I took my bike into halfords to have the forks replaced under warrantee as they had developed play in the bushes.
When I went to pick the bike up from the bike hut manager I notice a lot of play in the headset.
He pulled an Allen key out of his pocket and attempted to remedy this and could not because when tightened enough to get rid of the play the forks were locked up.
So he said he would build me a new bike, which he later did.
when I asked what was the problem he told me that they could not get the race off the old forks.
So not only did they knowingly try and send me away with a bike without a crown race but built me a complete new bike for the sake of it.
I do all my own repairs now.