woooooo big blue rules

Yippee,
But does GJ keep with us?

Lets hope not!!

That is a sick joke if its true.

anyone know which stores have been sold?

yes

I feel like **** today. Like a school playground. Oh well, I'll get over it. It is just a job and I know, Someone out there will hire me sooner or later. Sooner, I hope.HA HA I'm glad for the people whos jobs were saved. Just pissed off big blue won.

can you name a few stores whom are left thanx

Well. I have to say after bein with choices for 3 years i am sad to say goodbye. I just a lucky one with a job although the thought of bein part of 'the big blue' makes me ill right now. Sure will get used to it in time. RIP CHOICES. Hope it all works out for stores not sold.

well im one of them stores still in the running back to work tomorrow as usual what was that comment earlier without the support of the employees they would not have completed the sale what about us now they really dont give a damn shall i turn up tommorow what do you think .

To let you know i only know so far ormskirk, wythenshaw, blackpool an leyland. Not sure who others are

EDUCATION

1991 - 1992 – Granton Institute Of Technology Business Operations & Procedures / Music Production & Promotion·

1993 - 1994 - Columbia Academy.
Digital /Analog Recording Arts·

1994 - 1995 - Columbia Academy
Recording Engineer, Mastering, and Music Promotion

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2003 – I Don't Know ChoicesUK
Manager
Sales of Movies / Rentals
Sell Thru, Games
General bookwork
Stock Control
Time Sheets
Customer Service

Summary of qualifications

I consider myself to have excellent communication skills through working with the public. Meeting a whole range of clientele throughout my work experience. I am confident that I can communicate on all levels, both verbal and written. I have lots of sales experience in musical instruments and electronics. I would be a good asset to your company. I am a fast learner. I work hard and I am a trustworthy person.

kettering is one aswell

If you want to know whos Big Blue and whos not. Look at youre email at the bottom of who it was sent too. If you got the **** out of luck letter. All the names at the bottom will be **** out of luck too.

no kettering hasnt been sold

If you want to know whos Big Blue and whos not. Look at youre email at the bottom of who it was sent too. If you got the **** out of luck letter. All the names at the bottom will be **** out of luck too.

Congrats kettering. After years of Slatin blocky we now have to wear the nasty blue shirt.

Welcome to all the new staff from Choices, you will definitely be welcome with us already here at the "Big Blue".

stores left to wait and see - edgbaston, pendeford, oswestry, cardiff 1, rhyl, shrewsbury, blackheath, kidderminster1 & 2 borrowash, liverpool 1, thirsk, selby, to name but a few.

at least your job is safe who cares what shirt you are wearing

Shirts not important, we are getting stock of Games,wii's,Ps3's, All the sweets we have not been able to get for 4 weeks and more rental stock than wehave had before...if it's true then the colour of the shirt does not mater. I haven't had lots of games consoles to sell for months...IF they can give us stock we haven't had it will do for me.

SO DOES ANY ONE KNOW WHEN THE CHOICES STORES
IN PETERBOROUGH ARE CLOSING.???
GOD KNOWS WHY THEY ARE STILL OPEN???
THEY CAN'T BE MAKING THAT MUCH MONEY NOW??

I am one of the Gamestation guys who were part of the concession stores bought over by Blockies to make us Blockbuster Games. I have been treated with a level of respect and trust that other companies might not offer given the circumstances. It's not all bad working for the big blue, they're going places! You'll get out what you put in. Trust Me!

Kettering 1 has not been sold,we are one of the 76 stores that still waits to see what happens.For those of you who have gone to Blockbusters at least you can all sleep at night knowing you can pay your bills and morgage at the end of the month.Good luck to you all,whos knows you might even get a pay rise.Im sure it cant be any worse than working for Choices with the pay we were on and the hours we were expected to work,for those of us who are left we will just have to keep waiting for that call.From Cath at Kettering 1. Good Luck to all.

I've worked for choices for 5 years and in the begining it was good, but as time has gone by i've basically been shat on. I went form being a full time worker to assistant manager and then to being a acting manager for which i was swindled out of pay for the work i had done.

The higher management are the ones to blame for all this with their stupid ideas that left us in an unsavable position.(namely the tv channel and different pos every 5 minutes)

I wish they would just get on with the closures so i and the rest of my collegues at my store can get on with their lives outside of Choices! And also the best of luck to everyone else in the same position.

i work in one of the shops that has been bought by blockbusters and i think its really cool, as i dont have to find a new job right on top of xmas. thank you blockies

is the sale still on?

***
face

I'm not angry at anyone - it just makes me sad. I hope that all the stores who haven't been bought have something sorted out very soon, it must be terrible to be left out like that. I have to walk past my old store every day, and the empty shell that's left reminds me that six years of working there have gone just like a fart in the wind and I haven't got a clue what to do now.
I truly hope that doesn't happen to others, it's happened to too many already. If you've been bought out by Blockbuster, at least you have your job, your colleagues and your customers. That's what I (and probably many others) miss the most.

Blame, Blame, Blame
The Blame is everyone, from bottom to top.

First lets blame the customers:
They want cheap prices; lots don’t have a lot of money. You should know that, Choices wasn’t, a driving a jag company. But you knew that when you applied.
They want it all and cheap, and if you can’t deliver they’ll go somewhere else that can. Movies that come out too late after the cinemas. So what happens, they download. And so on, and so on. So bad customers, we blame you. Oh ya, I do the same, Shame on me, but not for download, I was good.

Managers
Good, bad, happy, sad.
Lots of you would never be able to put manager on your CV if not for choices. There were Great managers and people who stole and tried to **** the company for there own needs. Managers who were good but not enough experience. So why didn’t all good managers help out the ones who were trying. They tried with different programs, but as usual it got swept up the rug fast. So, shame on the mangers, for not trying to help out a bit. Even myself, could have done more. Choices could have had better mangers but it would have cost them more. So think as Choices as McDonald’s for mangers. No one would have giving you the chance, but now you can say I was a manager, and maybe go to the better paying manager job that you wanted in the first place. Head office had planogram, and **** like that, how hard was it really to implement. Not hard at all, but lots didn’t do it. I could go over many reasons why we failed, but not enough room. So blame, blame the Managers.

Head Office
They tried, but failed, TOO MANY CHEIFS AND NOT ENOUGH INDIANS MAKE FOR A BAD TRIBE. Half the time there were to many people to get a hold of. They had it right with customer service, one number, one call, it wasn’t the best but it was a step in the right direction. Now the list ha ha , just look back at all the postings, I think know one really knew who did what, all I know is your all to blame too. Cost saving, great, I’m for that, did you really try. By the way I have enough POS to do a few stores. T.V., phones, games, ect, ect, ect. At least I know in my heart that they ****ed up more then me. So blame you at head office for spending other people’s money, with bad decisions. There were good decisions too, but the bad ones were costly.

So as you can see the machine broke and no one knew how to fix it. Such is life in business. People move on, get new jobs, and blame other but never there selves. I don’t know if my stores will me there on Monday, but if it’s not I’ll go home, have a beer. Then worry about the next chapter.
YOU WLL LIVE.
I have kids, wife bla bla bla too. But it’s not the bloody end of the world. What you feel right now not knowing what’s going on, will be worse then finding a job.

So blame all who worked for Choices
I’m going to be the first,

I’M SORRY FOR EVERYTHING I DID WRONG TO FAIL YOU.

PS
I do think the current behaviours of what’s left of the company is Horrible. Talk about miss treated. We don’t know who to talk to. We are left in a sinking ship and the captains took off. Thanks for the support; you could have been more supporting till they shut my shop. There has got to be a law about this.
I want, at least my area manager to call to say thanks for all your hard work, instead of silence. And if I wasn’t at work, you know my mobile. As for whos left at head office, Someone phone and say Hi, I work with Big Blue now but, How can I help you.
So Blame and shame on you.

oh why don't you lot shut the hell up!!! some of you have jobs, some of you don't and some of you are left to wonder. I am one of the unlucky office based people who have been took on by blockies as part of the going concern. i didn't ask to be moved over the administrators arranged to transfer us over. we will be jobless in a matter of weeks as blockies ho is in london and i have children so just not practical for me to move. i have been with the company a long time and have been store aswell as office based. i also don't normally defend gj but at the moment he looks like a guy whos had his heart well and truly ripped out. he never stopped working hard for you guys in stores, he fought the system on your behalf and yeah he lost most the battles with the board but at least he tried more than most of you lot sitting on the counters in stores watching films and eating take aways.........yeah big brother was watching you!

Don't think you can really blame the customers for being human, if you can get something better for cheaper somewhere else you take it; your stupid if you dont. I know I would (and do). Hell, I even tell customers which shops they can get what they're looking for at if we dont have it, to me thats just looking after my customers (and yes they do come back to us first for the next thing they're after). You look out for your cutomers and they're more likely to be loyal towards you since your showing them that you actually give a damn.
I'm not even going to start on the situation with the games sales and rental (let me say this though, the people in charge of games at HO were blatently not interested in gaming themselves. Just look at the amount of stock not sent for the years big releases and the amount of cheap **** no-one ever buys we got instead).
You want someone to blame for people buying cheaper then blame human nature and the bloody supermarkets with thier habit of buying in large bulk quantities and undercutting everyone.
The movies coming out too late point, thats due to the distributors, although you gotta love the fact that they then complain that they're not selling enough due to people having downloaded/bought pirate copies 'cause they dont want to wait anything up to six months for a release and then have to pay nearly £20 for it *points at Disney*. The downloading/pirate copies point I totaly agree with, that dosn't benifit anyone. FACT have at least been trying with their name and shame posters and the 'Knock-off Nigel' song which, although kinda amusing, was at the end of day really too little too late. It's great that they have these campaigns but just going on what it's like at markets and car-boot sales in my local area they need more people in the field actually doing something about it (and before someone points it out I also appreciate to that they need police time and support to do that. Don't get me started on the bloody useless police.....). I've been to one of our local car boot sales before and I swear at least every other stall was selling copied DVDs.

I dont think I've been with the company long enough to really comment on managers since I only know a couple of them properly. I know in our area that for the most part even the ones that arent sure of what they're supposed to be doing aren't afraid of asking for help. Our manageress and the others I know are more than happy to help others out if they can. There are times when I don't think HO have helped though. There have been more than a couple of times when they've sent stuff for their latest hair-brained money making scheme where you find yourself looking at the instructions thinking that the badly translated ones you get with cheap Japanese stuff are easier to understand. Just before I wander off the point completly, planograms are great and many-wonderous things to use........when HO could actually be bothered to keep them updated and leave them available on the system so that when you've inevitably lost that original copy by the time stuff needs straightening, you can print another. I'm also sure I'm not the only one that noticed that since it started there was less and less enthusiasm put into making the CSI's for us.

As for HO, there really is nothing that can be said that hasn't already been argued over. As far as that and all the moaning about GJ goes, I'm not touching it with a 10 foot barge pole.

I have to admit that I'm fortunate to be in one of the stores bought out by Blockies. I know I can't possibly know how bad the feelings of uncertainty have gotten since the announcement of the sale of some of the shops. It was bad enough when they told us they'd sold the Local and Direct sides of the company and the rest of us were still in the lurch. There are still people I know and enjoy working with through covering for other stores that are still in that position.

I know that everyone in our store will agree with me when I say to all the stores that are still in the lurch we are still thinking of you and hoping that at the very least something will happen to resolve this for you. I hope that, even if it's under someone elses brand name, you are able to stay open and that your jobs will be safe. If not I hope they at least decide something soon so you can at least move on without all the stress, worry and uncertanty of not knowing. For what it's worth coming from a lowly sales-assistant I at least would like to say a huge thank you to all the people in other stores who have been on the other end of the phone on the occasions when I myself have been stuck or we have run out of stock for customers for all they're help and support.

Good luck and all the best for future to all of you (and yes that does include those transfered from HO that are looking at being out of work themselves after the transitional period)

i have no simpath for the choices company formally hec i am in a small town and when choices came along we had 1000 videos in store to rent choices came along and the first month were giving people that joined them a few free rentals so people flocked to the store but a lot of people did not know that choices were playing withe the banks money now they have gone , i am still here now with 1000 dvds but a lot poorer thanks to choices,choices only have the bosses to blame for expanding so quickly on borrowed money.

**** me. Have I really been working with such a bunch of backward, illiterate saps for the past 3 years....?

If some of you muppets are in any way representative of our company, then thank **** we are being put out of our misery.

Know-it-all ********s who can't even write properly. Get over yourselves. If you are as smart as you think you will find work, but I suspect one day you will look back at your time at Choices as the peak of your careers. Pardon the negativity but I really am astounded at the overwhelming gayness and cowardice of some of my "colleagues" who come on here and **** off individuals without having the balls to do so to their faces. Why don't you leave your real names if you're so 'kin hard eh? *******s...

to be truthful i am just sick of the waiting its like being on deathrow and told we are going to flick the switch, well pwc just get on and do it, it will take 12 weeks for the redundancy to be sorted...that will make amerry christmas wont it.....

At last a positive and kind comment from post 46. I am from one of the stores waiting and waiting and waiting to hear whats going to happen, and yes i too am sick of the pressure and worry, customers moaning because we dont have 28 days later, wild hogs or anything else that they havent yet seen. Please PCW all we ask is keep us informed. Are talks for a sale for the remaining 79 stores continuing? are you going to close us? we do have a right to know. We are human we have families homes and bills to pay. Surely thats not asking too much. I dont want to read anymore o***ing off this or that person, whats the point? its happened so get on with your lives as best you can. I wish health, wealth and happiness to us all, after all the only way is up now.

The constant and ridiculously uneducated search for someone to blame needs to end on here now. Everyone has made mistakes - thats life, deal with it. Store staff are happy to cite over ordering of pos whilst forgetting that the business "lost" half a million quid when the stockchecks were completed in July. This was stolen (by store staff) yet no-one wants to acknowledge their own shortfalls

The going concern including cerif has been sold to BB and there are no operators left to run the stores (I'm not surprised they ****ed off to BB given all the **** thrown at them on here) Face it BB took the profitable ones and there is no-one else out there going to take on a load of unprofitable video shops with no central function or epos system.

Its a shame but inevitable, stop looking for someone to blame and stop fighting amongst yourselves. The shops will all be gone in a matter of days, at least have some dignity and show some pride. The signs have been there for two years its no good being angry now

Dont you know you dont get any redundancy pay from Choices or pwc, they send you a (RP1) form so that you can get money from the national insurance fund, but you claim for one weeks pay for each full year worked,to the max of £310.00 for each week. this is the same for holiday pay,wages and notice pay for each week only £310.00

You will also be sent a (RP2) form so you can claim your four weeks notice pay, but you will not get this untill the end of your notice period, so for thr four weeks you you live on bread and water.

If you get a job in your four weeks notice period you dont get the money!!!!!

i hold my head high i speak only for myself i NEVER took anything from the store that wasnt paid for. I have my own self respect and a clear conscience.

illiterate saps
overwhelming gayness

Well done Archie for the biggest idiot on here.

Thanks for going out of your way to prove my point.

"...why don't you leave your real names if your so..."
Archie the Leper, eh? Clearly your Ma' was impressed!

mr skitt has left the building been sent packing

just to let all my staff know that they are a great team and if everything goes wrong i will miss you all and good luck thanks for all your hard work effort and time put into the shop
shirl

The rot, as has been pointed out by posters who clearly know what they are talking about because they were there, started over 4 years ago. Store openings at the rate of 1 every two weeks, in locations big enough to land a Harrier Jump jet in and in the wrong areas as well. A board that ruled by bullying and not listening. Names that have been mentioned so far didn't even work at Choices when this started. Some people who are posting are happy to blame others, without even the basic understanding of the companies history and how its was structured in the first place. The retail division was ALWAYS a poor fourth after wholesale, online and Local. I've spoken to and regularly worked with those at head office in the retail section and I can tell you that they busted their ***'s to get stock for the stores and were frustrated by the boards insistence that wholesale in particular got the lions share. I've spoken to some already mentioned and those who haven't and the pain at what has happened is so obvious in their voice that only a fool couldn't detect it. I've worked with many in my time at Choices and loved doing so, even the ones that drove you mad from time to time. There is no way that any one person or group of people can be pointed out as the sole reason for Choices failure. It is a fiercely competitive market out there and external factors that no one at Peterborough had control of played a large part in Choices fall from grace. To point and say it was his fault, her fault, their fault is childish in the extreme and should not be thought of a common trait in Choices staff and managers. Are so many of my fellow workers and Managers really that petty... I hope not or I've been become a very poor judge of character.

rumour has it blockbuster are intrested in buying another 35 stores can anyone shed some light on this or know if it is true or any other gossip at this minute

"...why don't you leave your real names if your so..."
Archie the Leper, eh? Clearly your Ma' was impressed!

I'm not ****ging off individuals or naming names from behind the comfort of my alias though am I? The people who are doing so were the object of my ire, (which should have been obvious) so quit being a smart ****

Great post Optimus Frag.

BIG BLUE BUYS 38 MORE STORES !!!!!!!!!

I've heard that Blockbusters maybe buying some extra stores. Ones that make profit but reasons such as location stopped them from getting them in the initial 59. The remaining people at CS and PWC are really pushing these stores to be brought. I can't tell you numbers but hopefully in the next couple of days we'll have an announcement.

well lets face it stores that have not already had a lick off paint recently can say goodbye cant they, bigblue will move into locations that can a quick profit till christmas then walk away.....they have already had what they want, anymore stores taken on will have to be rebranded and recarpeted and repainted.......how many of the remaining stores have new signage have good carpets........have been recently reprofiled.....

i am sure there are not many....

just my two penneth

B/B didn't aqquire the cerif system, Webb bought that when it bought the IT department. BB still use an antique system not unfamiliar to HIT, roll on.

having worked for choices for over three years, i am sad to say i took my first trip to the job centre today! this in itself was an ordeal, but the fact that i will soon be leaving a store where we have excellent staff,( i use the word staff although in all honestly they are more like a family), as well as customers who are genuinly interested whether we will still be open in the future makes it all the more depressing!!!
not only will i be sad at leaving my own staff i will be sad to no longer be in contact with the many other store managers and store teams who gave me endless help when i needed it while the store was in between managers. my thanks and sincere good wishes go to all choices stores still remaining who are still looking out for each other ( i received a phone call from another store manager telling me of job vacancies in my area, if that isnt proof of just how excellent choices staff are then i dont know what is! jolene it was a lovely thing to do x) and to mark mclay who gave his old stores a much appreciated phone call to let us know he was still thinking of us.again to all remaining choices staff and new blockbusters staff good luck to you all

YOUR AD HERE!

although our shop is still open i just want to say a big thankyou to everyone who has wished us well in finding a new job and good luck for the future,there are only 4 of us that work in our store and they are the best friends i have ever made i will miss them all greatly although we will keep in touch i hope,also i want to say thankyou to cath bull who has been the best manager anyone could have wished for always there to support you in everything making sure we were all ok all of the time i wish her well in her next job and all the luck in the world she deserves it, we have always said we would leave together and here we are waiting for the call but when we do leave we are all going to have a good drink and wish everyone at choices the best luck we all deserve that too good luck everyone hope it all turns out well and you get the job you want x

stop moaning and get a life the lot of ya - u work for minimum wage in a video shop for gods sake! its not the end of the world - go find yourselves a job with better pay and career prospects - and give us all a break

get it right.. its actuall above min wage!!! and its not all about the job... we work with friends!!!

"stop moaning and get a life the lot of ya - u work for minimum wage in a video shop for gods sake! its not the end of the world - go find yourselves a job with better pay and career prospects - and give us all a break"

haha once again, what a C to the U to the N to the T.

Would love to hear you talk like this in "real life". Oh I t
ought not, seeing as you're a whiny little ****** who thinks it's amusing to belittle decent, hard-working people doing something they may or may not have loved doing, but cared enough to remark about here on this site.

Your spiteful little post may have made you momentarily feel a little better about yourself, but you come here with mock pity but all I can say is, right back 'atcha.

(these boxes are a ***** to type in).

whats wrong with enjoying working in a video store? choices has been a great place to work, i work with a great team of people, i will miss them and the job and the customers. its quite rare to do a job you thoroughly enjoy so yes it does feel like the end of the world for some of us, id sooner do a job i love and get the minimum wage rather than do a job i hated for more money. so good luck to all choices employees , i think we are gonna find out our fate very soon.

so, is tomorrow gonna be the day we have another announcement? we usually have some communication on a friday.

Well another agonising day at work and no news. I wish pwc or anyone from ho would just give it to us straight so we can deal with it!!!!!!!!!! Does anyone know anymore.....Who's intrested in 35 of our store's.

how many choices stores are left is it 75 or 35 does anyone know

75 stores remain of which 38 are under offer.......personally think its rubbish.....just being being strung along until month end........has anybody received stock, confectionary popcorn anything since this has started

Nobody is forcing you to read these comments, yet you're asking us all to give you a break? I think that the "get a life" comment needs to be repeated, by you, while standing in front of a mirror.

For those of us who worked there for a long time, have seen the demise of video (anyone else remember how the solitary drop of DVD's made it's way into store, and everyone moaned because they didn't have a dvd player and all the video copies were out?), have gone through all the changes in the company, have all lost something. We didn't work there for years for the money - we worked there because we enjoyed it, and because we cared about the people we worked with. It was a good place to work for many and losing that is something that every one of us has a right to be "moaning" about. If you have never had a job you cared about like that, then it is you, just as much as us, who have lost out.

We havent recieved nothing all week,takings are getting less and less everyday..............its really looking bad for us all thats left.

I love my job............have been with choices for 10 years this november and cant imagine doing anything else.Cant imagine not working with the team who 3 of us have been together for 10years. I remember getting the 1st dvd rental we only had 4 and video was still being rented in yellow box sleeve's,yes over the years we have seen many changes the biggest i think has got to be the old hit system...if anyone remebers that and we used to order our own stock from GOLDS. Yes am gonna be gutted if the worse happens but still clinning on to a glimmer of hope.

a reply to archie the leper. we in choices are also hard working people. but we are also part of a team. we are all friends. can't see what is wrong with that. don't know if you are an employee of choices but if so it sounds like you don't care about your job very much. some of us do care. even if it is just minimum wage we still love our job. so why don't u keep your opinions to yourself and let us moan a bit. i think we deserve to, u ********!!!!!!!!!

hello every one, been working for choices for 7 years and 5 months,totally enjoy working in our shop, good customers good colleague, only 4 of us. going thru another day without news whenever the phone rang we will said THIS IS IT But not,another customer want 28 weeks later..
Just want to said big thank you to my mates in the shop especially our manager Cath Bull,She is the Best.
Have to work tonight another 5 hrs waiting for that call....
Please let us know what going on so that we can get on with it, Like.......Looking for another jobs ( i go cry now ) GOOD LUCK & BEST WISHES TO ALL THE REMAINING STAFFS OF CHOICES xxx

Had to laugh, We got an email yesterday telling us not to sell or rent Halo 3 before the launch day on Wednesday! Are they nuts? Who honestly thinks were going to get some? Are they hoping to limp on for another week so we can get some sales from Halo 3 and Fifa 08? Madness I tell ya!

It will be a miracle if we do get any halo 3 or fifa 08 on any format........and the gutting thing is we've got about 8 pre-orders for Halo 3,so this could be another lot of custom we're gonna loose if we dont supply. Already noticing that rental customers are thin,we think they just are'nt bothering to even ask whats new out!!!!!!!!!!!! Sick of say no to wild hogs,28 weeks etr................Are we gonna get Pathfinder and the one everyone will want 300??????????????? I DONT THINK SO!

a reply to archie the leper. we in choices are also hard working people. but we are also part of a team. we are all friends. can't see what is wrong with that. don't know if you are an employee of choices but if so it sounds like you don't care about your job very much. some of us do care. even if it is just minimum wage we still love our job. so why don't u keep your opinions to yourself and let us moan a bit. i think we deserve to, u ********!!!!!!!!!

Not that it matters, but I am actually agreeing with your viewpoint. I think you've got the quotes confused because someone was quoting me. I was having a go at the person attacking Choices employees for working for the minimum wage. I work for Choices, love the company, my customers, and my staff so you got the wrong end of the stick. Easily done though mate, these comment boxes are not inducive for a decent conversation so no worries. - Archie the Leper

Well all of us still hanging on to our jobs and stores,i think this week is gonna be the one to make us or break us. End of the month is coming,no one has hardly any stock,what else is there its getting harder and harder to stay positive. Good luck to you all and keep smilin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Be it this week or next week or even after christmas I say good luck to you all. Thank you to all my staff and collegues for all your hard work and support over the last 4 weeks. take care and all the best for the future.

sorry archie. should have read it properly. good luck to you mate. sorry again. hope we all hear something this week xxxxx

Thanks for that fantastic insight.

well another 24hours pass withour hint PwC...funny how they were so quick to herald success but since so very little.....Please can someone give any hint of what is going down...stop the biting and just give some solid info for a time it seemed people here were bothered......has anyone been approached by other interested parties mentionedby PwC last week......
heres to what feels like the last walk......

No ones contacted us and to be honest, all the staff with me are fed up of it all. i just wish theyd tell us :(

I tried to find out info yeasterday and was told pcw only give out info when the wish and that anyone who is still working for choices at ho,cant just go and knock on the door and ask whats the score. So maybe thats why the email we recieved yesterday,wasnt much help.

All we are trying to do is get through each dayand thats all the focas there is and its getting harder and harder to keep positive and motivated.
Even the customers are starting to abandon us because lack of rental and stock.

had the pain stackin task of letting all the halo 3 pre orders that we would'nt be stocking it and please come and get your deposit back.

just recieved a call saying dont bother coming in because we are no longer open!!!! all i got was a couple of telephone numbers in case i needed advice!!!
ACE!!!!!

Its a sad day Southport was a great store to work at , ok it was not the biggest store, but we had a good customer base. and i good team of staff.

SAD DAY R.I.P SOUTHPORT.

Re: we're closed!!!!!!

As of this morn

How were you told that you are closed? how many stores have closed today does anyone know?

We were informed by sum1 pitching up at 20 past 10 this morning saying game over!!!Think its sum1 from pwc.
Absolutley gutted!!!

R.I.P Barnsley!!!!

:0(

So does anyone know how many stores in total have been closed today? just been to clear my stuff out of Barnsley n rep from administrators had no real answers. Lovin the amount of notice theyve given us, would have thought theyd have learnt from the uproar on the last closures they did but nooooooo even less notice these days.... maybe the next lot will get told AFTER theyve been shut down. Bleeeeeess. Wish all the staff made redundant today all the best n good luck to all remaining Choices staff too.

Richmond has closed. That's 3 shops today so far. Its started.....

any one have any idea what other shops have been closed?

There will 26 stores closing today....fact!

how many have the contacted? whats happening to the other shopd that are left?

contact is face to face, discussions are happening now regarding the remainder and a statement made by the morning

so what shops have been closed so far?

believe cambridge , st neots , biggleswade are casualties

please can anyone say what stores have closed xx

What a **** day for the Southport store guess we all new it was coming just ****e it happened today. Good luck to the Southport staff and of course the rest of the people who lost there jobs today.

We've been closed stony stratford,was a big shock at 10.15am this morning, st neots has gone,bedford,st ives and norwich 4.ans boston.

Have just learnt that 25 closers today,25 tomoz and the rest by the end of the week,so all you guys get prepared.
JUST ******** GUTTED!!!!! ANYONE ELSE GONE TODAY

So are they shutting all the shops? What happened to blockbuster buyin more?

think it was just another rumour that got out of hand x

I think so to, they left some good shops when bb bought shops. Left profitable shops and came up with lame excuses in why they didnt take them.
Pathetic all of it.
Any news on any buyers for any sores?x

All those that are still open and are working tonight...Take what you can!!!

That won't be much though cos theres noffink left on the bloody shelves!!!!!

Then take the shelves!!

Yeah, being one of the southport posse, pretty gutted, thanks to all the staff for laughs and good times! at least i got out my 10 10 shift today!!!!!!!!!!! woooooooohaaaaaaaaaa! time to play halo 3..................

Sorry to hear all your stores that have closed...Ian - Southport, sorry mate, (it's me, Steph ;-0)...it was gona happen sooner than later. Fill in your redundancy forms in as soon as you get them, the friggers take ages (pwc). No more Area meetings with curly butties, frozen spring rolls...Choices would still be open if Mark harrison hadnt been called a fat c**t by GJ in Southport. Col....you can go home now cos' Christopher Biggins aint showing lol!!!! We could all get together and burn our 52 different types of uniform ;-) Good luck to each and every one of you who lost your jobs...including me and my sideick Mr Tibbs. Also good luck to all of ou that have gone over to the good side of Blockies....Take care everyone and for one last time MMM.....ChoicesUk

Only been with choices a short while but really enjoyed working wiht everyone. Our store hasn't closed.....yet! So just playing the waiting game at the mo.

this is a fact all stores will be closed by friday administraitors told us when closed our store today biggleswade is blockbusters now so they r safe

sad day for us all (loughborough) we closed our doors today will miss everyone well the two staff we had left lol,sarah and julia good luck to everyone left luv clare xxxxxxxx

Being ex-employees of Choices Richmond, we were absolutely gutted to hear about their closure today.
Jolene, you were a top manager, and don't ever let anyone make you think otherwise. All the advice you've given to us both has been the most valuable we've received! Thank you! x
Well done Lyndz for getting out at the last second (though Horsforth is doomed too, I fear).
Jenny, maybe it's safer if you're away from our *ahem* 'lovely' customers lol. No, really, we've never worked with anyone as madcap and wacky (unstable?) as you, but we love ya!
Mark, STOP WITH THE COFFEE! And take a holiday, hun, you work too hard =)
Tracy, I didn't know you very well, but it would have been nice to get to know you better before we left.
To Kieran and Todd.... We didn't get to work with you at all, and it sucks that this has happened when you just got settled!
We love you guys, and have all your contact details and will keep in touch, so be sure to drop us a line whenever you want =)
I'm (Charlotte) currently working in the Horsforth store as sort of acting manager, but for all I know, the store could be due to close today. We're preparing for the worst, and it's a shame I didn't get chance to get to know the team there a little better.
Mel left Horsforth to go with Bramley to Blockbuster, and she was trully distraught. She contacted all the staff in Horsforth to try and help them get new jobs, and a great big thanks to her for all her help over the past few weeks.
There's a lot of fantastic teams out there, and it really is true, there is more out there. It feels like the end of an era of sorts (having both worked in Richmond for three years and more). There's a lot of memories (such as Jolene's priceless run in with the 4 foot "rubber" snake that turned out to be real!), as I'm sure is the same for a lot of you. I'm glad I had a job I could be proud to do. Yeah, it's not glamourous, but it was fun. Good times =)
All the best to all the stores out there who have faced the bad news already, and the same to those about to find out their fate.

Charlotte and Jason xxx

p.s. Have you heard about our Platinum clubcard? For the next six months you could get.... oh... never mind. :/

p.p.s. BOOOOO PIRACY! >=(

Alas more stores close and yes Pwc are still spouting the same tired story that the stores are going to be bought. C'mon everyone deserves the truth. There is a lot of blame being past around but the people that deserve the most flack are Pwc as all they have done is lie to the staff running the stores. They don't care what happens they have been paid at the end of the day.
Thank you to all those who have supported us through the years, thank you to the H/O teams (even those who made mistakes, your only human), thank you to the area managers, thank you to all the staff I have worked with and mostly thank you to all of you I know call friends, you will be missed.

PWc are a disgrace to their profession - not only are they liars !!! but even after you have been finished they c**k things up. I was finished nearly 4 weeks ago they lost my pack with my final payslips in it (eventually got RP1 form after nearly two weeksbut no payslips) sent them my mortgage insurance form and they made a mess of that so had to start again. To top it all sent them my RP1 form and they sent it back with no covering letter to explain why??? and try contacting them nobody knows anything. Good luck to you all I am sure our paths will cross again somewhere better.... how about arranging an ex-choices party

SHREWSBURY GONE THIS MORNING 11.00am ON THE DOT.
TOMORROW OSWESTRY STORE,

hi kettering 1 was closed today at 11 just like to say a big thankyou to jo thomas dawn skeels and grace wilkins i couldnt have wished for anyone better to work with we all said we.d be there till the end and we were what a sad day good luck to everyone love cath x

kidderminster 1 and 2 gone today at 11am too. good luck everyone and to think i was hoping for a nice pressie to open as its my birthday today what a lovely way to spend the day. goodbye choices most of it was fun. thank you to all my team for all your hard work big hugs to you all. sue xxxxxx

hi cath! looks like the lick of paint we gave the shop was only for a few weeks then. today thirsk, harrogate 1 and 2 all went. Jarrow received a phone call this evening saying the administrators will be there tomorrow.

At the end of the day we've all heard rumours and it has become a bit like chinese whispers. when truth of the matter is none of us knew what was going on. We received next to nothing in terms of information...kinda like how Choices prepared stores for promotion changes ;-)

The famous four.
You will know who you are.
Well what can i say?So gutted for you all i really am.Even though it was known to be coming it is still a big shock when it finally happens.Each and everyone of you have been just waiting for that day to come,its digusting the way you have all been treated, not like humans just like a number!!!!!!
But throughout this nightmare there has still been a clean and tidy shop to walk into,there has still been the service with a smile and most of all there has still been that warm welcoming atmosphere when entering the shop,so well done to each and everyone of you for that.An excellent manager and her excellent staff,i think of you all at this sad time and am gutted for you all.
You all have some great memories to take with you,Choices came and Choices went so all hold your heads up high and be proud that you all ran an excellent shop.
All the best,goodluck and takecare x

Yeah!!!!!! Lets all get together some where and say our goodbyes.I believe GJ would be more than accomodating to have a knees up round his house. word on the street is that he still insists he did nothing wrong even at a Blockbuster Meeting this week. MMM.....poetry in motion. Hey Col, what ever happened to Ken Dodd's Dads dog????? xxx

Was that vanessa speaking in comment 115??
If it was then then good luck mate hope everything works out for you.

Anyway as Cath has said we shut earlier today-we all knew it was coming. I just want to say a big thank you to Cath Bull for taking me on nearly 7 years ago - she turned out to be more than just a manager - shes a very special friend. Also to my friend Jo Thomas who got me the job, thanks mate a time in my life that I wont forget, and to my buddy Grace Wilkins - what are we gonna do on a Friday and Sa****ay night eh??? lol

I know we will keep in touch but am still gonna miss you all xxx Good luck

All the shops will be closed by the end of the week. get ready

For those like me who lost their jobs August 31st, the first lot to be had by pwc...have you had any september pay or your P45? They keep sending me someone elses stuff....****noses xxx |Good luck everyone...It's not as bad as you might think. I've had a few interviews, a few job offers and still more interviews coming up. I have a job to start the end of
October. Dont anyone worry. It's a bigger, brighter, better place out there waiting for you......Maybe Gerrad Barely and Mark HArrison are supping tequillas somewhere laughing...hope so. GJ is now assistant manager of a small Blockbusters store still tryna push Platinum.

We went today at Harrogate 1, 2's gone also. The administrators told me the rest will be gone by Friday. Seems a shame as I have enjoyed working with you all. Thanks to Jolene at Richmond for all your help and training. Best wishes to everyone.

hi dan how are u mate were all gutted at k1 but hay we knew it was coming thanks for doing the shop it looked lovely we waited for that for 10 years ha then we got it it only lasted 5 weeks thanks mate good luck and take care x and thaks dawn x

Skegvegas got the phone call today also and we have now got the red card. Would like to post some intelligent and inciteful comments on how much i love everyone and all that ******** but i can't be arsed. If there's anyone at choices still hoping to keep their job best to put some more crack in your pipe!!

I work in the Oswestry Branch, or should i say Worked.We closed our doors at 7.00pm tonight, and will not be opening again.What a sad year it has been for all of us that have had the misfortune of being made redundant.All the hard work and dedication we have given to our beloved store has now evaporated into thin air.I shall move on like the rest of us, but will miss the staff like crazy that i have had the pleasure to work with.Good luck and a BIG THANK YOU to all the staff in Oswestry who are Dave, Dawn (Ginge), Sam, Rich, Gareth, Jess, Sarah, Ruth, Vicky and and the friends i have made at ChoicesUk.Here is to a long and successful future for us all !! Loving Regards Will :-)
Here is a song for all of us, sing along now !!! .......
Some things in life are bad,

They can really make you mad,
Other things just make you swear and curse,
When you're chewing life's gristle,
Don't grumble,
Give a whistle
And this'll help things turn out for the best.
And...

They can really make you mad,

Other things just make you swear and curse,
When you're chewing life's gristle,
Don't grumble,
Give a whistle
And this'll help things turn out for the best.
And...

Always look on the bright side of life.
[whistle]
Always look on the light side of life.
[whistle]

If life seems jolly rotten,
There's something you've forgotten,
And that's to laugh and smile and dance and sing.
When you're feeling in the dumps,
Don't be silly chumps.
Just purse your lips and whistle.
That's the thing.
And...

Always look on the bright side of life.
[whistle]
Always look on the right side of life,
[whistle]

For life is quite absurd
And death's the final word.
You must always face the curtain with a bow.
Forget about your sin.
Give the audience a grin.
Enjoy it. It's your last chance, anyhow.
So,...

Always look on the bright side of death,
[whistle]
Just before you draw your terminal breath.
[whistle]

Life's a piece of ****,
When you look at it.
Life's a laugh and death's a joke it's true.
You'll see it's all a show.
Keep 'em laughing as you go.
Just remember that the last laugh is on you.
And...

Always look on the bright side of life.
Always look on the right side of life.
[whistle]

Always look on the bright side of life!
[whistle]
Always look on the bright side of life!
[whistle]
Always look on the bright side of life!
[whistle]
Always look on the bright side of life!
[whistle]
Always look on the bright side of life!
[whistle]
Always look on the bright side of life!
[whistle]
Always look on the bright side of life!
[whistle]
Always look on the bright side of life!
[whistle]

Repeat to fade...

a poor start followed by an average middle but your finish was strong,if a little formulaic.your through to the next round.

Archie if you are here, good luck to you, and all the wonderful staff that have finally bing released.
sings"BORN FREE"

I was one of the first wave of closures at the back end of August. I have one of my two last payslips, somebody else's P45 and no word from either PwC or the redundancy payments office at the DTI as to when I could possibly expect to have some redundancy pay. I haven't even had a pay-in-lieu of notice claim form which is supposed to be sent to people once their normal notice period they would have had has expired.
The Choices Employees helpline set up by PwC is "unavailable".
I wish all the Choices staff good luck. It hasn't been pretty has it?

At Last the agony is over, MAN IN BLACK came to the shop
at 11 am,told us the news.SAD SAD SAD DAY FOR ALL OF US. To my three dear friends.. so long farewell and sayonara..... i will miss you
Choicesuk missed you already thanks for the chocolate,sweets,drinks,icecreams &popcorns. my Xmas sorted. Better get my *** up to find another job.
GOOD LUCK EVERYBODY XXXXXXXXXXX

I rang and spoke to Chris Dunnell (who's nice and although her job will soon be gone, she's still funny) I'm getting my exspenses too!!!! yay, all those trips to other stores, Colin and I were like Dempsey & Makepeace. I bet a lot of you are hungover today...Will, Dawn....keep in touch. Sam, give me your animal crossing numbers so I can invade.. MWAH xxxxxx P.S. Mr Tibbs where are you Pissface

Grace i CANNOT believe you went and got all that CONFECTIONARY out of the bin HA HA,i always said you was a MAD woman.Now i know you are
love Cath x

HEY CHARLOTTE, WHERE DO U GET OFF SAYING UR ACTING MANAGER OF HORSELAND UR A HORSE URSELF U MAD ****
I HEARD SONIA'S THE ACTING MANAGER AS SHE IS GETTING THE £500 BONUS.
LOTS OF LOVE HORSEFACE XXX

What the hell do you think you are talking about! you have no idea what has gone on in Horsforth! Charlotte was acting manager just because sonia's name is down for the '£500' does not mean that she is acting manager of any sort! She didn't do the rota's or any of the other **** that managers have to do! Sonia's name is only down because she is able to get to the store easier than Charlotte! so you heard wrong! you uninformed idiot!

Bonus? What bonus? There's stock missing, in case you forgot, dearest Horsforth team, so no one will get anything. I'm sorry I had to barge in and help out like I did. I'm sorry I did your two month back log of paperwork. I'm sorry for organising the rotas and trying to make everyone happy. I'm sorry for wasting my time, but thankfully, I have a life beyond this childish nonesense. If this is all the thanks I get for trying to make life easier for you all, I'm sorry I even bothered.
lots of love, Over-worked and Underpaid xxx

I was out most of last week and did not get to hear about the closures on the days so I did not get the chance to say goodbye to a few mangers who I've known for many years. so this is the only way I can do it so I'm saying goodbye now to Shirley,Barbera,Tracey and Hazel. I hope you know who you are and who I am. good luck to you all. Shirly i hope your husbands ok.
To all the other staff who I have not named goodbye and good luck to you all.

One last point for all of you who have had moans and groans about Mr G Jackson you know nothing he and his team tried there best to keep as many stores as possible and try to save staff their jobs.

All members of staff remaining at the office are some of the best people and some have become good friends, I have worked with. When that final axe falls I'll miss you all.

Congratulations Market Deeping - the great survivors -
Good Luck everyone.

I WOULD JUST LIKE TO WISH ALL HONEST+HARDWORKING EX-EMPLOYEES OF CHOICES UK THE BEST OF LUCK IN THEIR FUTURE CAREERS.
ALL THE TITTLE TATTLE AND RUBBISH THAT HAS BEEN PUT ON THIS SITE IS SUCH A PITY AND SO UNPROFESSIONAL!!!!GOOD LUCK ALL IT WAS FUN.

well, thats it, our last shift has been worked. loughborough was a great place to work, clare i will miss you. we have packed up all the stock, the place now looks empty. we have oworked all weekend , just the 2 of us, i really hope we get paid for this as we both deserve to. what are we going to do now? our lives are going to change drastically now. we come as a package as we keep telling people, we will survive and move on. choices we will miss you. julia and clare, a great team.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Good luck everyone. Sorry you had such a **** IT system which was badly implemented. Just remember to turn your computers off and on again regularly.

ex-IT

has anyone had there £500 yet?

Noooooooooooo how long does it take

I know its petty, and one should have really got over it...

Wheres my trip to alton '****'' towers?

Lets just hope "Blockbuster TV" doesn't take form... funny.. I remember a little rental chain that did that once... wonder what happened to that.

On a serious note, after all thats happened, I'm grateful to still have an income *be it 8 hours or more*, some really great colleagues and surprisingly supportive customers.

My main concern is whether big blue can live up to what I hope it can bring for me i.e a little progression within the ranks *2 years sitting pretty on an 8 hour contract isn't my idea of financial security anymore*, a little bit more support to store staff *during my two years I have been assaulted instore twice, once by a member of 3 years only to be told by Dot C that banning the member in question was unreasonable* and a door to stop the wind knocking the dvd's off the shelf!

"So long and thanks for all the fish"

now that blockbuster have bought all these choices outlets, will my original choices membership still be valid in the new blockbuster stores, or will i have to get a blockbuster membership?

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