. Following the acquisition, the combined entity managed around 250 locations.
The West Bromwich head office of Allied closed in March 1994, coinciding with rebranding from Carpetland back to Allied Carpets. The company discontinued its upholstery division to concentrate exclusively on carpet sales.
Public offering
Allied Carpets was floated on the London Stock Exchange in July 1996 with an estimated valuation close to £200 million. The company also retained ownership of Carpetland during this period.
Financial irregularities
In July 1998, trading of shares was suspended due to accounting irregularities involving premature revenue recognition before carpets were fitted. Managing director Ray Nethercott stepped down in April 1999.
In November 1998, Carpetright purchased twenty-seven stores—including several Carpetland branches—for £12 million.
Sale to Tapis Saint-Maclou
French carpet retailer Tapis Saint-Maclou from Wattrelos acquired Allied Carpets for £84 million in September 1999. At the same time, TS-M also purchased German retailer Teppich Essers based in Aachen, owner of Ihr Teppichfreund. By 2001, Allied had expanded its footprint by adding thirty out-of-town retail warehouse outlets.
Media Agency
In January 2010, Allied selected the7stars to handle their media planning and purchasing activities.
Administration
In December 2008, Allied enlisted the services of investment bank Lazard to explore potential buyers. Subsequently, on 17 July 2009, Allied Carpets Properties was placed into administration amid the economic downturn of the late 2000s.
The appointed administrators, BDO Stoy Hayward, promptly sold 51 out of 217 stores along with the insurance division to Allied Carpets Retail Limited. This transaction safeguarded around four hundred jobs and averted a collapse similar to that experienced by other retailers such as MFI, Woolworths, and Zavvi.
The store located in the West Midlands at Merry Hill Shopping Centre, which had operated since 1986 as part of an Enterprise Zone project, was closed that summer after twenty-three years of business; it was subsequently replaced by HomeSense.
Allied entered administration once more on 21 April 2012. Within three days, it was acquired through a pre-pack administration arrangement by a firm connected to Floors-2-Go.
Structure
The company’s headquarters were situated at Allied House, 76 High Street, Orpington in the London Borough of Bromley, close to the intersection of the A208 and A224 roads. In Scotland, operations were conducted under the General George brand.