It is regrettable to hear of Pickford's financial problems. The company did an excellent job a few years ago in helping us to relocate to Canada from London. Not one item went missing and there was no damage. I hope they can resolve the issues but may be an issues of fixed costs versus reduced revenue figures.

RM, Toronto, Canada

To answer David of Dubai, you obviously have not researched the market properly. There are several major companies that have been shipping around the world for decades. Why don't you look at the biggest: UniGroup Worldwide UTS?

Simon Carpenter, London, London

Pickfords is a company which deserves to stay in Business. I've worked with them for 18month as a coorporate client and in that period of time I've moved over 300 transferees to their new homecountries. only in 2 cases were there issues and they did their best to resolve them.

GO PICKFORDS, GO!!!!!

Warden , Prague, Czech Republic

There are plenty of excellent Removal Companies who can ship around the globe- not just Pickfords!! It is unfortunate that Pickfords are suffering but the market is experiencing difficulties at the moment due to the so-called "credit crunch" and the media's obsession with the downturn in the economy. January and February are traditionally the quitest months for the Industry - the issue here, one would imagine, is not what has happened to Pickfords turnover over the passed three months but the impact of decisions made by Pickfords over the last five years.

G W , Leatherhead, UK

In response to the comment posted by David of Dubai, its was the best idea you ever had to change your country of residence.
One of the real truths in life is that no company has a 100% satisfaction rate, but your seeming glee at the potential loss of jobs is not only un-British, but ferociously inhumane.
My own employer is currently in financial crisis, not because of failure in product or board, but because of a down turn in the global economy. Judging a company as it stands today on a bad experience 20 years ago is no only ridiculous, it also shows a distinct lack of basic intelligence on your part. Unless you are unemployed (and based on the absence of understanding in your comment, i would not be surprised if this were the case), you at least have to consider how you would feel if you were made redundant, based on mistakes of your predecessors, or refused a mortgage because your father once missed a payment in 1988. I would never wish this upon anyone, but you are an exception.

john, birmingham,

Why haven't they gone out of business already? They have already lost millions.
I'm a sole trader and if I go into the red with my bank over my authorised limit, they will close me down unless I clear the debt within an agreed time. If I don't pay my income taxes and my employee's PAYE & Insurance taxes, then the Revenue will take me to court and I will be closed down.
One law for the big bullies and a very different law for the small guy.

James, Ireland,

We used Pickfords for our relocation to Canada two years ago despite their being £2,000 dearer than the cheapest quote. We did so because we wanted the security of knowing our possessions would be well looked after. Their packing of our household possessions was chaotic. They failed to provide themselves with enough labour or boxes or labels and underestimated both the space needed and time taken. Our goods arrived several weeks later than their estimate and with a high level of damage, mostly due to poor packing. Overall the service was poor and disappointing and in no way justified the extra cost. I'm not at all surprised that they are in difficulties now.

Jane, Edmonton, Canada/Alberta

The removals market is slowing faster than any company can accomodate and its no wonder that Pickfords are struggling. The only way forward will be to wind up the business and be better off out of all the things that will happen over the next eighteen months. Whoever ends up owning the name will then be able to revive what is the only proper brand in the domestic moving market.

Martin Rigby, Nottingham, UK

Britain's oldest removal company? The Shore Porters Society was founded in Aberdeen in 1498 and continues to this day.

David, Thurso, Scotland

The UK removals business has been undercut by 'man and a van' operations for years with no repositioning/rebranding to tell the public why they should pay more for the Pickfords service.
If unwilling/unable to do so, the management should have left that market and cut back to solely doing bespoke international relocations for the rich and multinational corporations.
And what about the only profit-making part of their UK business, the self-store market that they dipped their toe in a few years ago? Opened 4 sites and then stopped; are they in this market or not?

Rod Murdison, London, U.K.

Given that it is short-term cash obligations that are behind the threat of Pickfords going out of business, will the government not be stepping in with however much it takes to keep them going? They could force the governor of the Bank of England to inject however many millions of pounds of our cash into the business that is needed to keep the jobs going, top up the pension fund, chop the assets up into bonds and pretend that they can be flogged off in three years, stick the whole of the cost onto the national debt just in case, then invite Richard Branson in to fill his boots. If not; why not?

figurewizard, Hampshire, UK

In my experience they deserve to go out of business.

I am still scarred from dealing with them 20 years ago on a shipment from Hong Kong.

There are plenty of companies that can handle worldwide shipments better, cheaper and with more local connections than Pickfords.

David, Dubai, UAE

Worldwide we have found that Pickfords (and East-West Express) were the only companies with the experience to ship around the globe. The rest have no idea!!!

Carol Read, Dominican Republic,