Customers left in the dark after blinds shop shuts

Customers left hundreds of pounds out of pocket after a furnishing shop abruptly closed have voiced "frustration and disappointment" after it emerged the owner had opened a brand new business the same week.

The owner of J Franks Interiors in Chelmsford told customers the original company had gone bust and they should claim refunds from their credit card provider.

Yet records from Companies House show Jason Franks, the owner, started a new firm selling blinds, shutters and curtains, similar to the old store, just days later.

Mr Franks said "we deeply sympathise" with those who lost out and blamed "difficult trading conditions" for the closure of the business and denied the new company was an example of "phoenixing", where directors start up new companies in order to avoid debts associated with a previous firm.

Judith and Adrian Gibbons, from Brightlingsea in north Essex, chose to buy curtains from J Franks Interiors because they wanted "to support a small, independent, local business".

After choosing the fabric, they paid a £737 deposit and placed their order in March 2025.

The couple were told the curtains would be delivered in June.

But after months of "delays and stalling", they received a text message from Mr Franks on 7 October saying "the company had gone into liquidation".

Mrs Gibbons said she felt "frustrated, sad and annoyed" and was "sad that we didn't get the truth earlier on in the process".

Mr Franks said "we worked hard to resolve the issue" but a "protracted" situation involving supplying the correct curtain track meant "the business ceased trading before the issue could be resolved".

Mr Franks bought the store in Moulsham Street, which was previously called Curtain Talk, in July 2023.

He is a director of two companies associated with the business; Moulsham Interiors, which was dissolved in August 2025 and J Franks Interiors, which is still listed as "active" on Companies House, but has two outstanding county court judgements amounting to £3,632.

The BBC understands insolvency practitioners AABRS have been appointed as receivers.

Action Report, formerly known as Action Fraud, confirmed it had received a report about the business, but it "has not been passed to a police force for investigation at this time".

The store had positive online reviews until about a year ago, with customers praising its "professionalism" and "attention to detail".

But two most recent ones are negative, with complaints about "unreliable service" and "terrible communication", after which comments were switched off.

A new company, Nook Interiors Limited was registered on Companies House on 6 October.

The website for the business said it offer shutters, curtains and blinds and had "30 years of interior styling experience".

The BBC has spoken to other customers who paid deposits for goods they did not receive.

It includes a couple from Chelmsford who paid £2,280 to have six antique dining chairs and two sofas re-upholstered.

Six weeks after the shop closed they did get their furniture returned to them, but the work had not been completed.

Mr Franks said: "Given the surrounding circumstances of store closure, the return of the furniture did unfortunately take some weeks as you note."

Another woman from Old Moulsham was unhappy with the service she received.

She paid £1,340 for shutter blinds from J Franks Interiors which were fitted in 2024 but which she said were defective.

The homeowner said she had been contacting the company ever since to get them replaced, but had now "lost hope" as the company has ceased trading.

Consumer expert Rob Lilley-Jones from Which? has offered some tips when making a larger purchase:

• Always check a company's credentials, especially if buying online
• Buy it on a credit card as it gives you greater protection
• Keep records of order numbers, receipts and any paperwork to do with the purchase
• If a firm goes bust, contact your credit card company and the administrators as soon as possible with evidence of what you are owed
• If you think you've been the victim of a scam get in touch with Report Fraud or the National Cyber Security Centre

A former employee told the BBC that in mid 2025 they became concerned about the way Mr Franks was running the business.

They alleged bills were not being paid on time and products were not being ordered when customers paid deposits, leading to long delays.

"I just feel really bad for anyone that's handed over any money on a promise from the company when the owner was obviously not ordering any products" they said.

The staff member left the company in September .

They added they did not think the business closure was simply down to bad management.

"All the display books and sample books from the shop disappeared, which would be no use to anyone unless they were starting a new business."

"I fear he's gonna open a shop somewhere, different name, and do the whole scenario all over again," he told the BBC in an interview recorded before the new business came to light.

Mr Franks said: "Unfortunately, trading conditions for J Franks Interiors became very difficult in the latter half of 2025.

"As a result, there were customers whose orders were never fulfilled, and this is a matter of considerable regret to us."

He blamed UK economic conditions for the business' failure, which he said had "negatively impacted many other similar businesses small and large".

Mr Franks denied the new company was an example of "phoenixing" because no assets from the previous business had been used and it had not been set up to avoid debts.

He added that because the new business had no physical store it would be "free of the heavy burden of rising rents and business rates" and a smaller team will reduce "exposure to increased employer's national insurance contributions".

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