GTN issue 93

BUNCH OF BANKERS

Farage debanking scandal spreads to shooting

BASC has written to Nikhil Rathi, chief executive of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), to provide evidence of sector-wide discrimination by many high street banks against shooting-related businesses for the FCA’s debanking review.

This follows an exposé in the Telegraph into widespread ‘debanking’ of the shooting community, using data collected by BASC. This has seen shooting businesses and shoots become victims of sudden, unexplained account closures, refusals of new applications, and difficulties with online payments, the use of card machines and applying for credit.

The survey showed that shooters are facing discrimination from banks, with members of the trade particularly affected. Responses from ordinary shooters, club members and shooting businesses

ANGLO-ITALIAN CHANGES

Mike Mansfield to take a back seat

It’s a case of evolution not revolution at AngloItalian Arms, as industry stalwart Mike Mansfield takes a back seat with an eye on his future retirement. Young guns Alistair Dawkes and Matthew Panter are taking up the challenge of continuing to drive Anglo-Italian forwards, with the support of Guerini Brothers.

New director Matt Panter told us: “The high level of service and quality will remain, as will the business ethics that the foundations of the company and these two great brands have been built on in the UK.” GTN takes this to mean continuing hard-working dealer days, with the Anglo-Italian team getting guns into people’s hands and letting the experience do the selling for them.

If you’re interested in working with Anglo-Italian, contact Matt (below) on 01564 742477.

showed that all types of shooters face being debanked, at what seems to be the whim of the bank.

And it appears to be the major high street names that are the worst offenders, with Barclays, Lloyds, NatWest and HSBC all scoring highly among banks that either refuse to open or suddenly close shooters’ bank accounts.

Two thirds (65%) of the respondents who had tried to open a bank account had difficulty in doing so and over one third had accounts suddenly closed. In 57% of the cases where the bank provided an ex-

planation, it was that it was ‘bank policy’ not to associate or work with anyone connected to firearms.

Shooting businesses recorded the worst discrimination, with access to conventional credit through their banks becoming an increasingly difficult issue for them. They also faced a higher risk of sudden closure (49%).

Dr Conor O’Gorman, BASC’s head of policy and campaigns, said: “Banks should not be arbitrarily shutting down business accounts or refusing to open accounts on a bank manager’s whim and with no ex-

planation given. Shooting sports are a lawful activity and we should not be treated as potential criminals by the banking sector.

Ex-home secretary Priti Patel commented: “This is another example of where Britain’s banks are politically compromised. Banks need to get back to providing access to financial services and stay away from passing political judgement as to who can bank with them.”

A Barclays spokesman said that the company complied “with our legal and regulatory obligations” and it would “only withdraw banking services from an individual or business in exceptional circumstances.”

For more on this subject, see Conor O’Gorman on page 30, and ‘We Say’ on page 3.

HIGHLAND ANNOUNCES EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTION DEAL WITH GUNWERKS

Highland Outdoors has announced an exclusive distribution partnership with industry leader in long-range rifles Gunwerks throughout the UK, Ireland and Europe.

The US company, founded in Wyoming in 2006, has pioneered and continues to drive industry innovation throughout the precision hunting rifle space.

Steve Kelly, Highland Outdoors’ Group Commercial Director, commented: “The team at Highland Outdoors are pinching ourselves with excitement to be working with Gunwerks throughout the UK, Ireland and Europe.

“We pledge a substantial commitment to UK

hunters and gunsmiths by stocking a comprehensive range of Gunwerks and Revic optics. [With] precision rifles and shooting systems, actions and components, class leading optics and accessories, we’re providing access to the finest precision hunting rifle instruments on the planet.

“Furthermore, we’re launching Gunwerks and Revic UK-based websites and, in 2024, developing an extension of its Long-Range University education programme for UK and European hunters.

“The Gunwerks agency births a new distribution model for both Highland Outdoors and the UK and European gun trades.

“Watch this space and uncover why we believe Gunwerks are the true innovators and modern custodians of precision hunting rifle systems.”

Actions, components, optics, and accessories will start arriving in the UK from this month, rifles to follow from Q4 2023.

“

Shooters are facing discrimination from banks ”

Cyclops 340 D

12μm VOx Detector, ≤25mk NETD, 384 x 288 Resolution, Objective lens 20/40mm F1.0 dual field of view, Field of view 13.1° x 9.9° / 6.6° x 4.9°, 1.9x / 3.8x magnification, 7 reticle options with adjustable coordinates, 1024 OLED display.

RRP: £1,999.00

Cyclops D

Thermal Imaging Monocular.

• Dual Field Of View

• High Thermal Sensitivity

• Two Image Display Modes

• Joystick Operation

• AI Intelligent Rangefinder

• Continuous Zoom

• F1.0 Lens

• IP67 Waterproof, Dust-proof and Fog-proof

• GPS

• Long Battery Life

mm

mm

Cyclops 350 D

12μm VOx Detector, ≤25mk NETD, 384 x 288 Resolution, Objective lens 25/50mm F1.0 dual field of view, Field of view 10.5° x 7.9° / 5.3° x 4.0°, 2.4x / 4.8x magnification, 7 reticle options with adjustable coordinates, 1024 OLED display.

RRP: £2,299.00

Cyclops 640 D

12μm VOx Detector, ≤25mk NETD, 640 x 512 Resolution, Objective lens 20/40mm F1.0 dual field of view, Field of view 21.7° x 17.5° / 11.0° x 8.8°, 1.1x / 2.2x magnification, 7 reticle options with adjustable coordinates, 1024 OLED display.

RRP: £2,799.00

Cyclops 650 D

12μm VOx Detector, ≤25mk NETD, 640 x 512 Resolution, Objective lens 25/50mm F1.0 dual field of view, Field of view

17.5° x 14.0° / 8.8° x 7.0°, 1.4x / 2.8x magnification, 7 reticle options with adjustable coordinates, 1024 OLED display.

RRP: £2,999.00

75 years

WE SAY

I’m not a natural fan of Nigel Farage, despite our potential common ancestry.

When Nigel visited The Bell, my number one city-centre watering hole in Bath, around ten years ago, he was asked to leave by the bar staff and then, while campaigning on the pavement to camera, was submitted to the ‘Farage Wave’ by local Gary on his way in for a pint. The ‘wave’, a vigorous side-to-side pumping action of a clenched hand, went viral, and the proud customers of The Bell promptly stuck more than £250 behind the bar for Gary to have a few more pints on them. You can still google the moment online and I recommend that you do.

But I have to say, that whether from caprice or principle, Nigel Farage has done the shooting community a big favour recently, and I am a big enough character to acknowledge that. I’m not brave enough to buy him a pint at the bar of The Bell, but if he came round one evening in disguise I would be prepared to ferry one out to him in the garden, where he would no doubt enjoy one of The Bell’s legendary dub DJs.

We’d all known for years that the trade faced difficulties, and occasional hostility, from the banks. The slightest whiff of gunpowder was enough to send some of them running to their ethical business protocols without a reflective pause to consider the real nature of the business that was in front of them. But until Nigel Farage stood up to Coutts, the chance of us getting a fair national hearing of these reasonable complaints was zero.

So I’m prepared to raise a glass to Mr Farage and thank him for his principles on this occasion.

Just don’t mention Brexit to me.

And just a further note, while all the sound and fury has been going in, the Gun Trade Association

has for years been quietly working away in the background making sure its members had access to bank accounts and appropriate lines of credit—one of the many reasons why it pays to be a member.

Steve

GUNSHOP MANAGER

Game and Country Ltd, one of the leading Gunshops in the South of Scotland/North of England, is looking for a Gunshop Manager to take the existing business forward.

We specialise in stalking and keepering needs.

A sound knowledge of Firearms, Shotguns, Reloading Equipment and Optics including Thermal Imaging is a distinct advantage.

To apply, please send your CV to Richard McGill via email to richard@gameandcountry.co.uk

“

My number one city-centre watering hole in Bath ”

INDUSTRY NEWS

Around the UK and abroad, all the top stories digested

Fady Kiwan owns the Benchrest World Championships with a BRK Ghost

Fady Kiwan dominated the Benchrest Rimfire and Air Rifle World Championships held in Plzen, Czech Republic, winning two world titles and setting a record score with his BRK Ghost Air Rifle.

The competition, which is sanctioned by the World Rimfire and Air Rifle Benchrest Federation (WRABF) and the European Rimfire & Air Rifle Benchrest Shooting Federation (ERABS), saw 237 competitors from 23 countries take part in a range of events between July 26 and August 4.

Kiwan competed in the Light Varmint 25m, Heavy Varmint 25m and Unlimited at 50m categories. Unlike most of the other shooters, who used highly specialised custom rifles, Kiwan remarkably used a standard BRK Ghost, only swapping between 17in and 28in barrels and .177 and .22 calibres, a process that takes just a few minutes.

His score of 725.21 points was not only good enough to win the 50m Unlimited world title but set a new record of 247/250 in the process. He also went on to be crowned World Champion in the ThreeGun category from his total scores in Light Varmint, Heavy Varmint and 50m unlimited, all using the same BRK Ghost.

“Fady’s achievement is the stuff of dreams,” com-

John Rothery Wholesale releases new Trade Catalogue and Price List

John Rothery Wholesale has announced the launch of its 2023/2024 Trade Catalogue and Price List, which it believes will stand as a testament to its commitment to exceptional service for its valued customers.

Designed to cater to the diverse needs of retailers, the 2023/2024 Trade Catalogue is a comprehensive resource featuring an extensive range of more than 5,000 products from renowned brands. Retailers can easily explore the latest products, stay updated with the newest offerings and make well-informed purchasing decisions.

One of the standout features of the updated catalogue is its user-friendly layout. John Rothery Wholesale has gone the extra mile to ensure that retailers can effortlessly navigate through the various sections. The catalogue has been thoughtfully organised, making it easier than ever to find specific items and product categories. With its clear and concise descriptions, along with vibrant images, retailers can confidently present the products to their customers, boosting sales and customer satisfaction.

Rigby unveils its first ever Objet d’Art collection

London gunmaker John Rigby & Co. has unveiled its new Objet d’Art collection, a series of meticulously hand-crafted items perfect for collectors or those searching for the ultimate gift.

mented BRK’s Tony Belas. “To win two world titles and set a record score is one thing, but to be first among all the air rifle shooters in a world championship with a standard BRK Ghost—a rifle that is used by hunters and casual shooters around the world—is simply amazing.”

Dave Barham, editor of Airgun World, said: “Fady has achieved the impossible using an ‘off the shelf’ BRK Brocock Ghost. Massive congratulations from the team here at Airgun World magazine.”

The Objet d’Art collection includes handmade enamelled sterling silver cufflinks featuring the iconic Rigby ‘double R’ logo or the brand’s unique seven-grooved rifle spiral design, as influenced by the iconic .500 Rigby Rising Bite double rifle. There are also fine silver tumblers, sold individually or as a pair, which also carry the famous Rigby ‘double R’ logo and feature a striking enamel finish over a timeless, engine-turned pattern. The collection is rounded off with two hand-crafted pens, one inspired by the .500 Rigby Rising Bite double rifle and the other by the much-loved .275 rifle, as owned by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.

All the items in the Objet d’Art collection carry the newly registered Rigby ‘maker’s mark’, and those made during 2022 and 2023 will also carry Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee hallmark, adding to the provenance of the pieces.

Rigby goldsmith and engraver James Kulczyk,

who has led the creation of the collection, commented: “Although it is in its infancy, I have been staggered by the interest shown in Rigby Objet d’Art, not only from our established supporters but also from new customers.”

Prices start from £1,080.

GWCT Summer Dinner raises £6,000

The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) says it raised £6,000 at its inaugural Summer Dinner at the Cavalry & Guards Club, through ticket sales, donations, a live auction and raffle lots. Special guests at the gala event included adventurists Hugo and Ross Turner, ITV racing presenter Flora Gibbs, photographer Alistair Guy, professional hunter Ollie Williams, and TV personalities Julius Cowdrey and Freddie Brown.

Furthermore, the improved price list is set to simplify the ordering process for retailers. The well structured format ensures that retailers can quickly locate prices for different products and manage their inventory more efficiently. This enhancement comes as a result of valuable feedback received from customers over the years, reflecting John Rothery Wholesale’s dedication to listening and responding to the needs of its clients.

“We are elated to introduce our latest trade catalogue and price list, which represent a significant step

forward in terms of design and functionality,” said Sean O’Driscoll, Managing Director of John Rothery Wholesale. “Our team has worked diligently to curate a resource that empowers our retail partners to easily access crucial product information and pricing. We believe that this enhancement will strengthen our relationship with retailers and further support their success in the market.”

For more information about John Rothery Wholesale and its extensive range of products and services, please visit bisley-uk.com

Guns walking away from driven shooting days?

Against a backdrop of economically difficult times for many of us, reports are coming in of a decrease in demand for driven shooting days.

Digby Taylor of GunsOnPegs told Shooting Times that they are seeing more discounted days, and that they have even had prestigious estates such as Floors Castle approaching them to advertise. In previous years, booking such days has been all but impos-

sible for the ordinary Gun. However, Digby does not believe this is about money per se. “We are talking about people who are really very wealthy, but they are starting to question whether shooting represents good value given the price hike.”

Sam Higgins of EJ Churchill noted that an American team who paid £48,000 for two days last year are paying £62,000 for the same two days this year.

Eat Wild in 2023

Eat Wild has been taking the campaign for wild and sustainable meat to events across the UK. So far this year, Eat Wild has been present at: Glendale Children’s Education Day, Northumberland; Open Farm Sunday, Cambridgeshire; La Cucina Caldesi, London; Highclere Show, Hampshire; The Northern Shooting Show, Yorkshire; Vale House Kitchen, Bath; and GWCT Clay Day, London.

BASC Wildlife Fund

Nick Mason of Davis & Bowring says they are still seeing days selling at the very top end of the market, and he reports a brisk trade in the smallest days too, but says the middle of the market is sticky. Nick believes people are wondering whether they should turn their 300-bird day into a 150-bird day. The clear problem with this is that such days would hardly cover costs for estates.

Species, habitats and communities are all set to benefit from a major new biodiversity fund targeted at shooting and conservation-related activities. The BASC Wildlife Fund will award grants and loans to support targeted activities that demonstrate the wider benefits of sustainable shooting in biodiversity and connecting people to the environment. For more, see bascwildlifefund.co.uk

Review of bird quarry list proposed

BASC has said it will challenge proposals to remove or amend the right to sustainably harvest wild bird species. The society has responded to the upcoming government review by calling for self-regulation over the total removal of certain species, as Felix Petit has reported in Shooting Times

The focus of the government review is likely to be on duck species such as pochard and pintail, which seem to be declining. Coots, moorhens, black grouse and ptarmigan will also be looked at. Brent geese, Egyptian geese and mandarin duck may be added to the quarry list as their UK numbers are increasing.

BASC has conducted a review of UK quarry bird species and has created a ‘sustainable shooting framework’. With similar reviews, the shooting community has asked for a self-regulatory approach so it can carry out habitat creation and targeted conservation, but this requires stakeholder trust. It is also notable that public perception of shooting has become increasingly polarised.

Richard Negus, conservationist and wildfowler, expressed his concerns about the data that such reviews can be based on. “Wildfowl counting can be done with inconsistent methodologies; no single survey should be the sole arbiter. A carte blanche ban on harvesting a species based on data from one source, such as the British Trust for Ornithology, can oversimplify a complex picture. Lots of the data is gathered from the bag numbers reported by wildfowlers alone. Population estimates should include details on species sightings as well as incorporating nesting habitat surveys and continuity surveys. Combining these approaches would provide a more holistic picture than I believe is currently available.”

Farlows presents Autumn Winter 2023 Fieldwear Collection

Farlows has released its new, mostly UK-made, Autumn Winter 2023 Fieldwear Collection. The collection includes new sporting tweeds and lodens across men’s and ladies, and introduces new garments such as the Fairford and Glencoe field coats for men, and the Sloane and Hampton coats for ladies.

The Fairford is made from high-quality loden coated in a fine layer of Teflon coating for further water-repellency. The Glencoe is made from premium tough BCI approved cotton, milled in Dundee, and is made for maximum weather protection. The Sloane and Hampton are milled by Lovat Mill in Scotland using high quality tweed, with the pattern and colours unique to Farlows.

In knitwear, Farlows has new colourways and styles of its Fair Isle jumpers. These are made in Aberdeenshire from 100% pure merino wool and Donegal wool. The rest of the knitwear pieces are made in the UK from a variety of materials.

Farlows is also carrying over both suede vests this season. The finest Italian suede is first sent to London, where it is marked, cut and sewn by hand. The other waistcoats include more of an everyday life design, that can still be worn in the field, with natural materials used that will repel water and remain warm and hardwearing. See farlows.co.uk for more.

PRODUCT NEWS

The Ptarmigan Evo Coat Moss

When the briars and bracken are as thick as the anticipation that comes with chasing wild quarry, you need a hard-wearing coat that will stand up to the elements—thorns, thunderstorms, and everything in between.

Spypoint Flex HD Cellular LTE Video Transmission Trail Camera

IN PARLIAMENT

Richard Leonard, Labour MSP

Deconcentrating Land Ownership

Scottish Parliament

22 June 2023

“T he pattern of land ownership tells us a lot about Scotland. It is a very painful reminder of a very different history compared even to that of our near neighbours. It points to a very different distribution of wealth that is still with us and is emblematic of the great inequality of power that persists in Scotland today: riches in abundance and idleness in luxury on the one hand, and ever-rising, wretched working poverty for the toiling millions on the other. In so doing, it points to a class-based society, to a class system that leads to the excesses of the grouse moors and the degeneracy of the shooting estates, all with the quite intentional consequence of the denial of fundamental democratic and community rights.”

The Ptarmigan Evo coat features a slightly shorter cut for enhanced freedom of movement but retains the key properties that have long distinguished the Ptarmigan range from the rest. Fully waterproof, windproof and breathable, with a detachable hood, a rear zipped game pocket, and large bellow pockets for easy access to cartridges, this coat is perfectly tailored for walked up shooting.

Schoffel Country 01572 772 480 support@schoffelcountry.com

£549.95

Tweed Plus Fours, Corry Tweed

A functional yet classic piece, new to the collection, the Tweed Plus Fours are crafted from pure lambs wool in a British mill. A Teflon finish ensures the trousers will be stain- and moisture-repellent and are durable to last season after season. Two back pockets and front slant pockets ensure you have storage for your valuables, trimmed with contrasting cotton canvas gives a practical look to the trouser. An adjustable belowthe-knee elasticated buckle fastening means you can get the perfect fit with a pair of walking boots for long days out in the field when you have lots of walking to do.

Schoffel Country 01572 772 480 support@schoffelcountry.com

£259.95

A 33MP camera provides detailed and clear colour images by day and black and white images by night. It features a 0.3 second trigger speed and a detection range of up to 30m (100ft), with a wide field of view to open up the observation area and detect movement that would otherwise remain undetected. The Flex also features built-in video recording capabilities, offering 1080p video capture with sound. The Spypoint Flex features a responsive trigger, automatically configuring the camera’s settings to match the conditions

at the time of photo capture, ensuring the image captured is the best quality.

Thomas Jacks 01789 264100 info@thomasjacks.co.uk

RRP £169.95

The Deer Stalker’s Bedside Book

The Deer Stalker’s Bedside Book by Charles Smith-Jones provides an entertaining read for every deer enthusiast, whether experienced stalker, novice who would like to learn more, or indeed anyone who has an interest in these enigmatic and graceful creatures. Packed with a wealth of information—factual, practical, historical and biological—as well as anecdotes, advice, stalking tales, trivia and quotations, all backed up with personal observations and experiences, this expertly researched and authoritative book offers something for everyone. This treasury of all things deer is presented in an articulate, accessible and often humorous style, enabling the author to share his knowledge, experience and enthusiasm for the subject in an effortless and absorbing way. Above all, this is a book to en-

joy, to savour and to return to, again and again.

Quiller Publishing, Harper Collins orders@harpercollins.co.uk

RRP £16.99

FAST • ACCURATE • RELIABLE

Scope sold separately

High viz double stack polymer magazine

The BRX 1 is a revolution in ri e design, developed over many years to bring true innovation at a reasonable cost. The NATO validated linear reloading system delivers incredible cycling speeds with pinpoint accuracy. The locking system employs a rotating bolt head with 8 lugs (16 for magnum calibres) for maximum safety.

NOW Barrel Length MT Twist Rate Calibres 20" 14x1

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Picatinny mounting system

6.5CRM 1-11'' .243Win /.308 /.30-06 22.5" 1-8" 6.5CRM 22.5" 1-11" .308 /.30-06 /.300WMag 24.5" 1-11" .300WMag

For further product information and details please call GMK on 01489 587500 or visit www.gmk.co.uk

3 position safety

THE GTN

MATTHEW PANTER

Taking the Quick Quiz challenge this month is Matthew Panter, competitive Shot and UK sales director at Anglo Italian Arms

Please tell us who you are and who you work for

I’m Matthew Panter and I’m the UK sales director at Anglo Italian Arms, who import Caesar Guerini and Fabarm shotguns.

How’s business?

Currently trade is great. We are having a good year and the momentum leading up to the game season is very positive.

Up to anything new?

We have just had the UK official launch of the Caesar Guerini Invictus iX GS, which is a sideplate sporting model with deep mystic engraving with gold and synthetic coloured stones inlayed. Then from Fabarm we have the new N2 RS sporter just hitting the shelves now, which is a fantastic competition clay fun with an adjustable comb and steel shot proofed to full choke for a retail price of £1,950. We have a couple of new models in the pipeline for 2024, which we are looking forward to.

Do you shoot? If so, why? And what?

I do. I’ve shot for 20 years and competitively for

18 of them, representing Great Britain at Olympic trap at three World Cups and England at seven home internationals. I shoot any of the trap disciplines competitively but do occasionally venture out to shoot a bit of sporting or skeet. I’ve shot a Caesar Guerini Invictus Ascent now for ten years and I absolutely love it.

Aside from shooting, what are the main loves of your life?

My dog. There’s something about a dog. No matter how good or bad your day has been, they are still just as excited to see you when you walk through the door.

Which other fieldsport/shooting businesses or organisations do you most admire, and why?

To be honest, at the moment I admire a lot of the shooting businesses and organisations. The world went through a tough time with Covid, etc, and the shooting industry seems to have bounced back well, with a lot of shooting grounds investing and expanding, and with some new great products appearing on the market.

What’s the biggest threat facing shooting today, in your opinion?

At times I do feel the biggest threat is negative press.

As an industry we need to stick together and push forward, and be positive in the development of new biodegradable wads, steel shot, new products, etc. Sometimes it’s very easy, just because a product doesn’t suit your needs or work for you, for it to get branded as ‘rubbish’, whereas in reality it’s likely to be a good product, just not quite right for you.

What’s your favourite shooting read?

Personally, I always enjoy my monthly copy of Pull! magazine as it’s full of all the latest clay shooting news and reviews, etc. But I do also like to have a flick through Fieldsports of an evening.

And the best bit of kit you ever bought?

Being around shooting as long as I have, I’ve brought plenty of good bits of kit. My first Caesar Guerini Invictus 1 Ascent helped me achieve a lot. But then also the Swatcom Active 8 Ear defenders I have are also phenomenal in terms of protection, comfort and clarity—nothing comes close.

Tell us an interesting fact about yourself or your organisation that we might not know Our Fabarm shotguns have barrel technology that allows steel shot to be shot through full choke.

If you could only eat one kind of soup for the rest of your life, what flavour would it be? It would have to be tomato. GTN GTN

“ Being around shooting as long as I have, I’ve brought plenty of good bits of kit ”

Matthew has represented Great Britain and England at Olympic trap

Anglo Italian Arms import Caesar Guerini and Fabarm shotguns

EXTENSIVE PRODUCT SELECTION!

WHOLESALE OUTDOOR SPORTING GOODS FOR ALL ENTHUSIASTS

CROWD PLEASER

THE sound of shotguns rang out across Ragley Hall in Warwickshire on the Friday morning for the opening ceremony of the 65th anniversary of The Game Fair.

The annual gun salute, elevated to a spectacular 65-shot salute in 2023 to mark this milestone anniversary, was led by the 9th Marquess of Hertford, whose Ragley Hall estate has hosted the annual three-day celebration of the Great British countryside seven times. Other notable figures in attendance over the weekend included TV comic and passionate angler Paul Whitehouse, actor and fishing campaigner Jim Murray, film star Vinnie Jones and Countryfile star and farmer Adam Henson.

James Gower, managing director for The Game Fair commented: “The show has exceeded our expectations completely. Attendance increased by nearly 5,000 people beyond last year’s figure of 120,000, which is a fitting way to end our anniversary celebrations and three years back-to-back here at Ragley Hall, as we announce our move to Blenheim Palace for the 2024 show. This year’s show has been tremendous for the industry and for many of the exhibitors here who have reported record sales.

“We were delighted to welcome back chef James Martin and to have Paul Whitehouse here for the first time, who entertained visitors here at the Carter

Jonas Theatre, the Kitchen Theatre and the Investec Enclosure Restaurant, where he had influenced the menu this year. Returning to The Game Fair was the LAPADA Pavilion with some 30 exhibitors displaying the best of art and antiques. The LAPADA Fair returns to its dazzling location in Berkeley Square, London, from 27 September to 1 October.

New exhibitors

“We were blessed to work with new exhibitors, including Investec and The Royal Mint, who were both here meeting new customers and entertaining old ones. Over £80 million is thought to have been spent with exhibitors at the show, with countless business deals and networking opportunities being finalised here for completion at later dates.”

The team from British gunmaker Holland & Holland, which was exhibiting on Gunmakers’ Row at the event, saw their stand busy on all three days,

as Head of Marketing Mike Jones confirmed: “It’s been frantic here on the stand and we’ve been pleasantly surprised at the response to our new gun, the Noble. We’ve also relaunched our range of authentic fieldsports clothing and accessories this weekend, and it’s gone down a storm.”

Country clothing footwear and accessories retailer Bredon Hill Shooting needed all hands on deck to cope with the demand of such a busy show weekend. Sharon Bygate, the company’s marketing executive, commented as she prepared for the final day of the show: “This year has been extraordinary. We went much bigger this year, with a whole extra bay on the marquee, and hosted Le Chameau with their own shop on the side of the stand, and it’s certainly paid off. RM Williams, one of the biggest brands we stock, took over a large portion of the front of the stand and have been embossing belts and wellies for customers as they wait. The stand has been full of

customers from morning to night with people snapping up their favourite brands, and the weather has helped too, as last year was rather too warm for buying wellies, gilets and jackets. What a weekend!”

British gundog training equipment and accessories brand Dog & Field had a busy weekend with staff welcoming a bumper number of visitors to the stand. The company also sponsored all the gundog classes in the International and Hertford Arena. Director Colin Chalkley commented: “My feet haven’t touched the ground all weekend. Huge thanks to the organisers for another superb event and for the opportunity to meet with so many passionate gundog breeders, handlers, owners and enthusiasts. Congratulations to everyone who won gundog classes. The standard was so high and it’s a real privilege to sponsor these events.”

Lewis Thornley, BASC Central Director commented: “The Game Fair is a celebration of the countryside, a place to engage, catch up and enjoy, and this year has been no different. It was the perfect place to unveil to the public the newly formed BASC Wildlife Fund, which provides grants for conservation projects and loans for land purchases linked to sustainable shooting. BASC’s involvement with the event continues to grow and we are already looking forward to returning next year.” GTN GTN

This year’s Game Fair was the biggest and best yet, and the planned move to Blenheim next year promises to make the event even stronger

“ The Game Fair is a celebration of the countryside, a place to engage, catch up and enjoy ”

Attendance was up by 5,000 on last year’s figure of 120,000

Your calves will thank you if you adorn them with a pair of shooting stockings and matching garters

Insight: Game Fair 2023

The Game Fair brings together all your favourite country clothing brands so you can meet the founders, designers and tastemakers

Lord Hertford led a 65-shot salute to mark the start of the 65th Game Fair

Shetland Pony Grand National jockeys had a go at archery between racing in the Main Arena

Antique fishing tackle collector Victor Bonutto celebrated his 35th year exhibiting at The Game Fair

Just look at Ivy’s wee smile! This vulnerable breed was to be seen at the Sealyham Terrier expo

300 pairs of welly boots from Joules were sold to raise money for The Game Fair’s official charity, The Country Food Trust

Everyone was making new friends at The Game Fair

Gary Bowles from The Oxford Gun Company ensures their stock of shotguns look its best on the stand

Specification S :

• Calibres: .177 / .22 (Sub 12FT/LB)

• Barrel Length: 300mm

• Superior STX Barrel Liner

• Overall Length: approx. 770mm

feature S :

• 400cc Aluminium Bottle & Moulded Cheek Cover

• Over The Barrel Micro Plenum

• AMP MkII Regulator

• Dual 45 o Angled Manometers

• Quick Tune System

• Compact Arca Rail

• High-Power / Short-Impulse Valve

ROY MARTIN GUNSMITH

What year was the shop established?

The first shop was established by my father, Roy, back in 1976. Admittedly, we haven’t moved far. In fact our current shop is but a quarter of a mile away from our original premises.

Number of staff?

Altogether we have four members of staff. My dad, Roy Martin, who does the running of the workshop. Me, his son, Edward Martin. I run the actual shop. Nikki, who does the admin, and Jack, our recent apprentice gunsmith.

Increasingly, and in keeping with the times, I have been doing the social media, which although it is time consuming, I really enjoy, especially our YouTube channel. Here in the shop though, it is fair to say Nikki is charge of all of us.

The one member of staff you couldn’t live without and why…

Funnily enough, that would be Nikki. She keeps on top of all of our admin work, which, frankly, the rest of us simply don’t have the first clue about.

Tell us a little more about yourself, and why you’re running a gunshop. Tell us what your passions are…

Being Roy Martin’s son, I have been brought up in the trade, so it’s no exaggeration to say that it really is in my blood. I have always been a lover of shooting sports for as long as I can remember. I don’t know which means more to me, shooting and the history of the trade, or being the man to continue our family business that my father has spent near on 50 years building. We are a great team and share the same passion for English guns.

What has been the most successful product (or area) for you in the past year?

It’s very difficult to pick a specific product or brand but I do believe, like most businesses, we go in trends and that our trends are in keeping with the rest of the industry. As time goes by you get a bit of a spread, so whilst we have been in the top UK Browning dealers, we are also huge on GMK at the minute. I guess Berettas and Brownings never go out of fashion and continue to be successful every year. We do sell a lot of shotguns.

What’s your clientele like?

We have a lot of repeat business. We have customers that have been with us for over 40 years. Everyone is different but we cater to them all, from the English collector to the competition shooter wanting an alteration in our workshop. We have pigeon shooters, wildfowlers and clients that only ever shoot driven game. That’s the requirements of the clientele, which is very varied, but they are all good to deal with. And, from what I gather, they enjoy our service as much as we enjoy their custom. It’s good to be able to meet people’s requirements and assist them in their shooting, however that may be.

What was your best day ever?

It seems that nearly every day is a good day, apart from a few bad ones that we won’t go into here. It is hard to pinpoint an exact day but there is one time that springs to mind. I can’t recall the exact date but last season we had a very busy spell. By the time we actually sat down and looked at it at the end of the week, this local family-run business had sold more than ten very high-value guns. We were very pleased, even though it left our racks a little bare.

Who’s your best customer?

I couldn’t possibly pick. As soon as I think of one I’m remembering another. Here at Roy Martin Gunsmith, we have always felt extremely lucky to have such a great selection of customers. They all seem to excel in two things: humour and loyalty. We are incredibly grateful to all of them.

What’s your funniest or most memorable story about a customer?

Like most funny stories, there is a slightly sympathetic element to this one. Many years ago we had a gentleman come into the shop who took a liking to one of the tweed jackets that we had for sale at the time. It caught his eye as he was leaving and he couldn’t resist a return visit. He circled it a few times

and was clearly interested, then he came back again and tried it on. Whether he was a bit shy about finally breaking into tweed or not I don’t know, but he came back and back over and again to look at this jacket. He was clearly captivated by it. He must have been in to the shop ten times before he eventually arrived with a firm and positive: “Here I am to buy the jacket!” Only to be told we had sold it the day before.

What do you anticipate will be the biggest trends for the next year?

I think that simulated game days will continue to grow and grow in popularity. There are a few reasons for this. Firstly, they really are a great substitute for game shooting, but not only that, they are an affordable way to get people pulling the trigger as much as possible. It is also helps they aren’t on a clay ground.

When you order stock, what’s the first thing you put down?

Two of our main staples are the CompX 21g fibre from Hull Cartridge and the Evo 21g fibre from Gamebore. These two cartridges seem to be the main sellers for all the sim day enthusiasts we are seeing around these days.

Any other interesting facts about the business? Not only are we a retailer but we are also gunmakers and gunsmiths. Roy has produced a few best quality rifles and English guns in his time. Those who know, know. He is very proud to have served the local shooting community with repairs and renovations for over four decades. I’d take that one step further to the whole shooting community, across the country really.

What’s the best thing for you about working in a gunshop?

For me it’s being able to carry on with the family business whilst putting my own and more modern twist on it with things such as social media and our new YouTube channel, which seems to have really taken off.

Are people surprised when you tell them you own/run a gunshop?

We are rather fortunate that we live in a rural and heavily farmed community where shooting is taken for granted as part of country and daily life. GTN GTN

For this issue’s Store of the Month we travel to Newark, Nottinghamshire, and meet Ed Martin (on the right in the picture below), son of Roy Martin, Gunsmith (centre)

“ Roy is proud to have served the shooting community with repairs and renovations for four decades ”

runs the shop and looks after the social media side of things

Roy Martin, retailer, gunmaker and gunsmith to a loyal clientele

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AIRGUNS AND GEAR AT THE GAME FAIR

Mat Manning rounds up some of the top airgun kit on show at the Game Fair at Ragley Hall

Big-hitting compact

Airgun shooters were flocking to the Sportsman Gun Centre stand to see the new FX Dynamic. As with many of its stablemates, this FX comes in numerous configurations and is capable of huge power output. Judging by the crowds it was drawing, the Compact Take Down version looks set to be a big hit with UK airgun shooters. Just 77cm long when assembled, this tiny PCP breaks down even smaller to pack into a super-compact carrycase.

Despite its diminutive proportions, the Dynamic Compact Take Down returns hundreds of shots at full output in its sub-12ft/lb guise and features an innovative plenum housed at the base of the shroud to give rigidity to the barrel.

Optics and more

There was more than just rifles to attract airgun shooters to the Sportsman Gun Centre stand, which was also showing off a host of exciting optics and accessories. One of the most exciting riflescopes was the eagerly anticipated HYPR-7 prismatic sight from Element Optics. This remarkable optic pairs with your phone for easy operation and also connects to a rangefinder and uses its own ballistic calculator to make adjustments to zero in order to ensure precise shot placement at any given distance.

Airgunners looking for rock steady support for their rifles were also showing a lot of interest in the

Bog Death Grip Infinite Aluminium Tripod on the SGC stand. This model combines the stability and versatility of the original model with new weightsaving features to deliver an easy-to-carry gun support that steadies aim from virtually any stance.

Takedown break-barrel

The new Black Bunker BM8 raised a few eyebrows when it was unveiled on the ASI stand. This amazing takedown break-barrel folds and dismantles into a tiny package that can be carried in one hand. Breakdown and reassembly both take just a matter of seconds, as demonstrated by ASI’s Edward King.

Tough, accurate and producing power up to the 12ft/lb UK legal limit, this tactically-styled gas-ram is available in .177 and .22 calibres and retails for under £300. Apart from its remarkable takedown mechanism, the BM8’s features include open sights, Picatinny-type scope and accessory rails, a muzzle brake and breech protection cover.

Electronic excellence

Another head-turner on the ASI stand was the new Skout Epoch. This PCP air rifle boasts big magazine and air capacity as well as an electronic trigger for super-sensitive shot release. Those electronics also double as a safety mechanism as the Epoch won’t fire unless it’s switched on.

This stubby tactical bullpup promises a very refined shooting experience, enhanced by lots of adjustment in the rear section of the stock. Other features include an ergonomically contoured pistol grip, silencer, Picatinny-type scope rail and carbon barrel shroud and cheek support.

Top-notch spotter

Airgun shooters tasked with after-dark pest control are embracing thermal technology to make the task easier and more efficient, and the Pulsar Telos XP50 on show at the Thomas Jacks stand should be a very useful tool for those who can stretch to its £3,099.95 price tag.

This high-quality thermal imaging spotter is very compact at just 238mm long and 680g in weight, yet packs a host of top-end features into its small frame. They include a 640x480 thermal sensor, 50Hz frame rate, 1024x768 HD AMOLED display, stadiametric rangefinder and 2.5-10x zoom. Detection range goes out to a very impressive 1800m and its battery pack gives a run time of up to 8.5 hours.

Pocket-friendly thermal

The diminutive Thunder TE19 2.0 was attracting a lot of attention on the Hikmicro stand. Retailing at around the £1,000 mark, this thermal riflescope delivers serious performance at an extremely com-

petitive price. Designed for airgun and rimfire shooters, and fitted with Hikmicro’s 256px, SUB 35mK NETD sensor, the Thunder 2.0 has a detection range of up to 1000m.

The Thunder TE19 2.0 comes supplied with a mount and its raft of features includes video recording to 16Gb onboard memory, one shot zero, picture in picture function, four colour palettes, a run time of up to ten hours and access to the Hikmicro Sight app, which allows you to stream and control the unit from your phone.

All bases covered

The team on the Scott Country stand let us have a sneak peak at the Pard TD32-70 Thermal Night Vision LRF Scope. This remarkable optic is set to retail at £3,425 and does it all. It’s equipped with a thermal imaging camera and also boasts infrared night time viewing, a full-colour day time image and a laser rangefinder.

The TD32-70 utilises a 1440px day sensor and 12-micron 384 thermal sensor, both of which can be viewed on the same screen. Its centralised reticle feature means that your aimpoint will always be at the centre of the screen, while its 1200-yard laser rangefinder works with ballistic software to overlay the reticle with an aim marker for rapid precision aiming based on the weight, speed and ballistic coefficient of your chosen ammo. GTN GTN

Airgunners were flocking to the SGC stand to see the new FX Dynamic

…This amazing takedown break-barrel folds down into a tiny package

SGC were also showing the HYPR-7 prismatic sight from Element Optics

Another head-turner on the ASI stand was the new Skout Epoch

The new Black Bunker BM8 raised a few eyebrows on the ASI stand

The Pulsar Telos XP50 on show at the Thomas Jacks stand a useful tool

The Aircuda Max is a brand new, multi-shot PCP Air Rifle, co-branded with JTS®, its American designers and Lee Enfield (Guns) Ltd., Their UK partners. We have worked with the founders of JTS® of Katy, Texas for over a decade, and they have been our manufacturing partners for many of our most successful products, including the AirForceOne® Tornado gas ram pistol and the Lee Enfield SENTRY PCP Air Rifle. So, when they first reached-out to us with details of their new PCP, the Aircuda Max, we were excited to get involved in developing it to meet the exacting demands of the 12ft/lbs UK market.

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LOOKING IN THE MIRROR

It’s been a quiet month for our old guns expert, and Diggory Hadoke has spent it in reflection

THE kind of activity that can be observed going on at the auction houses acts as a barometer for the wider trends in the gun trade in general.

It is difficult to monitor weekly sales, or the lack thereof, in multiple gun shops around the country, but the regularly spaced auctions, which sell a catalogue full of guns in a single day, or perhaps two, do allow for better analysis.

Some of that is counter-intuitive. For example, we often believe that all the British gun sales are going to Americans, but that is not the case. While the US is a likely destination for a lot of them, there are still significant sales in the home market.

Holts’ auction went very well for the Norfolk auctioneers, who had very little left at the end of the day, clearing the decks of boxlocks and hammer guns and getting some strong prices for vintage rifles in the rising magazine rifle category, especially obsolete calibre models.

August, though it is great for grouse shooters, is not that hot a month for auction-goers. We do have some to look forward to later in the autumn: Southams (14th and 16th September), Gavin Gardiner (15th November), Bonhams (23rd November) and Holts (27th and 28th November).

August listings show a smattering of guns, air rifles and deactivated guns at Adam Partridge Auctioneers, Cadmore Auctions, Hansons Auctioneers, Eastbourne Auctions and Anderson & Garland in Newcastle, but nothing to get excited about.

There may not be many guns to whet the appetite but there is taxidermy aplenty at Tennants and at Claydon Auctioneers. You can still buy tiger skins if you can find them and Tennants had two, reserved at £2,500 and £700.

An Asiatic black bear mounted by Theobald Bros could be placed strategically in the downstairs loo to frighten guests for around £1,000.

In the end Diggory’s bear went unsold. Image courtesy of Tennants.

For dedicated collectors, a very unusual mount

For dedicated collectors, a very unusual mount dating to around 1870 looked noteworthy. This is a mock-up of a great auk (made from the parts of guillemots and great northern divers). These were created because great auks were so hard to find for specimens. They were extinct by 1844.

Stories from the time suggest that the Victorian attitude to declining numbers was to hunt them harder in order to bag one before there were none left. People appear to have had no concept of conservation or the evasion of the seemingly inevitable.

Holts November

Holts may not be happening until November but the catalogue is building online already. I noted a good .450 Alex Henry falling-block rifle at £1,500 reserve and a .450 BPE double hammer rifle by the same maker at the same price. This Section 58 Antique category is still selling well, with its non-licensed status making ownership and trade much easier.

I mentioned at the top of this article how auctions act as barometers for the trade and the wider health of the shooting sports. GTN last month showed the latest Home Office figures for FAC and SGC holders in the UK. Both were down significantly, with shotgun ownership dropping by 100,000 since 2014. FAC holders are 4% fewer in number than they were a year ago and RFD numbers have reduced by 6%.

Imagine that every one of those SGC holders had two shotguns (most probably had more). That would represent 200,000 shotguns to be disposed of in a decade. They had to be sold into a market of declining certificate holders. No wonder that Holts’ sealedbids sales have been so huge of late; and they show no sign of slowing.

Sales of cheap secondhand British side-by-sides, unfashionable foreign side-by-sides and semi-autos from the 1970s and 1980s are also now piling up in auctions. The kind of thing my generation saw as teenagers in the back of Shooting Times: Marlin three-shot bolt-action goose guns, Gunmark Kestrels, AYA No.4s, etc. Not to mention the cheap end of the over-and-under market from the same era. These things have very little value in Britain today. However, in volume, they add up to useful sales and Holts make a good business out of piling them

exact same percentage applies, by strange coincidence. The life expectancy of a British man born in 1967 (which I was) is 69 years and ten months. That gives me 14 years if I am Mr Average!

Not wishing to be too morbid about it, but that suggests that a lot of guns will be coming onto the market in the next ten years, and there will be fewer buyers to pick them up—factoring in, also, the fact that younger shooters are less interested in classic British guns than my generation. We may be sitting on the edge of a significant shift in supply and de-

haps with a five-year implementation period (if we are lucky), a lot of shooters will buy new steel-shotproof guns. That should generate significant sales.

Some old-timers will, doubtless, decide it is time to give up shooting. In both cases, the non-steel -compatible guns that come into the auctions as a result will be huge. Remember, there are 583,000 shotgun certificate holders in possession of multiple guns this very minute.

Many of these guns will be traded in or part exchanged for new guns, but what price will an average, non-steel-shot boxlock or side-lock command when the dealers are flooded with them? These will inevitably be handed over to the auctioneers and appear in congested sales with a lot of similar, largely unwanted kit.

Bright spots

high and selling them cheap. A friend in the trade told me he collected all the single-barrel Cooey, BSA, Franchi, etc, single-barrel 12-bores he could get for £5 or less each. Once he had a pallet load, he could send them to South America and get £25 each for them. On £1,000 guns, if they cost you £5,000 and you sold the load for £25,000 and did so four times a year, you’ve made £80,000 profit, less your slow-boat to Rio shipping costs and some admin.

Licence holders

Other statistical news shows the ages of firearms certificate and SGC holders. 67% of FAC holders are over 50 years old. For shotgun certificates, the

mand. I know people continue to buy guns well into their 70s, in fact, I have the customers to prove it. However, many avid shooters reduce their activities as they age and slowly begin to thin out or liquidate their collections.

This might be bad news for the gun trade in general, but our auctioneers happily trade internationally and there are still overseas markets where demand for British guns remains strong, at least for now.

Sugar rush

There may be a sugar rush coming in the form of a lead ban. If, as the GTA believes, that ban will be put on the statutes in the autumn of this year, per-

A couple of bright spots on an otherwise gloomy horizon that should cause a little cheer: the potential of ‘Hortonium’ as a lead substitute in shotgun cartridges and small-calibre rifle bullets (it weighs and costs a little less than bismuth but is as malleable as lead). Also, the quiet confidence I’m hearing expressed that airgun pellets and small-calibre rifles might squeeze through the lead ban.

That would extend the viability of a lot of British shotguns and would head off the dumping of huge numbers of .22 rim-fires in the auctions with no UK buyers for any of them.

These are tough times but it is the grouse season. Before I pen my next article, I will be heading north to scare a few red missiles with my old hammer guns, while I still can. GTN GTN

“ Auctions act as barometers for the trade and the wider health of the shooting sports ”

Diggory

SMELL THE COFFEE!

Our resident legal expert Stuart Farr turns his attention to the thorny issue of employment, and hopes for some clarity on home working in the not too distant future

IT is not often that I touch on the subject of employment. However, after several weeks’ reflection I realised that continuing to avoid it was rather like trying to sidle around a rather large elephant in a very small room. It is time, I reckon, for me to wake up and smell the coffee.

Be assured, this is not an intentional avoidance on my part. The problem lies in the fact that questions surrounding employment nowadays are seemingly stuck in a political quagmire. No doubt the pandemic had a significant impact on this topic too. The need for so many of us to function effectively during the lockdown periods meant that certain traditional concepts underpinning employment simply went out of the window overnight—often never to return.

It now seems to be pretty much established that hybrid working—in its variable shapes and sizes— is here to stay. Working from home is seen by many as a convenient and cost-saving method of working, which has the advantage of offering different lifestyle options for those who engage in it.

Sweet spot

From the employee perspective there was, of course, that relatively brief ‘sweet spot’ in the employment market around the pandemic. Work opportunities within the private sector literally exploded—providing those who had flexibility and a willingness to move with lucrative deals coupled with attractive practical packages. And huge numbers of people flocked to snap those deals up, while others were dropping out of the labour market altogether.

On the flipside, reduced productivity is perhaps hailed as one of the disadvantages of home-based working although, in fairness, whether that is true or not is very much fact sensitive. There are just as many people who say it is more productive overall, especially if one factors in the availability of real costs savings which drop to the bottom line— largely brought about by lower business overheads. An employee working from home doesn’t require coffee facilities to be provided at their employer’s expense, to take an obvious (though modest in financial terms) example.

At least within the sphere of politics, whereas public pay has met with a great deal of consternation in many sectors, the concept of flexible working largely has been greeted with a level of increased support and recognition.

The Employment Relations (Flexible Working)

Bill received Royal Assent on 20 July 2023. It has yet to be implemented through formal regulation, but when it does come into force the concept and accessibility to working flexibly will be broadened. So, what will the new law offer?

• It will permit any employee to make two (rather than just one) requests for flexible working within any 12-month period. Although only one application will be allowed to be ‘live’ at any one time, it will mean that employees can be more reactive to changes in the working environment, rather than having to wait a full year before being re-considered for flexible working.

• Employers will be required to consult before refusing a request. I assume, however, this consultation obligation will extend to all applications and not just those where a ‘refusal’ is on the cards.

• Employers will need to make their decisions in response to flexible working requests within two months rather than three. In theory, therefore, the process should become a little quicker.

• The requirement that an employee must explain, as part of a request for flexible working, what effect the change would have on the employer (and how it might be addressed) will be removed.

Overall, this change alone would seem fairer, especially for those employees who, by virtue of their position or role within an organisation, are unable to understand or have little or no knowledge of the broader commercial picture within which they fit.

While there are no proposals to turn these changes into a ‘day one’ right for an employee, a flexible working request that is made after the initial 26week service requirement can relate to hours, times, location, etc.

Not clear

Sadly, the consultation requirement is vague— which is unhelpful to everyone involved. There is an overall requirement to deal with requests in a ‘reasonable manner’ but otherwise there is a nonbinding expectation that a formal meeting should be arranged with the employee before a request is rejected. At that meeting the parties are encouraged to explore whether there are suitable alternatives available. Meetings are encouraged even where the request is going to be accepted as they provide a use-

ful forum for discussing any practical issues which can help to ensure that the change is implemented and managed successfully.

Where a refusal is likely, the employer should take care to provide a business reason for the decision; should provide reasonable additional information to explain the decision; and offer a right of appeal. While none of these are legal requirements, they do help to show that a request has been dealt with in a reasonable manner.

While not directly related to flexible working as such, one irony associated with hybrid working is that, by and large, it is statistically ‘safer’ to be in the workplace. The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) recently reported that 135 workers were killed in work related incidents in Great Britain in 2022/23. This represents a 10% increase on the previous year but is broadly equivalent to pre-Covid years. The industry sectors where most of the fatalities occurred are construction, agriculture/forestry/fishing, manufacturing, and transportation/storage. Other sectors included wholesale, retail, motor repair, accommodation, and food services.

By contrast, it is estimated by ROSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) that there are 6,000 home related deaths due to accidents every year, and that each costs society £1.61 million.

Naturally, these figures are not going to include accidents suffered by the young and the elderly and so it would not be fair to say categorically that an increase in the number of people working from home is contributing significantly to these numbers. However, it does ask the question of how the impact of an accident—fatal or otherwise—suffered by a worker at home should be addressed. It is quite possible that the employee will not be insured—and even if they are, the insurance will not cover an employer’s financial losses.

Reducing the risk of accidents for home workers is not an easy topic to address either. Yes, the regular assessments for display screen equipment can be undertaken, but ‘training’ your employee in how to set up their home safely and avoid accidents borders on the ludicrous. An employer’s ability to control a person’s actions and behaviours in their private home environment is impossible beyond monitoring through the computer equipment supplied. There will be no ‘caution wet floor’ cones outside the loo; no ‘beware, hot water’ stickers on the kettle; no designated fire exits or extinguishers in the hallway; and the fridge may be a haven for notifiable diseases.

Ultimately, home working has become a practical reality and permanent feature of the employment landscape. What needs to happen next is for the parameters and responsibilities between the parties to be explained better and become more clearly and easily defined. This does not often occur in practice. Allowing for flexible working is one thing but making that concept work through appropriate risk management requires both sides to smell the coffee and work together. GTN GTN

“ It now seems to be pretty much established that hybrid working is here to stay ”

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BEST BUYS

Daystate Red Wolf Grand Prix

Terry Doe spends a month getting to know Daystate’s latest flagship rifle, and comes away smiling

This rifle is heavy, at almost 12 lbs once a suitable scope is fitted, and whilst that helps with stability, I was really glad of the bench during extended shooting sessions. When taking on FT targets, normally just two at a time, the heft of the Grand Prix is an anti-twitch benefit, and once it’s set up, the weight, and front-biased balance, really earns its keep.

Meanwhile, back on the bench, life is easy. Operating the short-throw sidelever is all but effortless, due to the absence of a hammer spring, and specifically the need to compress it. All in all, the effortless loading, incredibly precise two-stage multi-adjustable trigger, and whisper-quiet launch of each pellet, courtesy of the optional 0dB silencer, makes shooting the Grand Prix an exercise in easy refinement, but it was the downrange accuracy that stole the show for me.

The Grand Prix’s Lothar Walther barrel is supplied to Daystate’s required design, and whatever that design is, it works. Again, using only the supplied Sovereign pellets straight from the tin, and after just 20 shots to fine-tune the already zeroed

rifle, I started producing groups on my 40-yard target that were of ‘cut out and keep’ standard. . At 55 yards, one-inch spinners were no problem, producing hoots and hollers from those unused to such results.

Yildiz Pro 20-bore

It took me a dozen shots to get into the rhythm this gun required. When I first shot one of these, I assumed that because it was specced like a competition gun it would shoot more like a 12bore, but I was wrong. This gun shot like most other 20-bores, with the same life and movement, but quite a bit more controllable.

Taking one out again, this knowledge was long forgotten and the first pair of clays sailed away unbroken. With this shame in mind, I very quickly remembered to let the gun swing a bit more than usual, using less maintained leadstyle shooting and more swing through.

Using this more artistic style of shooting, I worked my way around half a dozen stands, crushing my way through clays with the little 21g cartridges. Although this gun is extremely versatile, I found some areas in which it excelled for me and some that it made me work harder.

It seemed to destroy any of the lower crossers with such ease. In fact, anything that resembled a target from a round of Skeet was made short work of. The reduced overall weight and slight forward balance will be to thank for that. It also

made a very convincing gun for game-style targets, from low grouse to high pheasant. This was a pleasant surprise, but given that this gun sits more in the ‘fast and reactive camp’ rather than the ‘slow and precise’ camp, it shouldn’t have been.

The only places I struggled were on a 60-yard looper and a 50-yard crosser, both going left to right. The crosser came off the trap arm under very little power, meaning the best option was to place your shot very precisely as the bird started to transition into its drop. I hit one of the five I shot at of these, which I ‘straighted’ with my 12-bore an hour before this. Not every gun is perfect for every target, and this is a particularly nasty target. Maybe after a few slabs I’d figure out how to tackle these

The Daystate Red Wolf Grand Prix is an amazing air rifle. It’s proof-positive of our sport’s place in the shooting hierarchy, and I can fully understand why the people who produced it are so proud of it.

NEED TO KNOW

n MANUFACTURER: Daystate/PRS

n COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: England

n TYPE: Pre-charged, single/multi-shot, competition rifle with electronic action and fully-adjustable, aluminium stock/chassis

n CALIBRE: .22, .177, .25, .30

n CONTACT: All good gun shops

n RRP: £3,500 as shown. £3,650 Hi Power

CONCLUSION

This gun clearly hasn’t been designed for the long-term 20-bore user; it’s too big and heavy. This is a 20-bore for people who are used to a 12. The transition between a 8½lb competition 12-bore and a 6½lb 20-bore is one that is usually not quick and fraught with misses; the transition between a heavy competition gun and this Yildiz Pro should be much easier. You still have 1lb of weight saving, so this is a great first competition gun for those who want the features of a competition gun but without the weight. Like any gun, I suppose, it’s designed for those who like it.

sorts of targets with this gun? The looper was a big target, and although I hit most of these, it felt a lot of work to stretch out the 8ft of perceived lead. The gun wanted to run away from me, and that wasn’t ideal on this type of target.

This classy over-and-under is cracking quality for its price point and makes for a great first competition gun, says Jonny Carter

Reximex Myth

Mat Manning sees if this Turkish PCP really can deliver dependable performance for under £400

I must confess to being a late arrival at the Reximex Myth party. This Turkish PCP has been the subject of a lot of discussion on the airgun grapevine and has already won a strong band of loyal followers, yet I didn’t manage to get my hands on one until just a couple of months ago.

The Myth is unusual in that it has two air reservoirs—a cylinder up front and a bottle at the rear—and I leapt at the chance when UK distributors Range Right asked me if I would like to put it through its paces. I was a little sceptical as to whether a PCP retailing for just £399 could live up to everything I had heard about the Reximex, and I reckoned the best way to find out would be to try it for myself.

The Reximex Myth is a futuristically styled airgun that certainly leans towards the tactical end of the design spectrum. It is also pretty compact. Unscoped, it tips the scales at just a whisker over 3kg, which makes it a very manageable airgun. It is just 83cm long at its shortest—length can be tweaked—which means it’s a PCP that handles well in cramped conditions. As for build quality, the Myth feels very robust and everything on it looks neatly finished. The standard comfortably exceeds what I’d normally expect at this price point.

CONCLUSION

To sum up, the Reximex Myth more than lived up to all the positive accounts that I had heard before I got to try it for myself. It is a well-made, stylish airgun with performance that far exceeds its asking price. In fact, it’s hard to believe that you can pick up an air rifle like this for less than £400.

Seekins Precision Havak Pro Hunter 2 in .308 Win

I headed to Scotland for the roe rut and first sighted in and tested the Havak with a selection of factory loads. Straight up you notice how very smooth and precise the whole bolt cycling system is, a sign of quality. Accuracy was very consistent and recoil was surprising light for a .308 Win. The Geco Express 165-gr round shot 2,675fps and 2,622ft/lb with excellent 0.75in accuracy, while the new Hornady Outfitter 165-gr CX leadfree shot less accurately at 1.25in but achieved 2,619fps and 2,514ft/lb.

Norma’s TipStrike are a heavier 170-gr load, good for reds, and shot 2,623fps and 2,598ft/lb with consistent inch groups.

Great accuracy

Going light, I love the Sako Gamehead 123-gr bullet, which achieved great accuracy at 0.75in for a fast, flat-shooting 2,968fps and 2,407ft/lb. A lead-free option for a lighter roe bullet was the new Hornady International 125-gr ECX at a stonking 3,100fps and 2,668ft/lb and an inch group. Finally, my all-round favourite, the Hornady SST 150-gr, shot 1in or less at well over 3,000fps—that’s extremely fast for a 150-gr.

Bruce Potts finds the new Seekins

Precision Havak Pro Hunter 2 to be practical and accurate, with top build quality for the price point

I chose the Sako 123-gr Gameheads and woke early for a long morning stalk. I headed to the loch side as the roe had been feeding and chasing during the rut on the level shoreline. Sure enough I spotted two roe, does on closer examination, but bucks

would be close by. After an hour’s wait nothing was moving, so I decided on a slow stalk through the forestry.

This was where the lightweight nature of the Havak was appreciated and damp morning foliage

NEED TO KNOW

n MODEL: Myth

n MANUFACTURER: Reximex

n TYPE: Multi-shot PCP

n COCKING: Sidelever

n TRIGGER: Two-stage, adjustable

n CALIBRES: .177 and .22 (tested)

n OVERALL LENGTH: 830mm to 890mm

n BARREL LENGTH: 380mm (15in)

n WEIGHT: 3.1kg (6.8lbs) without scope

n ENERGY OF TEST RIFLE: Avg 11.3 ft.lbs.

n VARIATION (10 SHOTS): 4fps

n PRICE: From £399

Airgun World is published by Fieldsports Press and is available for wholesale from Seymour on 0207 429 4000

n WEBSITE: range-right.co.uk

GUN TEST GUN TEST

Shooting

NEED TO KNOW

n MANUFACTURER: Seekins Precision

n MODEL: Havak PH2

n CALIBRE: .308 Win on test

n OVERALL LENGTH: 40.5in

n WEIGHT: 6.9lb short action, (7.2lb long action)

n BARREL: 24in, 416 stainless steel spiral fluted, threaded muzzle: 5/8x24

n FINISH: Matt black bead-blasted barrelled action

n STOCK: Carbon composite

n MAGAZINE: Five-shot Magpul (carbon fibre option)

n TRIGGER: TriggerTech, adjustable 2.5lb to 5lb

n SAFETY: Side lever

n PRICE: £2,770

n SUPPLIER: Edgar Brothers Ltd, 01625 613177

brushing the rifle as I stalked just dripped off. On the forestry edge, overlooking a solitary field, were two red hinds feeding quietly, and sure enough a lone roebuck at a laser 131 yards slowly moving to the shore line.

Up on sticks and that superb trigger sent the Sako Gamehead for a perfect heart shot.

BANKS UNDER PRESSURE

Is the Financial Conduct Authority debanking review going to help shooting businesses? There's some hope, as BASC’s Conor O’Gorman explains…

Thank you!

Before I start discussing banking I would like to thank the many GTN readers who responded to the Home Office firearms licensing proposals and who encouraged their customers to get involved. At the end of this article is another call to action, this time on lead ammunition.

A very British scandal

Everyone in the trade will be aware of the recent banking scandal that erupted in the aftermath of Nigel Farage’s bank account with Coutts being abruptly closed, with no explanation given, other than verbally over the phone that it was a “commercial decision”.

Unfortunately, that is a scenario that too many of us will recognise, having experienced similar situations arise out of the blue and then going through the personal and financial turmoil involved—followed by the postcode lottery of finding another bank to open an account with.

Mr Farage took to social media from day one with a series of videos and, with him being outspoken and a public figure, those updates kicked up a storm that soon had Coutts and their owner NatWest running for cover as the truth emerged of a much wider issue.

Discrimination against shooting

Over the years BASC has supported many shoots and businesses with complaints against unfair banking practices, including sudden unexplained account closures and refusals for new applications, difficulties with online payments, the use of card machines and applying for credit.

We have taken on the banks one by one at the top table about these issues and supported several complaints to the Financial Conduct Authority.

We know that decisions are being made by bank managers in nearly all the banks to close accounts or refuse to open accounts when they see words such

as ‘gun’, ‘firearm’, ‘shoot’ or ‘shooting’ in the paperwork. However, trying to make a case stick has felt at times like fighting the tide. And where we have had good cases, those involved have been reluctant to complain for fear of the consequences, which is completely understandable.

The most bizarre aspect is that there is no consistency to the decision making. In the same bank, even in the same branch of that bank, will be lots of shooting related accounts. Yet, we see decisions taken against some of those accounts but not others.

The worst part for those shoots and businesses affected is the lack of an explanation and a feeling of powerlessness in the face of the corporate world.

You wouldn’t expect your electricity, gas or water to be shut down because of your interest in shooting,

tories, access to online banking or lack of branches/ counter service.

Where explanations were provided by the banks for difficulties experienced, the overall theme was that banks had a policy not to associate with anyone connected to firearms.

The broad range of banks highlighted in the feedback implied that difficulties experienced were not necessarily restricted to just a few banks but more of a broader banking industry issue.

Banking review

The key revelation arising from Nigel Farage’s banking experiences was that there were banking sector policies around people deemed ‘politically exposed persons’, which apparently gives wide discretion to

ture in any banking probe. This led to an exposé in the Telegraph, which we provided content to, with supportive comments from a range of politicians to our cause.

As details emerged of the likely terms of reference for the FCA banking review we sent our evidence to the FCA chief executive and we await further details of the review.

So, will this help shooting businesses currently experiences banking issues? Possibly, but that needs some of us to come forward, hard that this is to do.

The banks are under pressure and this is the time to push back. Please contact me if you are having issues by email to conor.ogorman@basc.org.uk

Looking ahead, if the banking review goes to plan and its recommendations are implemented, there will be safeguards in place to reduce the likelihood of future banking issues in our sector. GTN GTN

A call to arms

so why should banks be allowed to get away with denying us fundamental financial services?

A sector-wide issue

In 2021 BASC launched a ‘banking services and the shooting community’ survey and last year we produced a research report on the survey results.

Of 325 survey respondents, 43% indicated that they had experienced banking difficulties, with the most common difficulty being opening an account, followed by processing online payments, sudden closure of an account, and obtaining credit.

Some repeated themes from the feedback included difficulties due to the nature of the business, accepting card payments, changing account signa-

the banks to refuse people financial services all tied up with money laundering risk rules.

It turned out that many British politicians and their direct family members had similar experiences to Nigel Farage. But like many a scandal it took one high profile person to speak out for others to follow and voice their concerns and experiences.

To cut a long story short this led to calls for a banking probe by politicians.

Amidst these developments, BASC wrote to Andrew Griffith MP, Economic Secretary to the Treasury (who had been calling for a banking review), highlighting the banking issues faced in the shooting community together with a copy of our research report and requesting that our experiences should fea-

I think there will be around 50,000 responses to this year’s Home Office firearms licensing consultation, which would be a big increase on the 12,758 responses to the 2020 Home Office firearms safety consultation.

Whilst that represents less than 10% of certificate holders having their say on government policy, the numbers are building and your business is key to spreading the word and encouraging more shooters to get involved.

By the time you read this the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will have launched its next public consultation on lead ammunition ban proposals. This one will be asking for evidence on the socio-economic impact of a lead ban and it is critical that everyone in the gun trade responds. Please visit basc.org.uk/ammunition for more information.

“

The most bizarre aspect is that there is no consistency to the decision making ”

II 4-25x50 FFP SCOPE

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DIVERSE TACTICS

Our stalking correspondent Al Gabriel wants to see more women out shooting and meets Ladies Deer Stalking UK to see what progress is being made

OF all the shooting disciplines, stalking is perhaps the most difficult to crack, especially if you are a woman from a non-shooting background. The entire process of acquiring large enough land for centre-fire rifles, as well as stalking a highly evolved ungulate, can be daunting.

If you include the additional requirements of carcass extraction and larder facilities, it all comes close to impossible. There was a time when it was rare to see women taking part in clay or game shooting in large numbers. Fast forward ten years and it is another story. Thanks to social media—and some excellent work from women across the country—women’s shooting is now one of the fastest growing parts of our industry. So, what are we doing about the lack of women in rifle shooting and indeed deer stalking?

Not much I’m afraid, although there is a growing appreciation for that oversight by the industry.

Luckily, a group of women have taken matters to their own hands and created a group called Ladies Deer Stalking UK (LDSUK). Geri Dodd and Kate Langston are the co-founders of the group and I have had the pleasure of meeting these incredible women. Geri and Kate spotted a gap in an industry that remains the poster child for the ‘male, pale and stale’. According to Geri, “We both experienced difficulties finding out the next steps in our stalking journey, especially with our personal experience attending events where we were the only ladies. In October 2022 the Facebook group was formed.”

Emancipation

Rifle shooting certainly needed to be emancipated and presented to women as an alternative that does not require a male partner of family member to progress. LDSUK is a non-commercial entity that provides opportunities to their members using social media. They specialise in linking members to prevetted professionals to gain access to stalking. Not only that, but they have also been brilliant at organising courses for their members, including range days, butchery and even deer head preparation.

LDSUK are highly focused on up-skilling and continued development, which I think is an exemplar for so many. I have been following their progress for some time. I am pleased to see their membership blossom to over 600. They have members from overseas as well as men (who account for 15% of their membership). They have taken the privacy of their members seriously and take great care in vetting newcomers. The administrators are volunteers and run it in their spare time.

There’s no denying that stalking is a physically demanding endeavour, particularly when it comes to the extraction of fallow, sika or red deer. There are now numerous women that stalk either in a part-time or full-time capacity, and that success comes from the right equipment and support. Most women, especially those starting out, would probably be focused on muntjac, CWD, roe and fallow deer in the earlier parts of their stalking careers. This is where training comes in handy and, depending on where they stalk, women can progress to the management of larger deer species. All it would require is support from local stalkers, links with professionals and continued professional development. Acquiring ground and applying for a firearm licence is very complicated without the support of those who are already managing deer, but through clever use of social media and social capital they have continued to grow their group and provide the support needed.

Best ambassadors

Women make up 50% of our population, and so it is in all our interests to make this work. Personally, I have always been of the view that women are our best ambassadors to the public. The acceptability of shooting in the UK is much lower than most European countries, and women can help mitigate that by spreading the word in what is a male-dominated

Tremendous progress

community. The shooting community overall has always had an image problem: it is too macho. If we are seen as an inclusive community, composed of what looks like modern Britain, I think we stand a better chance of winning hearts and minds. At a time when firearms licensing is taking a downturn, I think the increase in interest in deer management by women should be a welcomed change.

The tenacity and determination of these women is infectious

Although LDSUK has made tremendous progress, it has not been without challenges. Through my discussions with Geri and others, I have understood that they sometimes struggle to organise range days due to the costs involved. I would therefore like to take this opportunity to appeal to all those with access to facilities, ranges, and stalking opportunities to offer a discount to LDSUK whenever possible. What LDSUK are trying to achieve will benefit our community immensely and they deserve all our continued support.

Heather Taylor, who is one of the administrators of the group, said: “As a group we have made huge leaps in offering ladies an entry to deer stalking. We aim to give more women these opportunities. We have the passion, but we all work and do this in our spare time. Finding more venues and ranges in other parts of the country would help massively in getting these opportunities out to more members.”

When we are faced with what often feels like ‘death by a thousand cuts’ when it comes to the future of shooting, we must never forget that our community is large and strong enough to encourage positive change. The involvement of more women in deer stalking is an absolute win. This will help increase more venison consumption at home, recruit the next generation—and above all it will bring balance and acceptability to the discipline.

From a conservation point of view, efforts currently underway to plant more trees only create more habitat for deer unless local communities have a say in the management of deer. That must surely include women. The tenacity and determination of these women is infectious. I wish everybody in the shooting industry had the same level of dedication and desire to expand our community. There is more work to be done but I have no doubt LDSUK will make a success of it. GTN GTN

“ LDSUK is a non-commercial entity that provides opportunities to their members using social media ”

LDSUK are highly focused on up-skilling and continued development

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GO STRAIGHT TO JAIL

Caroline Roddis is triggered by the United Utilities saga, and taken back to an unhappy part of her childhood, playing Monopoly

BEING a word nerd, I was always much more likely to reach for the Scrabble board than for Monopoly as a child. Monopoly seemed impossibly dull, a game where you circled the board for an eternity whilst learning which of your cousins was destined to become a heartless business tycoon and which was certain to be constantly bouncing in and out of jail. The word eternity isn’t entirely hyperbole, either—the longest game was apparently 70 days back to back, which sounds less like a game and more like some weird kind of suicide cult.

Fittingly for a game that’s essentially about encouraging greed, the idea for Monopoly was stolen from the woman who originally invented it in about 1903. Her name was Elizabeth Magie and she apparently came up with the game as a way to protest against the monopolists of her time—which is, I suppose, a bit more relaxing than standing outside someone’s offices on a freezing cold day. The game never took off, until a man called Charles Darrow stole it 30 years later and pitched it to Parker Brothers as his own. Capitalism, eh?

One of the bits of Monopoly that was particularly irksome—unless of course you’d managed to acquire them before anyone else—was landing on the utilities, because the rent you had to pay was a multiple of whatever dice roll had taken you there. It all felt a bit arbitrary, painful, and unfair.

And, as it turns out, the game was a pretty good primer for real life. United Utilities, a company name which I suspect we’ve all grown to know quite well over the past couple of weeks, certainly seem to have taken a leaf out of the Monopoly playbook: acquire the land, then screw over anyone who ever interacts with it.

According to the Telegraph: “Grouse shooting has been effectively banned on land owned by a water company under fire over pollution. United Utilities, the biggest corporate landowner in England, announced that it would not be renewing licences for shoots ‘to ensure the best possible outcomes for water quality’. Its land covers huge swathes of the Forest of Bowland, the Goyt Valley, Longdendale Valley, and the West Pennines.”

Grouse ban

The piece was, amusingly, referred to as an ‘appallingly unbalanced pro-grouse shooting article’ by the Raptor Persecution blog, which has seemingly forgotten all those times it praised articles which were wildly biased in their favour.

Despite it winning points for winding up antis, the article is frustrating in that, though it does quote ‘a spokesman’ for United Utilities, it completely fails to answer the question posed by half the people in the comments: how exactly does banning grouse shooting ensure the best possible outcomes for water quality?

United Utilities services an area that covers more than seven million people, or approximately one tenth of the UK population. Those people have no choice in their water provider (there’s that M word again…) but their provider is a publicly traded company and they have a right to an opinion on its activities. It’s hard to formulate any kind of worthwhile opinion, however, without the facts. And in this case the journalist hasn’t done a very good job of attempting to provide them.

What the article does do, however, is make a reasonable job of shining a light on United Utilities’ ap-

palling pollution record, and the fact that they’re the worst company in the UK for it:

“[The Environment Agency report] showed that they owned half of the country’s 20 pipes that spilled the most sewage, and had pumped waste into the River Ellen, near the Lake District, for nearly 7,000 hours. Last month, a ban on bathing along 14 miles of coast around Blackpool was put in place

put forward by the Countryside Alliance, that the grouse shooting ban isn’t to improve water quality but to distract from the fact that United Utilities are quite literally covering their local area in shit, is that water pollution is better than it used to be, so United Utilities don’t deserve to be so heavily criticised.

because United Utilities, which supplies more than 3,000,000 homes and 200,000 businesses across the north west of England, was releasing sewage into the sea.”

Never dump on your own porch

These figures don’t exactly make it seem like United Utilities are competent at management, and the prospect of them applying the same level of ‘expertise’ to conserving grouse moors is terrifying. What’s really interesting, however, is the way this argument is playing out on social media. The standard counter

There is some truth to this. Before the 1989 Water Act, Britain was widely proclaimed to be the dirty man of Europe, with unusable beaches, polluted rivers and poor-quality drinking water. The solution introduced by the Tories was privatisation, which has so far—according to an article in the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management magazine—resulted in £160 billion of investment and improvements in water quality across the country. However, to quote Labour MP John McDonnell: “When the water companies were sold off, the government took on their historic debts. Since, they have accumulated over £45bn of debt that is ultimately the responsibility of billpayers or

governments.” Which makes the £7.6 million the government got for selling off the companies look pretty paltry. There’s also the fact that, unlike a government with many demands on its purse, a water company has profits that it could choose to reinvest in infrastructure and bring the rate of pollution incidents down to zero. But that would probably involve also choosing not to do things like pay the United Utilities CEO £900,000 a year. (If the Countryside Alliance chief Tim Bonner was paid that much, he’d be labelled as a rich toff in the comments section, but funnily enough the United Utilities CEO doesn’t get that treatment—although the CEO is a woman, so (very much not funnily) she gets misogynistic comments instead.

Ultimately, we are more than 30 years past the Water Act and those decades have brought advancements in both technology and understanding, so forgiving United Utilities for their sins just seems too great an ask. As does asking us to believe that water quality will improve—and that the conservation benefits associated with grouse moor management won’t decline—if shoots are banned on their land, without providing any kind of evidence for such. No matter if the company’s ultimate aim is to distract from their failures or to win the battle for public opinion, their approach so far seems pretty, well, shitty. GTN GTN

“ United Utilities certainly seem to have taken a leaf out of the Monopoly playbook ”

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Interview: Simon K. Barr

THE BEST BARR NONE?

It’s been a busy couple of years for Fieldsports Press, moving from high-end outriders to mainstream domination in the sector. Steve Faragher talks to Simon K. Barr about the journey

ees with a wider team of expert contributors, totalling over 100. Fieldsports Press is now the largest fieldsports media team in Europe. Our turnover doubled when we acquired the five Archant brands in July 2022 and doubled again in July 2023 when we acquired brands from Bauer and Future PLC.

GTN Have you spent all the money in the pot, or is there more to come?

GTN How’s the dust settling? What’s the fallout? What is the current list of titles you publish?

SB Five years ago, Selena and I had the bold vision of leading a consolidated and revitalised UK fieldsports media sector, harnessing our experience and passion for the British countryside, together with our uncompromising commitment to deliver quality products for our audiences and commercial partners.

Following our recent acquisitions from Archant, Bauer and Future PLC, we needed to make some challenging decisions to restructure the business and its brands. However, these decisions were for the betterment of what we produce and how we offer advertisers the most highly engaged audiences.

We needed to find natural efficiencies without sacrificing quality. Our vision for the newsstand is: do less, but better. All Fieldsports Press brands are being nurtured and invested in, on and offline, with new, more engaging and higher quality products in the pipeline.

We now publish the best, most loved specialist media brands in the sector, covering all aspects of fieldsports. Our brands include Shooting Times Trout & Salmon Fieldsports

Journal Gundog Journal Sporting Gun Airgun World and Rifle Shooter, which are complemented by strong online footprints with websites, newsletters and social media. We also own ShootingUK.co.uk and YouTube channels

The Shooting Show and Shooting & Country TV. Our monthly reach is into the millions, the scale of which has not been available to the UK market before.

GTN Who are your key audiences?

SB Whatever fieldsport’s discipline our audiences participate in, or demographic they occupy, we have the most trusted, best and only brand for them to be engaged by. Our renowned and experienced editorial team and contributors give our brands authority and integrity. Our audiences trust them. The sum of the parts we have spent five years bringing together is most certainly greater than they were alone.

GTN What has been your increase in turnover and staff numbers? There must be a lot of new faces to get to know…

SB We’ve grown from our first print brand five years ago, with a limited digital offering, to acquiring nine separate news trade titles from four publishers. We’ve amassed digital reach into the millions and, from just the two of us, we have grown the team to 40 full-time employ-

SB We have a planned road map of investment which will include enhancing what we have, pivoting to digital and further acquisitions. We have the same vision for what we are doing as we did when we began our journey and are more driven than ever to do our best for audiences and commercial clients alike. We still demand uncompromising quality from our products to engage audiences and provide clients with meaningful ways to connect with them. We have not stopped believing in our quality-first principle to fuel our growth and extend beyond magazines. It is our mission to innovatively lead the market for the benefit of audiences and advertising partners alike.

GTN Should The Field and Fieldsports Channel be quaking in their boots?

SB Publishing is a hard business. We needed to get bigger to get on. Many of the titles we have acquired would not have made it long term had we not consolidated them into Fieldsports Press. We are very focused on nurturing and investing in our own brands now and haven’t given a great deal of thought to what other media operators in the sector are doing, though we wish them well.

GTN Which parts of the sector are you experiencing growth in, if any?

SB We have enjoyed a solid first three months with our new and merged brands. Trout & Salmon has enjoyed a long overdue redesign, foiled cover logo and upgraded paper stock. We have also merged brands that competed for and share audience, but have increased issue sizes of the brands that remain. Sporting Shooter

there for nearly five years, so knows the business well. She works within Fieldsports Press in the senior management team overseeing editorial aspects of the business and supports other areas as needed. We are very lucky to have Dom Holtam as MD, who runs the operational side of the company on a day-to-day basis.

GTN What’s your vision? How do you want your brands to behave and appear?

SB We are very excited by our digital plans. Straight out of the gate we are replatforming shootinguk.co.uk, the UK’s most viewed and No.1 ranked online fieldsports content platform. This will include a significant redesign, new features, more editorial content, classified listings, more reviews and a news feed provided by Shooting Times. Also in our pipeline are a number of regular podcasts with our own leading voices hosting them. This will offer au-

Simon and Selena had a vision to revitalise the UK fieldsports media sector

has merged with Sporting Gun to create a better, stronger version of both brands. Similarly, Airgunner has been merged with Airgun World which has been completely redesigned and rebranded. With the recent closure of Airgun Shooter by Future PLC, we have made it easier than ever for this audience to know where to find their favourite content. Rifle Shooter has become a bi-monthly title so we can focus on seasonally relevant bumper editions, and we will produce multiple one-off bookazines for this and other audiences to deep dive specific content. This has had a positive impact on reach, newsstand sales and subscriptions.

GTN How closely involved is your wife Selena in the day-to-day running of the business?

SB Selena started her career 20 years ago at Shooting Times working as news editor. She was

diences a new way to engage with the brands and teams that lead opinions in the sector.

The overall reach of our brands between, print, web, social, YouTube and newsletters is literally millions of impressions weekly. The possibility to network messages to this entire audience will soon be possible, offering reach potential never seen before in the sector. Advertisers will be able to benefit from aligning with our stable of experts, who engage their trusting audiences with their passion for the content they produce. From buyer’s guides and editorial recommendations, to top tips and the latest must-haves, our audiences turn to our trusted and top-ranking content for inspiration and advice, with an intent to purchase.

GTN If people want to get in touch with you regarding editorial submissions, commercial

opportunities, advertising and so forth, who

opportunities, advertising and so forth, who are the best people for them to talk to?

SB Each brand has an editor, whose details are available on each respective website for editorial ideas. Karen Biggs, our head of sales, is the person to contact in relation to any commercial enquiries: karen.biggs@fieldsportspress.com

GTN What’s the end goal? Where do you see the Fieldsports Press group in 20 years?

SB We would like to enhance, invest in and grow our existing brands whilst continuing the scaleup journey we are on. We have legacy brands in our portfolio (Shooting Times is 141 years old this year) and are custodians of them for a short period of time in their lifespan. It is our duty to leave them at some point in the future in better shape than when we acquired them.

GTN Future Publishing still has a minority stake in The Game Fair, and have kept hold of The Field. Do you think they are exhausted as a force in shooting, and do you imagine they will therefore be divesting themselves of those assets in the future?

SB It is great that Future PLC are still involved in the sector and I hope their enthusiasm for The Field, Country Life, Horse & Hound and The Game Fair continues. Having a FTSE 250 PLC engaged in the UK fieldsports sector can only be a good thing. Although they have my number now if they decide they’ve had enough.

GTN Tell us a bit about your work for the Atlantic Salmon Trust…

SB I am passionate about the conservation of wild Atlantic salmon, as a keen fly fisher living in Scotland for ten years. I was asked to become a trustee of the AST about a year ago, which I was very honoured to do. The AST are a scientific research organisation that raises funds to conduct independent research which is used to affect change with government to positively impact our wild salmon stocks. It’s something I am very committed to, although we also give a great deal of support to the GWCT through our many brands. They also do a vital job in securing the future of shooting and fieldsports through science and research. GTN GTN

“ Many of the titles we have acquired would not have made it had we not consolidated them ”

PROTECTING THE REPUTATION OF SHOOTING

Simon West discusses the important work carried out by The National Crime Agency’s Criminal Use of Firearms Prevent Board, and highlights our important role in preventing firearm crime

THANKS to the slanted reporting of UK media, Joe Public could be forgiven for thinking guns are evil and rest in the hands of criminals. We know that this is far from the truth and that guns provide millions of law-abiding citizens with enjoyable and responsible sport.

Graeme Biggar CBE, the Director General of the National Crime Agency (NCA), has just published the National Strategic Assessment 2023 for Serious and Organised Crime. The threat from firearms was actually low on his list of threats. He stated: “Levels of firearms crime in the UK remain amongst the lowest in the world. However, criminals continue to engage in firearms-enabled crime.”

As the trade, supporting a vibrant shooting community, we have a responsibility to support law enforcement organisations in dealing with the threat of the illegal use of firearms. This helps in reducing the criminal threat and helps protect the reputation of shooting generally.

The Agency uses a strategy of 4Ps: Pursue, Prevent, Protect and Prepare. Pursue is the obvious operationally focussed activity, using intelligence to find and disrupt specific threats. Prevent is the work that considers threats and looks for ways to reduce the availability of enablers to criminals; these ‘enablers’ could include firearms but also people being drawn into crime. Protect puts barriers between threats and those vulnerable. Prepare looks to the future, builds the picture of threats and develops the capacity and specialist knowledge needed to deal with those threats.

On behalf of the trade, I represent you in the National Crime Agency’s forum working to pre-

vent criminal use of firearms. I co-chair the NCA’s Criminal Use of Firearms (CUF) Prevent Board and have the privilege of sitting alongside senior Home Office, Police, Border Force and other government agency representatives in the NCA’s CUF Strategic Governance Group.

Insight

Membership of these meetings gives me an insight into the impressive work that takes place, but also, I hope, to provide a trade perspective and to ensure that the Agency follows intervention methods that

has applied directed technical solutions to problems that have the potential to be far more effective than banning certain systems through legislation. This is a great example of where the NCA has worked with us to find solutions, rather than shut down business activity through blanket bans.

My thanks to those companies who have assisted in this work and I commend the cooperative approach to others who may get asked to help. The projects focussed on the threat include:

• The conversion of blank firers (forward and vertically venting) has been, and continues to be, a

• We have seen instances of where unauthorised access to firearms has been attempted through the use of fraudulent documentation. This has led to various proactive workstreams but will include a guide to checking certificates.

• A trade surrender pilot project will be run soon to look at a service to RFDs to hand in surplus ammunition and firearms for destruction. I see this as a useful collaborative piece of work to reduce the risk of surplus holdings falling into the wrong hands. More to follow.

• On-going work on the criminal use of replica and ‘home defence’ airguns for intimidation.

• I am also hoping for a direct and efficient ‘hotline’ for dealers to be able to pass information about potential criminal intent to those that need it.

Protection

avoid damaging our interests while feeding on the potential that we have to assist in the battle.

From the early days of the Prevent Board two years ago, I have sought to keep the Board focussed on live and future threats. At every meeting we get an update from front line policing and the National Ballistics Intelligence Service (NABIS) on firearms crime and the various weapon systems that are causing concern. This has led to some very successful operations where the trade has been instrumental in helping the NCA to pursue and disrupt threats. We have also been able to help the Agency work ‘upstream’ to counter specific vulnerabilities. Such work

major issue. An on-going NCA operation, Vizardlike, has led to 74 arrests, 50 convictions and the recovery of over 700 potentially lethal handguns.

• Shotgun theft. Shotguns remain attractive to criminals and we are working on another communication campaign to help certificate holders avoid becoming victims.

• Project Interknow looks at the threat from 3D printed firearms. A conference last year brought our industry into the discussion about how to prevent criminal access to this new technology, while still allowing legitimate dealers to develop new manufacturing methods.

All in all, I see our work with the NCA and other law enforcement agencies as a key responsibility in preventing crime, and also in protecting the legitimate trade. We have a treasured reputation for being valued partners in the fight and we should look at where else we should help. Dealers attempting to take benefit from ‘testing’ the fringes of the law have done us no favours. That has only led to criminal exploitation and more draconian restrictions on what we can sell. Acting responsibly and supporting organisations like the NCA will help us all reduce firearm crime, reduce public concern and protect legitimate trade.

I would welcome any comment or more ideas from you on how we can help. I can then introduce these at the Board. GTN GTN

“ As the trade, we have a responsibility to support law enforcement organisations ”

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