# equity shoes leicester June 2009



## MD (Jun 7, 2009)

one of the mintest factorys we have found in leicester and one we have been trying to crack for ages..:thumb
The collapse of Equity Shoes marks the end of an era for the county's once-thriving footwear industry and for the 123-year-old business.Last month, the Leicester Mercury reported that bosses were searching to find a buyer to rescue the firm from financial difficulties.

After failing to find an investor, it was announced this week that all 98 workers at the firm, in Western Road, in Leicester's West End, will be made redundant by January 20. The company will be put into voluntary liquidation.

Managers had hoped that cash generated from Equity's sale as a going concern would allow them to continue trading and make up for a "substantial" deficit in the workers' pension fund.

They blamed the company's financial problems on falling sales and competition from cheap imports, and revealed the business had debts of hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Equity, a co-operative owned by staff, is the last major shoe factory in Leicestershire. Its demise leaves a handful of much smaller manufacturers. The picture is in stark contrast to the heyday of the 1950s, when the shoe-making workforce in the county reached 170,000 and there were some 130 factories.

One worker, who asked not to be named, but who has worked at Equity for 35 years, said: "It's very sad. Many of the staff are angry. It seems there has been mistake after mistake here. A lot of them know they are not going to find a job anywhere else in the current climate."

Ray Spencer, Equity's general manager, said: "This is a very sad time for everyone at Equity Shoes. It brings to an end 123 years of the company as a footwear manufacturer in Leicester and one of the last remaining truly productive co-operatives in the country."




















































A timeline on the company
http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=eq...ngujBBg&oi=timeline_result&ct=title&resnum=11

was a cracking afternoon this topped off a good weekend!!
visited with little laura ,goldie, mr sam


----------



## klempner69 (Jun 7, 2009)

Sure is empty..they didnt even leave so much as a paper clip!


----------



## waynezbitz1 (Jun 7, 2009)

nice pics as always matt, and it sure is mint (which makes a change). im sure it wont be long before the pikeys wreck it


----------



## thompski (Jun 7, 2009)

Excellent stuff, those doors in the last picture look great


----------



## silverstealth (Jun 7, 2009)

Superb Md... love the long corridor shot.


----------



## littlelaura (Jun 7, 2009)

Nicely done lads, cheers for the tag along. Mint place, very excited to see it at last !! 
Camera was mucking about all day so only got a few in.. (mostly of random bits tho..) L.L
























With me its more wiggle in and wobble out tho...


----------



## MD (Jun 7, 2009)

Nice pics LL
love the safe shot


----------



## mexico75 (Jun 7, 2009)

Nice work guys, looks ace


----------



## smileysal (Jun 7, 2009)

That building looks great, love those office doors. 

Excellent pics,

Cheers,

 Sal


----------



## Goldie87 (Jun 7, 2009)

Was a good explore this, proper mint place!


----------



## Reaperman (Jun 7, 2009)

Definately another reason to return to the Leicester area! I even like the dated lettering on the outside! sad that these small firms couldn't keep going it seems few people seem to appreciate quality anymore. I bought a pair of British made DM's this weekend for £2.50!


----------



## Foxylady (Jun 7, 2009)

Excellent site and pics, guys. Some lovely details there...fabulous wooden floors and office doors.
Love the photo of the lone shoe, Matt.


----------



## Lightbuoy (Jun 8, 2009)

One of the best preserved Industrial Buildings I've ever seen. So much to see, great architectural details. Brilliant variety of piccies peeps -thanks!


----------



## swedish (Jun 8, 2009)

really good find guys...MD got some really wicked shot, really love 2 4 & 9. No 4 is exceptional, think the lighting from the roofing material is lush...
LL the shot of the keys is really nice, was there anything interesting behind the door???


----------



## Mr Sam (Jun 8, 2009)

haha what an explore, comedy access alot of open empty floors then getting locked in reception (whoops ) and possibly setting the alarm off trying to escape 






about the most exciting of the factory floors as this one has the roof beams, the lower floors are all identical






clocking in











i was just about to give this a go when one of the absent Leicester explorers phoned me up on 'ive lost part of the engine mount to my mk1 fiesta'






dartboards in the canteen area
















Reception aka the prision :banghead






safe shot






didnt get chance to nose around the offices as an alarm sensor flashed at us 











and safely out and off down the road to bump into a load of scallys on bowstring bridge






Goldie87 second from the left then MD's head..........and the pikey kids


----------



## boothy (Jun 9, 2009)

well done all,cracking pics 

Gutted i missed this one !

Love the glass doors beautiful


----------



## nutnut (Jun 9, 2009)

Very good there, folks, 10/10 for that one 

I absolutely love those glazed door, marked "offices" almost tempted to go and get them.....but i haven't got any offices in my house  shame........


----------



## magoo² (Jun 10, 2009)

Nice shots everyone that place looks very tidy


----------



## DJhooker (Jul 7, 2009)

thats some prestine condition right there! awesome.


----------



## tbkscott (Jul 7, 2009)

Wow great pics and explore, it does look like they have taken eveything with them and even swept up lol. Love the glass doors but shame you couldnt get round the offices.


----------



## Krypton (Jul 7, 2009)

Love the safe picture and them glass doors. They look like doors out of a saloon in a western movie!


----------



## strokesboy21 (Jul 23, 2009)

nice pics such a shame places like this are closing down due to cheap imports


----------



## Runner (Jul 23, 2009)

Some belting pics there guys - well done.really like that last one of Matts - the office stairs.
Looks in great nick - lets hope the pikeys stay out.


----------



## waynezbitz1 (Aug 3, 2009)

It seems that all the shoe making machinery that was fitted into this buildings has been sold and moved to india, where the current building owner is continuing to make shoes, but only one machine survived in this country (well at least for the moment).
it was offered to a museum but then the guy decided he only wanted the museun to have it on loan for no more than 2 years. The museum have now told the guy that it stays there on a permanent loan or they will be charging the guy for storage as thats all he seems to want. (4 months later and no reply from the owner)
The machine is a tanning machine, It measures the size and shape of a hide for the company to decided how to press the most out of the hide with the miniaml of wastage. ive only got a few dodgy shots of the machine as its been burried in amongst some other bits.......


----------



## littlelaura (Aug 10, 2009)

Oooh nice one Wayne, very nice !
Wouldn't mind a look at that one day if its accessible in the treasure trove of the station...


----------



## waynezbitz1 (Aug 13, 2009)

yes laura thats where it be hisding at the momnent. ill show you sometime soon before its returned


----------

