Allan & Bertram Backs the VE-Day Bank Holiday Despite the Cost
With bank holiday changes normally announced 18 months to two years in advance, the bank Holiday date change to the 8 May 2020 was announced on 8 June creating an unprecedented financial and production impact on the calendar industry.
The change of date was decided upon by the government to directly coincide with the 75thanniversary of VE Day, something Allan & Bertram fully supports. However, the detrimental financial impact will be felt throughout the entire company.
As makers of the World’s Finest Calendars, Allan & Bertram made the decision that despite almost all 2020 stock being printed, they would need to be changed. This tough decision will have a huge, irreversible financial impact. With over £500,000 of stock already printed and an estimated £200,000 needed to rectify the dates on existing stock. In addition, Allan & Bertram will have to bring in temporary staff, working 24/7 to ensure all their stock can be delivered on time.
Managing Director, Andrew Bennett commented saying “We totally agree that it is right to celebrate VE day and moving the bank holiday seems entirely sensible but waiting so late is just unacceptable. We are now having to-reprint vast amounts of stock to ensure our calendars are correct. As with all calendar manufacturers, our stock is prepared well in advance and almost everything is printed for 2020. It is hugely frustrating, and we feel that the Government simply hasn’t considered the implications; this change could have easily been decided a year ago, but it wasn’t, and we are faced with dealing with the consequences. We considered various options including stickers and inserts but as the manufacturers of The World’s Finest Calendars we simply can’t let our range leave the factory knowing that it’s wrong.
We are incredibly proud of our entire team that have all pulled together to start the mammoth undertaking of changing these pages – we will get it done but it is certainly a level of unprecedented pressure that was totally avoidable”.
Being synonymous with quality, not changing the stock would be detrimental to brand reputation! Almost all of Allan & Bertram sales are in the third quarter of the year. Someone who orders a printed product in September would expect it to be correct. Allan & Bertram will ensure it does not lose any quality despite this late change to the Bank Holiday Date.
Allan & Bertram is calling for the Government to take responsibility for this impact, but also, as a Made in Britain Manufacturer, looks forward to commemorating VE Day in 2020.
Further information available on the BBC website