Insider reviews

Dictatorship from owner/Chairwomen is unrelenting and stifles any prospect of innovation or modernisation despite rarely managing to prise a profit from this brilliant business she still believes no one can do it better?? sheer arrogance and blindness to the obvious opportunities that everyone else can see. Claims she will retire one day but in reality has nothing else going on and would be lost without her ' empire' and the ability to belittle her subjects at every turn. The brands are v well respected in their markets - editorially brilliant and the round-table events and virtual events now taking place are tremendous. The difficulty all stems from an autocratic leadership style from Marlen Roberts, a refusal to accept change ( e.g they don't allow mobile phones - yes that's true ) and a distrust of some of their most loyal and hardworking people ( everyone is out to skim or somehow do the company down? that's the belief ) their is also an inherent distrust of diversity which is evident from a look at those who work there. The MD came in and had great ideas and we thought he could really change the culture of the place but we should have known better - beaten to surrender by the one who must be obeyed and finally left presumable to do anything rather than go hand to hand with Ms Roberts. the 5 star reviews on here are absolutely planted to try and iron out the terrible reputation which means they can't hire the best people any more as people know to avoid - even my recruiter advised me to stay clear

As most of the negative reviews on here say - beware senior management. The Chairwoman (formerly the MD) is not to be trusted, speaks to people as if she is Alan Sugar. Their “marketing” consists of spamming people with emails and letters - the member numbers drop and the prices go up. The fear factor is ripe in this tired old office - people have had their egos so bruised they don’t believe they could make it at another business should they decide to leave. Get out, get out, get out.