Dreams (bed retailer)
{{Short description|UK-based bed retailer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}{{primary sources|date=November 2012}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Dreams Limited
| logo = NEW-DREAMS-LOGO.png
| former_name = {{Ubl
| Project Night Bidco Limited (4{{endash}}6 March 2013)
| Dreams Trading Limited (6{{endash}}7 March 2013){{Cite web |date=2013-03-04 |title=DREAMS LIMITED overview |url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/08428347 |access-date=2024-01-26 |website=Companies House |language=en}}
}}
| type = Limited company
| area_served = United Kingdom
| key_people = Jonathan Hirst, Chief executive
| industry = Furniture retailing and manufacturing
| products = Beds
Bedroom furniture
Bedsteads
Duvets
Mattresses
Pillows
| revenue = {{increase}} £395.4 million (2023){{cite web|url=https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/08428347/filing-history|title=Full Accounts made up to 24 December 2023|access-date=24 February 2025}}
| operating_income = {{decrease}} £47.5 million (2023)
| net_income = {{decrease}} £38.1 million (2023)
| num_employees = 2,275 (2023)
| owner = Somnigroup International
| website = {{URL|https://dreams.co.uk}}
| foundation = {{Start date and age|1985|df=yes}}
| location = Loudwater, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
}}
Dreams Limited is a United Kingdom-based bed retailer and manufacturer specialising in beds, mattresses, bedroom furniture and bed linen. The first Dreams store was opened in 1987 by Mike Clare,{{Cite web|url=https://www.mikeclare.co.uk/dreams-1|title=Dreams|website=mikeclareofficial|language=en|access-date=2019-09-18}} and today there are over 200 stores nationwide. The company has its own purpose-designed mattress factory, and currently employs around 1,500 people, across a network of retail showrooms.
History
File:Portsmouth Victory Retail Park Dreams store (brightness cropped perspective fix).jpg, England]]
The first Dreams store opened in Uxbridge in 1985. By 2000, Dreams had 50 stores, and opened its own mattress factory in Oldbury, Birmingham.
In April 2013, Dreams PLC went into a pre packaged administration, and was purchased by Sun European Partners. It has since traded as Dreams Ltd.
Sun European Partners put the retailer up for sale in early 2017, advised by N M Rothschild & Sons.{{cite news|last1=Armstrong|first1=Ashley|title=Chinese bidders circle £400m Dreams takeover|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2017/05/13/chinese-bidders-circle-400m-dreams-takeover/|accessdate=21 May 2017|work=The Telegraph|date=13 May 2017}}
In May 2021, Dreams was acquired by Tempur Sealy International (now known as Somnigroup International).{{Cite web |title=TSI Acquires Dreams |url=https://www.clearygottlieb.com/news-and-insights/news-listing/tempur-sealy-to-acquire-dreams-for-475-million |access-date=2025-04-09 |website=Cleary Gottlieb |language=en}}
Around 2021/2022, most Dreams stores in Northern Ireland were renamed to Bedtime to match the Sofatime brand, this rebrand was backtracked in 2023, with the stores rebranding back to the Dreams name.
TV advertising
Dreams was the main sponsor of the Channel 4 reality television show Celebrity Big Brother from its sixth series in 2009 to its seventh series in 2010.{{citation needed|date=December 2016}} In 2013, they then sponsored the eleventh series of Celebrity Big Brother, this time on Channel 5.{{citation needed|date=December 2016}}. Currently (winter 2023), Dreams are sponsoring ITV's Dancing on Ice.
In 2023, Dreams changed its strapline to "Love your bed".
Investigations
Investigations into the business's operations have been conducted by the United Kingdom's Office of Fair Trading in 1998{{cite web|url=http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/reports/unfair_contract_terms/oft246.pdf|title=Issue 5|date=October 1998|work=Unfair Contract Terms|publisher=Office of Fair Trading|access-date=28 January 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081122013231/http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/reports/unfair_contract_terms/oft246.pdf|archive-date=22 November 2008}} and again in 2001,{{cite web|url=http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/reports/unfair_contract_terms/oft388.pdf|title=Bulletin 18|date=May 2002|work=Unfair Contract Terms|publisher=Office of Fair Trading|access-date=28 January 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121225210/http://www.oft.gov.uk/shared_oft/reports/unfair_contract_terms/oft388.pdf|archive-date=21 November 2008}} due to contracts in breach of the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999. Following customer complaints, the company was also investigated and featured on BBC's Watchdog programme.{{cite web|url = http://www.growingbusiness.co.uk/dreams-mike-clare.html?page=2|title = Dreams: Mike Clare (page 1)|last = Wallis|first = Ian|date = 1 July 2007|work = Growing Business|publisher = Crimson Business|access-date = 28 January 2010|url-status = dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121005190036/http://www.growingbusiness.co.uk/dreams-mike-clare.html?page=2|archive-date = 5 October 2012}} In response to this matter Dreams made an apology on the programme.
In February 2007, Dreams was investigated and censured by the Advertising Standards Agency for misleading claims in its promotional material.{{cite web|url=http://www.asa.org.uk/Complaints-and-ASA-action/Adjudications/2007/2/Dreams-Plc/TF_ADJ_42259.aspx|title=ASA Adjudication on Dreams Plc|date=21 February 2007|work=Adjudications|publisher=Advertising Standards Authority|access-date=28 January 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100918144009/http://asa.org.uk/Complaints-and-ASA-action/Adjudications/2007/2/Dreams-Plc/TF_ADJ_42259.aspx|archive-date=18 September 2010}} In 2010, another complaint against Dreams was upheld by the ASA, which ruled that Dreams' advertising broke the rules regarding truthfulness, and contained misleading advertising without evidence to back up its claims.{{cite web|url=http://www.asa.org.uk/ASA-action/Adjudications/2010/6/Dreams-plc/TF_ADJ_48583.aspx|title=ASA Adjudication on Dreams Plc|date=16 June 2010|work=Adjudications|publisher=Advertising Standards Authority|access-date=16 May 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110131082848/http://www.asa.org.uk/ASA-action/Adjudications/2010/6/Dreams-plc/TF_ADJ_48583.aspx|archive-date=31 January 2011}}
Awards
- High Street Recycling Champion 2008{{Cite web|title = Winners of 2008 Awards for Excellence announced - letsrecycle.com|url = http://www.letsrecycle.com/news/latest-news/winners-of-2008-awards-for-excellence-announced/|website = letsrecycle.com| date=16 October 2008 |access-date = 2016-02-01|language = en-US}}
- British Safety Council – International Safety Award 2015{{Cite web|url = https://www.britsafe.org/sites/default/files/editor/List%20of%20International%20Safety%20Award%20winners%20for%202015%20v1.pdf|title = International Safety Award Winners 2015|date = |access-date = 2016-02-02|website = |publisher = |last = |first = |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160305073230/https://www.britsafe.org/sites/default/files//editor/List%20of%20International%20Safety%20Award%20winners%20for%202015%20v1.pdf|archive-date = 2016-03-05|url-status = dead}}
- West London Business Awards – Retail Business of the Year 2017[https://www.westlondon.com/awards/past-winners/2017-winners/ "2017 Winners"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221128113859/https://www.westlondon.com/awards/past-winners/2017-winners/ |date=28 November 2022 }}. Retrieved 17.02.2020.
- Sunday Times Profit Track 100 2018[https://www.fasttrack.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018-Profit-Track-100-press-release-National.pdf "Profit Track 100 National Press Release"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200217165011/https://www.fasttrack.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018-Profit-Track-100-press-release-National.pdf |date=17 February 2020 }}. Retrieved 17.02.2020.
- The Drum Social Buzz Awards 2018 – Best Use of Group/Community (Mumsnet)[https://www.socialbuzzawards.com/social-buzz-awards/social-buzz-awards-2018#90151 "Social Buzz Awards 2018"]. Retrieved 17.02.2020.
- National Bed Federation 2018-19 – Large Bed Retailer of the Year[https://www.bedfed.org.uk/2018-bed-industry-awards-winners/ "2018 Bed Industry Awards Winners"]. Retrieved 17.02.2020.
References
{{Reflist|30em}}
External links
{{Commons category|Dreams (retailer)}}
- {{Official website}}
{{Sun Capital Partners}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Furniture retailers of the United Kingdom
Category:Mattress retailers of the United Kingdom
Category:Retail companies established in 1985
Category:British companies established in 1985
Category:1985 establishments in England