Dear Jim,
I am the ex-manager of Oddbins Westminster.
I have just got this email from Simon, which I consider an ultimate insult from the person that is responsible for the demise of our company.
I have not found back a job in the wine industry yet, and the market doesn’t look very good for ex-oddbins employees. I hold him personally responsible for the financial difficulty I am in (and I really am…) and cannot believe the cheek of it.
Anyway, I thought you might want to publish this, if you do, feel free to include my name.
Yours sincerely,
Gwenole Quiel
"In quick time they were at the wine-pipe; for a moment the new hands seemed at a loss for the means of getting the wine to their mouths; but the "wide-a-awake" boy sliped (sic) off one of his shoes in a twinkling, dipped it into the cask and drank. "Drink, you devils, drink!" he said; "its all one how much you drink, only don't get drunk!" And again he filled his shoe, and again he drank. The previous debauch in connexion with the new, soon tumbled him on the ground; and he lay there gradually sinking into stupidity; but, as he took his leave of consciousness, he admonished the others to take care of themselves; to take as much as they could rightly carry; but not to get drunk, saying, as he sunk lower and lower himself, "Fill your boots, boys-fill your boots! Give me one small drop in a shoe to make me well again, for I'm- I'm-." Alas, poor humanity! There lay in the deepest degradation, as good a fighting soldier, and, when he could not get drink, as cleanly and active a fellow as ever the English army possessed." | |||||||||||||||||||||
* Terms and conditions apply: purchases must be made by people over 18 - offer is subject to availability - a valid email address is required - offer only applies to wine - no further discounts - other discounts & deals do not apply | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Interesting discussion on Tom Cannavan's Wine Pages' Wine Forum over whether the sending of these emails has contravened the Data Protection Act. | |||||||||||||||||||||
HI Jim
ReplyDeleteAfraid that doesn't display (Safari, IE7 or Chrome anyway). Just a collection of not visible image frames. Thought you might like to know.
Cheers
Rod
Same remark. Would love to read the letters, though !
ReplyDeleteDid Ex Cellar buy (and pay for) the Oddbins mailing list? I suggest an enquiry to the administrators.
ReplyDeleteHope that it is now possible to see the offer. Please let me know if it remains invisible. Thanks Jim
ReplyDeleteThe pics are displayed, thanks Jim. Just to add that a few days ago, Bail had an interview for Harpers, this quote shocked me:
ReplyDelete- While accepting ultimate responsibility over the Oddbins collapse, Baile said: “Oddbins was made up of more than 600 people. I wasn’t the only one and I can say with hand on heart that we did our best.” -
This is also an insult, as an ex employee and one of those 600, I certainly was not responsible for the millions of pounds of debt to the tax man nor involved in the lies to the wine producers and other creditors. All I did was work really hard.
How does throwing good money into all the wrong areas of business and evading the invoices / bills landing on your desk constitute as "Doing our best"?
ONE: All perfectly visible now, Jim., thank you.
ReplyDeleteBut I do NOT see the connection. Doesn’t matter.
TWO: Who am I anyway, but I would dismiss EVERY post sent anonymously, however pertinent (as the one above indeed is). Why on earth do people do that? Of course, you know whom it came from, and may be that matters.
Until the staff who used to work for Oddbins have obtained other jobs they are vulnerable to potential adverse influence put upon them by the Oddbin's management. The conduct of the management for example to threaten to discipline managers for failure to meet sales targets irrespective of local circumstances was illegal. It also demonstrated a disrespect for staff who had many years of service.
ReplyDeleteWith this background who would wish to put their name to a post faced with a former employer with such disregard for the law.
Simon Faile is a failure...
ReplyDeleteno respect for this guy whatsoever.and the reality is.... ex cellar owned by the same guy will go DOWN.... I HOPE , by the same way.... 35%... pooor supliers....
only 6 cent to the cva
wait and see
Gewn i support you on every bit!
all the anonymous posts i reckopn were sent to people involved in doing their best for the RIP Oddbins
ReplyDeletei hope x-cellar goes down!!!!Big time!¬!!
ReplyDelete