Use your local Hobbycraft!

[woody37]

I visit ours quite regularly for paint and primer, but find that the stock is hit and miss, sometimes just play safe and get stuff ordered from the Internet. I agree about trying to support local model shops, but getting chance to visit then find out they don't have what you need isnt much of a win /win. In a small model shop you could have that conversation. Mention it to the spotty teenager who works in HC and they just shrug their shoulders. That's the only issue with chain store businesses.

[SleeperService]

Well I think I'm very lucky. I now live less than a hundred feet from my LHS (RBS in Long Eaton) Betty always has the new Airfix stuff as soon as anybody else and stocked Tamiya 48th Armour when very few others did. So she gets most of my money.

HC in Nottingham goes in fits and starts but I travel with a friend who is into arts and crafts and often find something useful. Stopping Microstrip was a mistake though....

Then there is Gee Dees in Nottingham and another at Breedon on the Hill which is highly recommended but I haven't actually got there yet. There is a fantastic chocolate place there as well!!

My online purchases are limited to what I can't get locally (Hi to Mike at MJW!!) and, as a last resort t'internet. Why does nobody import Avant Garde for heaven's sake? During the show season I'll wait until the next show before hitting the keyboard though.

I think that's a balanced approach but if you feel it's more important to save a quid or so then don't be surprised when your town becomes a model desert.

Sorry for the length but this is something that always irkes me.

EDIT: Don't get me started about those who buy under the table kits at shows to resell on evilbay. Or the so and so who roots through the Air Ambulance clothing bin to take stuff to the rag shop for cash

[Rick Brown]

I think I maybe one of the few of us left that don't tend to buy online!

I've had the odd kit or bit, but the P+P usually makes it a none starter.

I'm lucky in the fact that I travel about quite a bit, so can pop into the few shops left in the Midlands.

I class HC as one of these, but the prices are creeping up and choice creeping down.

Like a few have said, it's a catch 22, but I can't justify buying something just to keep a business going.

Rick.

[DannyB]

I either use crayford or tunbridge wells, always buy my paints and thinners from there and usually a magazine or two every month. kit stock is usually on the thin side but my mrs text me a pic the other day, couldnt believe my eyes!

Is that Crayford or Tunbridge Wells?!

I know at Tunbridge Wells they had a move around before Christmas, not gained much space for the model section but at least moved it closer to the stairs so it's more prominent. When I popped in last week they had a 'OK' range of airfix kits, mainly catalogue stuff no new releases, a few tamiya, a few revell, and they have started to stock a handful italeri kits as well. The paint stands were looking a mess though and obviously hadn't be restocked for a while.

The trouble with general hobby retailers is that the individual sections are only as strong as they person in charge of them, so if they had a member of staff interested in the hobby I'm sure they offering would be a lot stronger.

[SeaVenom]

Surely the classic "chicken and egg" situation? If there is nothing there to tempt people to buy, then sales will be poor. But, if poor model kit sales are the reason for not stocking a good variety of kits then the shop is unlikely to increase stocks in order to tempt more sales.....................!!!

Certainly, as I pointed out earlier there is nothing to tempt me to use my local HC. Its location doesn't help either.

Allan

Possibly but we can only try and maybe a lot of people still don't even know HC sells kits or even exists so it's vital to spread the word about them or other model shops. Location is a big thing too I agree but mine's easy to get to and usually park as it's not in the city centre. Can be a bit of a pain trying to get out of because of traffic though but all the model shops near me used to be in the town centre.....which is a pain.

S

[bzn20]

Thats another thing. Car park charges. If you wanted just to pop in and out for something thats only £5 ish and I've got to pay the minimum £1 to £1.50 plus (where I live,thats the minimum) depending where you are.

I'm not going to bother with those extras. Thats 25% extra, minimum, plus the best part of a Litre burnt up,another quid gone. I am lucky, I dont have a problem parking free for my LHS. Hannants have their own CP.

City center shops,I'd need to be going for alot of stuff to dilute the CP charges and mileage. That'll be an Internet job. I'm a POSB g*t ? Probably!

Edited January 8, 2015 by bzn20

[SeaVenom]

Thats another thing. Car park charges. If you wanted just to pop in and out for something thats only £5 ish and I've got to pay the minimum £1 to £1.50 plus (where I live,thats the minimum) depending where you are.

I'm not going to bother with those extras. Thats 25% extra, minimum, plus the best part of a Litre burnt up,another quid gone. I am lucky, I dont have a problem parking free for my LHS. Hannants have their own CP.

City center shops,I'd need to be going for alot of stuff to dilute the CP charges and mileage. That'll be an Internet job. I'm a POSB g*t ? Probably!

I'm sure all of us would like to have Hannants near us but there's only one Hannants. The HC near me doesn't have car park charges (yet anyway). Knowing the way things are going I wouldn't be surprised if they do eventually as they'll try and get money out of people in every way these days but you'd have to pay postage on the net most of the time anyway.

[bzn20]

I'm sure all of us would like to have Hannants near us but there's only one Hannants. The HC near me doesn't have car park charges (yet anyway). Knowing the way things are going I wouldn't be surprised if they do eventually as they'll try and get money out of people in every way these days but you'd have to pay postage on the net most of the time anyway.

Or the Hannants in Colindale,Nr Hendon etc. I was only using that as thats the CP situation here.

Its the Council not the shop that charges for parking. Belting sales ploy to charge people to park and buy. Compete with the internet and charge to park the car? Really?

[LeVi Tophatter]

Possibly but we can only try and maybe a lot of people still don't even know HC sells kits or even exists so it's vital to spread the word about them or other model shops. Location is a big thing too I agree but mine's easy to get to and usually park as it's not in the city centre. Can be a bit of a pain trying to get out of because of traffic though but all the model shops near me used to be in the town centre.....which is a pain.

S

I would say that lots of folks know about Hobby Craft, it's a very big chain store. I agree that the range for folks like 'us' is pretty unexciting and/or slim but it has to cater for 'Lil' Johnny/Jeanette' and 'Casual Chris/Christine' (got my PC hat on today!). HC won't become anything like the LHS we fondly remember because it's a general creative hobbies store.

The more kits that are bought off the shelves, the more they'll restock... With the same range of kits. No Hasegawa, Fujimi, Eduard, Xtrakit, etc. just Airfix and Revell (half of which are 'gift sets') with a dash of Tamiya. I guess this is HC's strategic approach to the subject.

I used buy Tamiya kits at HC when they had seasonal sales (they used to have some real good ones, upto 50% off kit RRP sometimes) but this no longer happens anymore, at least at the nearest 'megastore' to me, just high and odd pricing for some reason. The only options left are a short trip to Hannants Colindale, the internet and mail order or take up a modern hobby like 'Candy Crush Saga'.

[Roland Pulfrew]

I try to use my local HC as there pretty much no LMS in the whole of Buckinghamshire My HC is very hit and miss; had a good selection of models before Christmas but they have been reducing their stock of the ancillaries. Popped in the other day to try and get some filler and matt varnish - none in stock. Tamiya paint? A random selection of colours but none of the ones I needed. Model stock lots of Revell but not much of anything else (thank goodness ). Can only hope they just haven't got round to restocking post Christmas; if not I'm going to have to start relying on mail order!!

[bzn20]

Sorry..........What is this HC? I know I missed something....

[LeVi Tophatter]

Sorry..........What is this HC? I know I missed something....

HC = Hobby Craft.

This is how we communicate now that we are netwoked, abbreviate as much as possible.

I lerndid this @ skool.

[Albeback52]

Possibly but we can only try and maybe a lot of people still don't even know HC sells kits or even exists so it's vital to spread the word about them or other model shops. Location is a big thing too I agree but mine's easy to get to and usually park as it's not in the city centre. Can be a bit of a pain trying to get out of because of traffic though but all the model shops near me used to be in the town centre.....which is a pain.

S

Fair point.I certainly would not want to see H C fail despite my own reservations. However, I think they may be their own worst enemy in the context of kit sales. The Edinburgh shop used to have a very good selection of kits and accessories . Occupied a significant amount of space on the first floor. Then on another visit, I went upstairs and found the model section probably about 1/3 of its previous size & relegated to an out of the way corner at the back. I left empty handed and very unimpressed.. I cannot see them reverting to their original range so, for me anyway the journey simply is not worth it. I am at least fortunate in that I have 2 good shops within easy travel distance and, both on the same bus route which is VERY handy!!

Allan

[daryl_five_zero]

I've only just stumbled over this thread, so not sure if it's dead just yet.

The situation with models in HC is a funny one. I've been with the company for a couple of years now, and as a modeller, it really has been frustrating at times.

I've had a good chat with the CEO on the matter, and she was well aware of the situation herself, and the need to overhaul the model section. I brought up the revival of Airfix since the Hornby buyout, and Modelzone going into administration, and how we've basically missed all of the great opportunities to expand in the model market over the last few years. She was very receptive to all the input given, and as a result, we've seen new stuff coming in recently. It's still not there yet, but they are aware of the need to change things, and it's slowly getting better.

The problem is in the way the company rolls out new products. Instead of bringing in new kits when they're released, we only see new kits in when there is a range review on the whole section. Recently we've seen new stuff in from the Hobby Company (Tamiya/Italeri) Revell and Airfix, but as a result, I can't see us getting new kits in for a while. I've spoken to reps from The Hobby Co. & Airfix, and the frustration is there, too.

One thing that came up in the chat I had with our buyer, is the problems we've been having agreeing with Airfix - which has been echoed with a few LHS owners I've spoken with, too. The volumes that Airfix seem to insist on selling their kits in - at the moment, at least - is just too high for a lot of places to agree on. I guess this is why there haven't been so many of the new new kits of theirs on shelves... many places just can't afford the high volumes that Airfix want retailers to buy. I imagine that the influx of new(ish) Hurricanes and FW-190s we've seen recently means that there have been some negotiations taking place, but damnit, I want my 1/72 Lightning already!

I do think the company needs to involve modellers more with regards to their range reviews, and getting new stock in more frequently. For example, you can walk to the Tamiya bays, and have a choice of 4 different 1/24 Minis... but no new 1/72 F-16 or Zero; same story with the 3 variants of 1/48 Me-109 in the Airfix section. We've only just got the new Airfix Lancs in, and there's still no Blenheim in sight. I don't rightly know where they decide on what kits to stock and what not to, but I can't imagine that modeller input has been a major factor.

Still... I have somewhere local to pick up my Tamiya paints and model filler. I often wonder if it's just me expecting too much of a high-street superstore to cater for a more refined modelling requirement, but in other ways, I can't see why they shouldn't be able to. At least working somewhere like that gives a good platform to refer customers to smaller LHS' in the area for things we don't sell

[Col.]

Glad to hear there is a modeller involved and your MD has asked your opinion Daryl. Seems the business model isn't in line with the likes of Airfix, Revell et al but perhaps that's because those companies operate a more sporadic release schedule than is typically the case in the art and craft industry?

[avro683]

The new one in Bedford gets frequently visited. Our local model club has held several workshops there and more are planned.

[binbrook87]

Just to restart this thread I popped into my local Hobbycraft tonight and was very pleased to see a good range of Airfix models back on the shelves after being absent for several years. Items that stood out were 1/48 Anson, Buccaneer and Chipmunk plus 1/24 Spitfire IX... plus a great range of 1/72 Aircraft and 1/76 Armour etc. Great to see them back!