By James Wells

SYDNEY: Richmond has become the latest Retravision store to join a rival buying group as retailers in New South Wales continue to seek new representation.

The decision by Glen and Donna Pellews to change the branding on their Retravision store at Westmarket Street in Richmond to Betta Electrical on Monday 2 April follows the announcement on Friday that Bankstown Retravision would also follow the same path.

While the Pellews were unable to comment on the move to Betta Electrical, Retravision Bankstown proprietor, Allan Drane, was more vocal late last week describing his dealings with Retravision over the last four months as “an absolute nightmare” and claimed the group “have done a good job of trying to crucify us”.

These two stores strengthen the Betta Stores Retail (BSR) group in the key retailing state of New South Wales, and particularly the Sydney metropolitan area.

The BSR acquisitions have followed an ultimatum made to several Retravision stores in New South Wales that they will have to remove their signage by 30 March unless they sign an Interim Licence Agreement and consequently join Retravision Southern (previously Retravision Vic-Tas) or Retravision Northern (previously Retravision Queensland).

The stores are required to sign the Agreement after its former buying group, Retravision NSW, was split into two after being placed into receivership last year.

A statement issued this afternoon by Betta Stores Retail general manager, Ian Brown, referred to the new acquisitions in Bankstown and Richmond without referring to Retravision.

In his statement, Brown said he “welcomed the new franchisees” and confirmed that “both were existing retailers which had converted to BSR from another group”.

“The retailers we speak to can see the benefits in both our business strategies and our market approach,” Brown said.

“Bankstown and Richmond are both quality stores and are indicative of the strength of the group we’re building, which to date comprises more than 200 BSR stores.”

“We will welcome more retailers, like our new teams at Bankstown and Richmond, to BSR, as we expand our presence both in Sydney and around the country,” he said.