We Love Baby closure leaves parents-to-be out of pocket

We Love Baby supply prams, baby carriers and moses baskets from their business in Halliwell but recently in November 7, a message was posted to its website stating the store had closed and the Facebook page was deleted.

This has left many mums and dads-to-be distressed and severely out of pocket as they scramble to apply for refunds with little success.

We Love Baby have not formally been liquidated as government documents show, but it is owned by Charles Flynn, Jason Partington and Paul Ivory.

The company previously said it was "still processing older customer orders and payment plans" and has "struggled to get all orders fulfilled" after a "scam earlier this year". It has also been affected by "financial issues within the business". 

One mum-to-be is Emma Robinson, from Oldham, who ordered a Red Kite Push Me Pace Travel System in June this year.

Emma said this was her "dream pram" and was told it would arrive in two to three weeks but by October it still had not arrived.

Emma said she made numerous trips to the store to be told it was arriving on different dates each time and as a refund never came, she was forced to obtain one from her bank Halifax, six months later with her due date in December.

Emma said: “I believe this is far beyond myself and the way I have been affected and is more about all the unfortunate women who are in a position that they physically can’t replace these items.

“It deeply saddens and disgusts me that someone could bring this to women who are already at their most vulnerable states.”

Many mums also state that the business has continued to take orders after the closure announcement.

Emma said: “I was disgusted to find out that WE LOVE BABY were still taking orders they knew they couldn’t fulfil.”

The message posted to the now deleted Facebook page, read: “Due to continued unforeseen circumstances, our store will be closed until further notice.

“We are still processing older customer orders and payment plans, but if you need an update please send us a direct message or email our support team on support@welovebaby.co.uk.

“Due to a scam which was performed on us earlier in the year, we have struggled to get all customer orders fulfilled, especially those on payment plans due to financial issues within the business.”

A grandmother-to-be from Horwich shared her daughter’s experience dealing with We Love Baby.

Janine Gavin said her daughter spent £930 on a travel system before being told the company did not have the stock to fulfil the order.

But despite this, she said no refund has yet been made.

Another grandmother-to-be said she bought a pram for her 18-year-old daughter in August, with the due date February 2024.

The total amount Rebecca Poverty-Fielding spent was more than £1,000 she said, but after paying in full by October 5, still did not receive anything despite calls.

Rebecca said: “When I received an email last week cancelling my order for the moses basket, it prompted to check the website and I was horrified to see the store was permanently closed. “

Rebecca has since had to shell out an extra £1,200 on the same pram with another supplier.

The business was approached for comment.