Hello Andrew,
My name is Lisa Fonua. Myself and my husband John owned two Bakers Delight stores, Toormina and Nambucca Heads, from 2002-2005.
We too have experienced similar dealings with Bakers Delight; our story is now like so many - conned into poor performing stores, promised profitable ones, then spent the next two years working hard to get the store your in running well, only to find that what Bakers Delight said, was never going to eventuate, and find yourself left to take the fall from a store that should have never been sold in the first place.
Our first store Toormina was sold for $100,000.00 to another franchisee. It was trading at $9,500.00 p/w, we paid $340,000.00 when it was trading at $5,000.00 p/w. We liquidated our second store, Nambucca Heads, after being told by Bakers Delight that even though it was only two years old, trading at $7000p/w, we would be lucky if we recieved $50,000.00 for it as there were no new franchisees coming through the system.
We lost our family home and investment property.
John, myself and our four children have been through hell and back, I commend anyone that makes this company accountable for their actions.
I hope Roger Gillespie and his wife sleep well, my children don't, they all share the one room.
Lisa