Hope for Olan Mills customers
Furious Express & Star readers who lost out to the collapse of photography giants Olan Mills were today offered a glimmer of hope.Furious Express & Star readers who lost out to the collapse of photography giants Olan Mills were today offered a glimmer of hope. Click here to watch the video Administrators say some people may still get their pictures while others should be able to claw back the money they splashed out on professional portraits. Olan Mills, which had branches in Wolverhampton, Aldridge and Stourbridge, went into administration on Friday - leaving hundreds of people out of pocket and 1,000 people jobless. Many customers had paid for pictures intended to be Christmas presents for relatives. Read the full story in the Express & Star
Administrators say some people may still get their pictures while others should be able to claw back the money they splashed out on professional portraits.
Olan Mills, which had branches in Wolverhampton, Aldridge and Stourbridge, went into administration on Friday - leaving hundreds of people out of pocket and 1,000 people jobless.
Many customers had paid for pictures intended to be Christmas presents for relatives.Now it has emerged that photos, which have been taken and saved on computer could still be given to those who have paid.
Richard Griffiths, from administrators KPMG, said: "We're trying to match all the photos up to all the customers.
"If customers have paid and ordered, we're trying to match them up.
"If the customers have purchased goods in excess of £100 on a credit card, that will probably be covered by their credit card company."
Debit card users are not covered and have been advised to write to the administrators.
Deirdre Whitehouse, aged 37, of Tividale, is one of those who may still get her images after paying for a £60 package.
The financial administrator and her daughter Bethany, five, had photos taken on December 9 at the Wolverhampton city centre branch of Olan Mills.
She said: "I'm one of the lucky ones because I didn't order a very expensive package but some of the bits and pieces were Christmas cards for my family. The first I knew of it was when I opened the paper."
"After ringing the helpline, she was told she may be able to pick her photos up from Northamptonshire, where Olan Mills was based.
* People seeking refunds should register a claim by writing to the administrators at 2 Cornwall Street, Birmingham, B3 2DL, giving details of the amount paid. More advice is available on 08457 585351.
By Mike Woods
