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This morning I travelled past the NRA to Hampshire / surrey border to pick up an item that could have been sent to any RFD. I suspect they made a nice little profit for holding that item for me. Looking around their shop it was hard to see who their customer base was, some country clothing, a few airguns and a couple of shotguns. Unless there was another part to the shop that I totally missed I have no idea how they make a living - unless it is on small consumables and ammunition.

On the subject of ammunition,
There have been a number of times that I have arrived to shoot a competition at Bisley and found that they did not have any (calibre specific) ammunition on the shelfs. I know it is not good practise for any business to have stock sitting around, but I wonder if in the case of ammunition, where it appears to be getting progressively more expensive, if this could be a case to be exempted from that rule.
Competitions like the Gallery Rifle Action Weekends must see a increase of sales in pistol calibre, Slug and .308 & .223.
The shotgun Festival ran twice a year has also seen some mad scurrying around for ammunition.

Yes, I would like to see a shop, a proper shop, be fitting the National Rifle Association and the home of shooting in the UK on site, but I accept the money is not there at the moment. Perhaps anything that is done in the mean time can be done with bigger and better in mind for the future,

DM

Just had a thought, the clay range up by the clock tower - that building would make a good shop!
The traps would make good air rifle ranges....

DM

Dangermouse wrote:Just had a thought, the clay range up by the clock tower - that building would make a good shop!
The traps would make good air rifle ranges....

DM

Given that most shooters go to the Range Office once or twice per visit to log in etc it makes sense to incorporate any shop within the Range Office or better still the Range Office in the shop. I still think the membership office could be used to better effect. Split the Range Office from the Armourey and combine it with a new shop so it forces a path to the door. The membership office seems already to offer a great opportunity for conversion to a shopping area.

ColinR wrote:The membership office seems already to offer a great opportunity for conversion to a shopping area.

The only time I've ever seen the membership office open is during the Imperial meeting. Surely, as it's dead space for the rest of the year, it is the obvious candidate for conversion into a shop?

Ideal as a shop location and also maybe as a low key cafe selling hot and cold beverages and snacks?

Is the membership office the place with the long counter with the outside door on the iron deer side of the range office building?

Yes,

It is used for all the Gallery Rifle comps where competitors book in and get their squadding papers etc. I am sure that could be done elsewhere but there would need to be some considerable building work to make it suitable for a shop,

DM

Well you could start by puting shelving along the back behind the counter and a few tables anc hairs ala St*rbucks at the end but this means a person has to be in there all the time. Perhaps the easiest way to test the water is improve the display areas in the RO

Dangermouse wrote:Yes,

It is used for all the Gallery Rifle comps where competitors book in and get their squadding papers etc. I am sure that could be done elsewhere but there would need to be some considerable building work to make it suitable for a shop,

DM

Unfortunately nothing will happen without some investment and some forward thinking. Without doubt a decent, properly stocked and run shop has the greatest potential as a money maker and once established it will be a continuous benefit all through the year. As I said in a previous post I am sure with the proper approach there could be funding in terms of sponsorship/promotion from major manufacturers wanting to be directly associated with Bisley. Even if it needed a bank loan the return would be more than adequate to service such a loan. I reckon over a year I spend more than £250 per month on consumables alone, (.338 Lap Mag cases at £250 per 100 !!) Multiply that by say 500 = £125k per month, £1.5M per year. Even half that £750k per year turnover would produce a very handsome profit and I believe if the pricing and product range were good enough shooters would buy all their supplies from an NRA shop. The customers are certainly there, so it just needs some forward thinking and a preparedness on the part of the NRA to do a cost study and work it out themselves. If they really wanted to be commercial they could offer a mail order service as well for non sensitive items.

AHPP wrote:Is the membership office the place with the long counter with the outside door on the iron deer side of the range office building?

No it isn't. That's the front counter and is used as reception area for all our competitions and open days. The membership office is actually an office :G :G One of those places with desks and telephones :lol: :lol:

Heather