Anyone know what has happened to Diamond Training Group in Ford? I turned up for week 6 of my NVQ course this morning to find the place locked up, no staff and all the fixtures & fittings removed from inside.
The guy in the unit next door said a van turned up on Saturday and cleared it out!

I am now back home and it looks like I am out of pocket and unable to complete the course. I have had no contact from anyone at Diamond to explain what is going on.
I can only assume they have gone under and will have to chase for any refund as a creditor.

We just heard this ourselves and are trying to confirm what's going on. Doesn't look promising then.

I'll wait a day or two and then remove the sponsorship if we can't get in touch with anybody.

very worrying news.

I've just rang their head office and phone is ringing out.

I'm also looking on their website too and it says they were opening 4 other training centres this year. Does anybody know if this happened? Usually when a company goes for a big expansion, they usually end up falling flat on their face. Seen too many businesses round here try it.

Sorry to hear of your experience Bathpool. I've never had it happen to me. But I would agree that you should at least enter yourself on the list of creditors that they owe.

I'm still yet to confirm anything and can't get hold of anybody.

Trying Construction Training Services now that are connected to Diamond in some way. Though CTS used to be Step-to-Training and they too folded some time ago and just setup under CTS at a later date. I have contact details for CTS here but Phil Sykes hasn't retuned my call yet. Can't get hold of Danny on his mobile either.

at least the dignity of a phone call to anyone who booked the course to let them know not to turn up would be better than the way they have just disappearred

Danny has responded and has confirmed that the company has gone into liquidation Friday and that any course delegates will be contacted by the Official Receivers in due course. He did say he tried everything he could do to protect the company and continue trading and it is with regret that he had to wrap up the company.

He thanked all DTG customers and the forum members for supporting the company for many years.

And it's with regret that I pass on the news as I saw Diamond grow from not much to something quite reputable, and Danny's own previous company Essex Tiling Training too for that matter.

Not good practice, whatever the reason, to not call people booked on a course and say that centre is closed (again, for whatever reason)

Once a company is in receivership the previous directors are not allowed to contact any customers or suppliers, as the official receiver becomes the directors for the time it takes to deal with creditors and the likes. And before it's in receivership, while you're trying to work out where to go, it's not wise to announce problems as you'd become a Northern Rock type affair that sort of forces the company to never recover.

So in some sense I can understand the way companies end up being wrapped up.

Though I do agree that it's a shame for all those who are left in the lurch in the weeks leading upto the day it's decided the business needs to cease trading.

As a creditor Bathpool you may find that the list is long and you will be near the bottom..........

Thats bad news for anyone, they are not the first and doubful they will be the last IMO

What a bl**dy shame.....

Never nice to hear this happening and I am 100% sure Danny will have given everything he had to try and save the company.

Not great news for the trainees left in the lurch I knowCan they not continue their courses from the same stage they were up to at another Training Centre?

Take your time Danny and pick yourself back up

Originally Posted by merlecollins

Can they not continue their courses from the same stage they were up to at another Training Centre?

I've been looking into this already mate. But I've lost touch with the training industry somewhat since the forums got busy and I'm at a bit of a lost cause now. I'm not sure what can be done right now. It might be best to wait for the letter from the receivers and see what they're offering/suggesting.

Though I'm waiting on a call or two, and then I'll report back if I find anything. Clearly I'm gutted myself as I feel partly involved as many connections will be via the forums, or partly via here. So I'm doing what I can to help and will remove the Diamond logo's from our various websites over the next couple of days too.

Dan

I think Chichester College were affiliated to DTG on their website. Maybe worth contacting them or other colleges?

I'm trying to go via the assessors that work for loads of training centre's, inc TradeTeacher/CSCL. Colleges would also use them I guess but if this fails I'll see what the college says.

Good find Liz.

Great shame for ALL concerned.

Originally Posted by Dan

I'm trying to go via the assessors that work for loads of training centre's, inc TradeTeacher/CSCL. Colleges would also use them I guess but if this fails I'll see what the college says.

Good find Liz.

or try the sector skills council for the construction based industries
ConstructionSkills - About us

I'm already at a higher stage than that to be honest Liz. Though I don't want to build hope so I'll just have to report back.

We know the assessors for most of the training centre's and many are the same. If it is at all possible they'd have seen it done before and will know right away. Just waiting for their calls though, I only got onto this around 2pm today.

The people I know I can't help (and again I'm not suggesting I can help anybody here, I'll just try my best to) are those that just did a training course not related to quals or funding. And the people I don't need to help are the people who paid everything by credit card. Though the ones I want to try and help the most are the ones that needed this to make ends meet, had the funding, took the course but didn't get it fully delivered. And I'd have thought the funders can organise replacement training centres but it's not my call to say so.

So I'll report back asap.

Thanks Dan for your efforts to find out what has happened, and to all who have offered advice and suggestions. I am lucky in that I had completed 5 of the 6 weeks, I know others were at a much earlier stage in the course. I certainly can't fault the quality of the training I had at Diamond, which is partly why it came as a surprise. I will look into completing the remaining parts with another centre, your help is much appreciated.
I did pay by credit card so will take this up with them (thanks Dan!) and will wait to be contacted by the liquidators.
I suppose it is an unfortunate sign of the times we are in. As always the support from the forum has been great

Oh, dear. I'm notr please to hear this. As some of you know Sam @ Diamond taught me to fix tile & stone.

I shall send them a txt. I'm sure Danny will be ok he is a very shrude cookie.

Hat of to you Dan. Not really anything to do with you fella and as a busy man not your problem and you look to be going well out of your way for your members.

Diamond were our sponsors and I'd help both them and their customers as part of that deal. It's what we're about.

So if I can do something, and it just costs me a bit of time, them I'm more than willing to do whatever I have to.

Dan, I just noticed the prevous thread started by un-regestered guest in mid september where Danny replyed saying there was noting wrong. Wonder if some one knew something and tryed to tip you off??

Originally Posted by Prem Tiler

Dan, I just noticed the prevous thread started by un-regestered guest in mid september where Danny replyed saying there was noting wrong. Wonder if some one knew something and tryed to tip you off??

Nah, unfortunately nothing as interesting - Diamond literally had server issues. I checked, their domain was pointing to the wrong web space for the hosting account. Something related to them changing their web designer team I think that was only a problem when he came to renewing his domain or something I'd suspect.

Very coincidental though.

Originally Posted by Dan

Very coincidental though.

Very. Spooky eh.

Very sad news indeed and a lesson to be learnt here-pay for your courses with a credit card and you shold be ok.I made the mistake myself with the now de-funct BuildingandPlastering Training centre,Nuneaton,as it went bust over Xmas 2008/2009 and I only found out by going to the centre only to find a note pinned to the wall.I lost half by course fees £1300!

I wonder how safe other training centres are,I see Darren from NETT is back teaching the tiling course-is this a warning sign or me being a doom merchant!!

I always thought Darren done the training anyway

Are all diamond training centres closing? as i have paid deposit of £900 for my course to start in january at the arundel centre

Originally Posted by whitebeam

I always thought Darren done the training anyway

tf member foxman has been the trainer for a while Mark, has he gone?

Originally Posted by bickers

Are all diamond training centres closing? as i have paid deposit of £900 for my course to start in january at the arundel centre

Yes that is the centre that has closed. Did you pay by card ?

Originally Posted by merlecollins

What a bl**dy shame.....

Never nice to hear this happening and I am 100% sure Danny will have given everything he had to try and save the company.

Not great news for the trainees left in the lurch I knowCan they not continue their courses from the same stage they were up to at another Training Centre?

Take your time Danny and pick yourself back up

Hello...........

Yes i pad by credit card