Hattons advise planning to suspend all sales Thurs 26th

COVID - we'll all survive if we take care, NO MORE on-line shopping for Model Railway Kit, I'm less sure!

Joking aside, I just received a Hattons update that they're planning for an imminent Govt. "enforced" cessation of business, with tgt date 26th, i.e. 2 days.

Anyone who was planning to buy better get in the queue real quick while the locals are asleep!


Colin 

OMG - another time filler gone.

That's going to be a pity for many who were hoping to use the lock-down time for modelling.  I suppose their supplies aren't considered "essential" and, as they can neither go to work nor work from home, there's no alternative.

Having said that, I think, after a few days locked in, many people will be a getting stir crazy and having a supply of "leisure activities" could be considered important, if not essential.  In such a situation, maybe 1 or 2 members of staff could go in and organise at least some the mail orders and still maintain the "social distancing" ………………  Not really sure if it could work ………

[user=6]Petermac[/user] wrote:

OMG - another time filler gone.

That's going to be a pity for many who were hoping to use the lock-down time for modelling.  I suppose their supplies aren't considered "essential" and, as they can neither go to work nor work from home, there's no alternative.

Having said that, I think, after a few days locked in, many people will be a getting stir crazy and having a supply of "leisure activities" could be considered important, if not essential.  In such a situation, maybe 1 or 2 members of staff could go in and organise at least some the mail orders and still maintain the "social distancing" ………………  Not really sure if it could work ………

Hattons are saying it'll be full closure IF the Govt. regulation comes in so get in and buy if there's something you need to see you through home "detention". No part measures.

The rather confusing Hattons release begins with the words:

• We are making plans for a Government enforced 5-6 week despatch operation shutdownWe are acting as if this will commence on Thursday 26th March
  

The first point refers to a possible despatch shutdown, not the government shutdown or even a possible future government advised initiative and as far as I am aware, none has been announced by the government. In fact a web search shows UK postal staff on the list of 'key workers', so have some protected status.

However, with their shop already closed, Hattons do appear to be effectively ceasing retail operations on the 26th, which is strange considering they are experiencing a surge in recent orders and have taken on extra staff to cope!

This could of course be an error in Hattons' email alert but we'll find out one way or another soon enough.

Watch this space .  .  .

Bill
:???:

Edit: so it's a sales pitch then?

Bill,

That's what I tried to paraphrase, with the emphasis on "planning".

I'm crediting Hatton's management with enough nouse to not go floating "just might be" issues in front of their large customer base without having something of substance behind it all.
In fact their current high sales / increased staff hours suggests they had no need for further sales promotions right now but were alerting customers in case something happens.

It's up to those who might need something to decide. This was to alert to a possible issue for those who MIGHT hesitate. Unfortunately as events are showing, not everyone is capable of decisive thinking in times like these.

 As an example, Australia's primary source of new COVID cases is from returning Cruise passengers. It defies belief that after the example of the Diamond Princess at Yohohama, anyone would start a new cruise in March, yet that's just who are trying to get back into Australia now, many infected. I've got a contact still thinking about taking a cruise in 2020 because they're being discounted, can you credit it?





 

That Colin, is a major problem with human beings - if they sense a bargain, all else goes out of the window !

"Look love, there's a cruise offered at 20% discount". 

"Yes dear but you could contract a killer disease on a cruise - ships make wonderful breeding grounds"

"Yes but just think about it -  we'd be saving $1,000 each ………………………………….

We're lucky here in that we have a large garden so the "lock-down" is inconvenient rather than a major problem.  I feel for those living in high rise city appartments and hope all our members and families manage to stay safe.

Extract from latest email (GMT 15:42hrs) from Hattons, FYI

 

Let's be honest chaps.  If all of the online model railway suppliers closed down it really wouldn't curtail our modelling activities.  Simply go to that cupboard or drawer (or possibly drawers) where you have vast numbers of unmade or unfinished models.  Now is the time to tackle those unfinished models.  I have enough kits, new and unfinished, to keep me modelling for years without ever buying another.





Terry (owner of the European unmade kit mountain)

That's true, as long as you haven't run out of glue  



Ed

:Red Card :Red Card :Red Card :Red Card

Objection yer 'onor …………..

My mountain of unmade kits is bigger than your mountain Terry and what's more, I have plenty of glue !!

How long will glue keep ? Some of mine is priced in £.s.d. ………..

  

I'm interested in others' experiences. In this household we're finding that a classic case of Parkinson's law is in operation.

Hence there are no problems with finding sufficient things to occupy ourselves  :sad:. However, JIC I ordered a few extra kits before the possible Hattons' shutdown.

I've lots of CA and other glues in stock so no worries.

Hi Colin,

Spot on, my usual hour a day is spreading over the day. Not that there is much to do otherwise, small apartment, cleaned in an hour, no garden to worry about.
I was checking the model supplies and kits on hand last night. Long list of things that need completing, quite a few kits to build (3 totes worth), 7-8 points to build, code 75 rail, solder and flux OK, ditto PVA, low on decoders and driving wheels, low on styrene sheet, low on styrene glue. Plenty of work still to do on the baseboard modules, although that is usually done on the balcony and it is too wet at the moment. As long as Amazon keeps going I should be OK. One major project is a short matchstick autotrailer, completion will depend on whether external contractors close. May have to scratch build it. 

I have enough to keep me occupied for probably the next 3-4 months.

I have a sense that many smaller companies who close will not come back. Which will be an issue for those who do not model mainstream OO or N and depend on specialist suppliers. I think we could be looking at a significant shrinkage of the hobby as disposable income shrinks. 

Nigel

[user=1632]BCDR[/user] wrote:

Hi Colin,

Spot on, my usual hour a day is spreading over the day. Not that there is much to do otherwise, small apartment, cleaned in an hour, no garden to worry about…….

I have a sense that many smaller companies who close will not come back. Which will be an issue for those who do not model mainstream OO or N and depend on specialist suppliers. I think we could be looking at a significant shrinkage of the hobby as disposable income shrinks. 

Nigel

 

1) I'm "lucky" to have ~2/3 acre (in old money) in otherwise suburban and increasingly built up Melbourne where there's a lifetime's work to do and we've been starting with that after a long hot summer of relative neglect. Fortunately I've a good stock of seed so winter veges were all sown yesterday. Soon it'll be the fruit trees to prune etc. etc. A good shared activity for us. 

2) if you're right that will be a great loss to the hobby.

It seems Hattons might have misjudged the mood.  

There has been an active debate on RMweb including comments from their MD, Richard, explaining the thinking behind the original decision.

Hattons had thought that by aligning with all other major retailers in the hobby in a one-out-all-out scenario that the playing field would be levelled.  It appears the response they got from others was not in full agreement to say the least.  Hattons are the largest player; some others are now relying on internet sales to stay in business at all.

At a time when Government is hinting that we should order online and advising (by the use of some fairly big sticks, it must be said, which is not really "advice" to my mind but ….. ) to then shut down a retail delivery network would be counter-productive.

Unless that delivery capacity were required for other things such as food.  Royal Mail, DPD and other parcel delivery services are not really geared up for food transport.  Whilst there are few delivery slots available for such things it wouldn't make a lot of difference having red or yellow vans on the supermarket run because they don't have fridge / freezer facilities nor, necessarily, the physical capacity to be of much use in that regard.

Another consideration is that any business which remains open asks at least some staff to come to work.  At a time when only key workers should be travelling other than for essential trips that places the humble shopkeeper within our hobby in a difficult position.  But they are not prevented from working and are trying hard to keep their businesses afloat.

Hattons has since issued two more statements more or less rescinding their initial announcement and they are currently offering an online shopping and delivery service at reduced capacity rather than a complete shutdown.

Support your usual outlet at this time if you can.  We can not eliminate all risk to staff throughout the supply chain.  We can all help to minimise that risk but we can also help those who rely upon our hobby for their livelihood to survive these times.