Wedding dress rescue option

Jayne Crowley from Penwortham (pictured with husband Martin), is offering her wedding dress to help someone affected by the sudden closure of Dan Kerr

Social worker Jayne Crowley from Penwortham was compelled to make the gesture, having experienced two wedding shop disasters herself.

In the run up to her August 2013 wedding to husband Martin, 33, Jayne was forced to re-order her dream dress twice, once when the Bridal Gallery in Preston went bust, and then again when Crystal Eternity in Penwortham closed. To add to her distress, the Sophia Tolli ‘Lizabeth’ dress was discontinued, but the designer agreed to make a one-off for The Dressing Room in Garstang, who managed to save the day with just two weeks to spare.

Jayne, 36, said: “Hearing about Dan Kerr going into administration brought it all back for me.

“The day I found out the first shop had closed I was on a training course and ended up leaving because I had to go and get it sorted out.

“It’s a nightmare, and I can sympathise with how people will be panicking. So if there’s someone getting married in a couple of weeks and who needs a dress, then I am happy for them to have it.”

Jayne said the £1,200 dress is “immaculate” and will fit a size 14-16.

Elsewhere The Wedding Lawyers are offering a service matching brides and grooms with people willing to lend their dresses and suits for the big day. They feel Dan Kerr could have warned customers sooner, and want to “mitigate some of the unfairness that has arisen”. So far 20 people have offered their wedding dresses, with two brides expressing an interest.

Anyone willing to lend or borrow is asked to email: [email protected].

Dan Kerr, which had a shop in Preston and in Blackpool, went into administration on Tuesday, with directors saying they were no longer able to compete against the internet and bridal warehouses.

Corporate recovery firm Robson Kay said brides-to-be will be able to collect their dresses from its warehouse in South Manchester over the coming days, with priority given to those whose weddings are soonest.

But those whose dresses and accessories had yet to arrive in stock, or had paid for alterations, have been told they will have to make a financial claim to proposed administrators Leonard Curtis.