Searching for West Sails and Yacht Sail Exchange Ivybridge

[saab96]

Does anyone know if this outfit still exists, or knows of John Pollard? I left a main sail with them in 2020 and forgot about it during lockdown. Now John Pollard gave me a story about having an interested buyer at around £500 but now never in when I call. Today they seem to have blocked my phone number. Do I just assume they are scoundrels and I have been ripped off.

 

[Tranona]

Yes. Often featured here as somewhere to avoid.

 

[Minerva]

yeah, your sail has probably been disappeared.

If it's any consolation, the person who was interested in buying your sail probably did "buy it" for £500, but was probably sent an entirely different sail altogether.

 

[tross]

Try searching his name on companies house to see if he is still trading - if so hit him with a Small Clims Court

 

[LittleSister]

I suggest contacting Trading Standards for the area. (But don't hold your breath for a result.)

It's amazing that they have continued in business this long, given the numerous tales over the years of how very badly they've often treated people, whether that is the result of stunning levels of incompetence or downright dishonesty.

 

[Stemar]

Does anyone know if this outfit still exists, or knows of John Pollard? I left a main sail with them in 2020 and forgot about it during lockdown. Now John Pollard gave me a story about having an interested buyer at around £500 but now never in when I call. Today they seem to have blocked my phone number. Do I just assume they are scoundrels and I have been ripped off.

If they have deliberately ripped you off, that's theft. Given their reputation, I think I'd be very interested in going down the criminal route rather than the civil one. A SCC judgement makes little difference to them, but a criminal conviction could cause significant inconvenience.

 

[ashtead]

Have you searched the premises they occupy? Probably short leasehold but might be worth a try to see if they actually own the building and hence worth anYThIng.

 

[doug748]

The business has been there donkey's years, well before the adjoining business park developments, not sure about the ownership of the property or even if they still function:



They used to have a respectable reputation; I don't know many local sailors who would touch them with a bargepole.


.

 

[shortjohnsilver]

Dealt with them in the past and they were less than honest. Eventually I had to ‘accuse’ them of theft, informing them that I would be making a formal allegation of theft to the police. Mr Pollard went absolutely ‘apoplectic’ screaming down the phone. Three days later my sail was returned by courier to my front door.

 

[Shuggy]

You can have a look for my sail when you're there. Not seen since 2016.

 

[Yachtingsouthwest]

Can't recommend Amarda Sails at Yacht haven quay enough just had my new to me trailer sailer sails laundered with them also had previous canvas work repairs carried out by them. Great business for South West sails and canvas.

 

[bignick]

Their website is still up and their “latest sail stock lists” were last updated on 2 May 2023, so they are still trading with the unwary.

Do you have any record of having given the sail to him at all? Proof of postage, email exchange etc? If so, a letter threatening police and/or small claims court action may elicit a response where phone calls have not. They have a really bad reputation on here, but I wonder how bad the problem actually is.

 

[LittleSister]

They have a really bad reputation on here, but I wonder how bad the problem actually is.

There have been more than enough innocent souls coming on this forum over the years trying to resolve similar problems to convince me that this is certainly not a one-off misunderstanding, oversight, or the result of the trader being away, ill, temporarily over-busy, phone/email out of action, or whatever.

The really bad reputation is the result of really bad, seemingly downright dishonest, practice, repeated over many years, by that trader, it seems to me.

 

[john_morris_uk]

You can have a look for my sail when you're there. Not seen since 2016.

And while you’re at it look for the several sails I left there around that time and never seen since. I started to complain and they started to make promises and then threats and I found better things to do than pursue the matter.

 

[ashtead]

I wonder how they continue in business -surely someone has complained to local plod by now ?

 

[LittleSister]

I imagine the police will say it's a civil matter.

But, yes, how they continue in business, not to mention live with themselves, is a mystery.