Franchised bookstores operating under the Angus & Robertson banner yesterday abandoned the collapsed retail group over a dispute involving outstanding gift vouchers.
A group of 25 independent bookstore owners said they were terminating their franchising agreement with A&R because parent company RedGroup Retail, now in the hands of corporate insolvency group Ferrier Hodgson, would not allow them to redeem customers’ gift vouchers.
“Customers have viewed this as an act of bad faith that has caused considerable damage to the Angus & Robertson brand in which every franchisee has made a substantial investment,” said Marie Fitzpatrick, an A&R franchise operator from Bowral in NSW.