Cliverdee Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 It is a sad time in Nottingham as GEE DEE the ONLY proper model shop is due to close on 2nd Feb... not due to falling demand but that the owner is nearly 90 and quite rightly wants to retire. No one wants to take it on despite advertising it as a going concern since late summer. I for one hate being forced onto the internet for my model kits as there is nothing better than browsing in a real shop, and not perhaps having a fixed idea as to what I will end up buying .... plus the reward of having the odd word or two about modelling with the staff there... I look at the success of Telford scale modelworld to prove the delight and excitement of browsing the masses of kits on offer and making ‘a few’ selective choices rather than the on line sterile ‘click the button to buy‘ and the waiting a week for hopefully the kit to arrive intact and as expected. We now only have an extremely poor selection of Airfix at Hobbycraft in Nottingham... mostly click together kits and a few starter sets so nothing really... I even e mailed and then spoke to the manager saying they could do very well by holding the size of range they used to have for Airfix so we’ll see if they do . The nearest model shop to me is now Newark some 20 miles away... shame this is the case but that’s the way the world is going. So if you like buying what you can physically see, and then taking it away under your arm, support your model shop while you still have one and this might encourage prospective new owners to see it as a money-making concern. Gee Dee also did model railways and RC stuff so did cover a lot of interests. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratch Posted January 23, 2019 Share Posted January 23, 2019 Why don't you take the shop on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airfixian Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 You could travel to Chester model centre, you'd have a nice day travelling and there is good staff in the centre and a good display of models Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FAAMAN Posted January 26, 2019 Share Posted January 26, 2019 I've had three LMS's close here in Sydney in the past year. Two less than 10 minutes away and one some twenty minutes away.I now have to travel almost 40min and pay huge council parking fees to get to my preferred LMS, a place I've been going to since I was four but being so far away precluding a lot of patronage by meself and 35 min with traffic to my model railway hobby shop.I have to agree there is nothing better than perusing the kits on offer and snapping up the one (or three 😉) that takes your fancy, the best sort of "impulse buying" 😆 😆 😆 😆 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black major Posted January 27, 2019 Share Posted January 27, 2019 Yeovil considering it's aircraft location,yeoviliton and westlands.once had a great choice when I was a lad ,late 70s 80s ,3 dedicated shops plus toy shops local news agents (matchbox)..now poor hobbycraft and a rc shop with a few kits..How sad ... so if I want a proper model shop ,it's froome , poole , bristol , or sailsbury ..Thank God for model shows ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stormforcejj Posted February 7, 2019 Share Posted February 7, 2019 I have been to Chester Model Store multiple times and to be fair they are a great shop. When I first got into the hobby of Airfix they had very keen staff that were really helpful in answering my questions and I felt really welcome. As for other model stores closing it's really sad. I really want to go to them more often but they are just too far away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Symmons Posted February 7, 2019 Share Posted February 7, 2019 Hi Black Major.Yeovil considering it's aircraft location,yeoviliton and westlands.once had a great choice when I was a lad ,late 70s 80s ,3 dedicated shops plus toy shops local news agents (matchbox)..now poor hobbycraft and a rc shop with a few kits.. I was in Yeovile a few years back and found a small hobby / model shop behind the Yew-Tree inn where I stayed for the night Not really a great selection but did walk away with the Revell Luftwaffer figure set and and the Sopwith tri-plane, Not sure what the shop was called. I was quite impressed with the shop at the Fleet Air Arm Museum having a nice array of models and books mainly books, hopefully there model selection has improved with all the new Airfix FAA models coming out. Well worth a visit. Here in Cape Town we were down the only two LMS's but a couple of new ones have opened up all within a half hours drive. I usually do a round trip of all three every 6 weeks or so a always find something. Recently found some battle field buildings and a Blitz ambulance by Italari and the Opel BVlitz Trucks by Academy. Both still waiting in the stash although I have used one of the battle field buildings kits in a diorama, one still in the stash. Remember we do this for fun John the Pom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NWR-Gordon-4 Posted February 8, 2019 Share Posted February 8, 2019 Why don't you take the shop on? The same question popped straight to my head when the original poster posted about his problem of his local model shoping closing down. GNR-Gordon-4 (AF) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael_binks Posted February 12, 2019 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Sad to hear about gee-dee models, I remember buying some model railway stuff from them by mail order many years ago. We're lucky here in Norfolk, there's a brilliant model shop called bouys toys in Cromer. A really good range of kits, tools, paints etc plus model railway stuff, diecast.. You name it he's got it. I use this whenever I can. In Aylsham there is a shop at the bure valley railway that has a really extensive range of model railway stuff at competitive prices. Langleys in Norwich, a big toy shop with a decent range of kits and accessories. The Internet is convenient but there's nothing quite like going into a shop. Use em or lose em! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy M Posted March 1, 2019 Share Posted March 1, 2019 i live in birmingham uk and have found some great model shopswww.mikes-models.co.uk kingstandingwww.parabellum.co.uk hockleywww.mrmodels.info/ smethwickwww.ianallanpublishing.com/our-shops.htm birmingham city centreall good in different ways Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cliverdee Posted April 13, 2019 Author Share Posted April 13, 2019 /media/tinymce_upload/8cfc075e464b32ba8716ea8b6510d4ba.pngHopefully soon back in a high street business... thanks to the staff for bringing some good news to Nottingham ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
feanor Posted September 25, 2021 Share Posted September 25, 2021 As ever peeps, the answer to the question is ‘we’re to blame’. For switching to online Purchasing and same-day (almost) delivery.Businesses like Airfix have also changed their business models (no pun intended) to take this into account, and make more savings. Yes, it’s a shame. I’d rather visit a local shop any time, but my most local is ten miles and I have to ring in advance to even see if he’s opening that day, with the next being eighteen miles out, halfway to Birmingham and a full thirty-six mile round trip. And I also make sure he’s got what I want before I go there too. Next one out is Mr Models in Bearwood, but that IS a pleasure to visit. It just depends on how much of this madness and for how long you want to sign up for, and vote with your wallets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odysseus Posted October 5, 2021 Share Posted October 5, 2021 The same is true across the retail community. Bricks and mortar are expensive to maintain, and add greater overheads than the warehousing model. As with everything in these Covid times, those who innovate have a better chance of survival than those who don't. To succeed, a shop must offer something worthwhile you can't get online Such as: clinics, where you can bring your problems, and get help; hands-on demonstrations; unbiased advice. The stock must be wide enough to prompt browsing, leading to impulse buying; well presented; there must be enough ancillary material - glue, paints, tools, card, rod etc - to satisfy all demand; reference material. The staff must be friendly and helpful. Finally, to add to the sense of "experience", chairs and, at least, drinks. To entice someone into a forty mile round trip, it must be a treat. Sadly, a traditional LMS was a poky little cubby hole with limited stock, and matching social skills.All this costs, so competing on price with online is impossible. And this is not the best way to make a million. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogsbody Posted October 5, 2021 Share Posted October 5, 2021 I live in northern Alberta, Canada. I'm a 450 km./300 mile/ 5 hour drive from the closest hobby store. And even those ones are slowly going downhill. There used to be about a half dozen great ones. Now there are a couple alright ones and two or three not so good ones.Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Padefc Posted October 22, 2021 Share Posted October 22, 2021 There not many by me nearest I can think of would be Hattons which was a 5 min drive now more like 20 at least,last time I went I took over a hour to purchase a few enamel tinlets. Nice staff but more interested in train/locos tbh as some are worth much more than I spend on kits year.So like many others I’m forced to shop online as you always get what you want it’s easy an convenient we’re all adding to the demise of actually walking in to any shop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hurricane Boy Posted October 22, 2021 Share Posted October 22, 2021 There not many by me nearest I can think of would be Hattons which was a 5 min drive now more like 20 at least,last time I went I took over a hour to purchase a few enamel tinlets. Nice staff but more interested in train/locos tbh as some are worth much more than I spend on kits year.So like many others I’m forced to shop online as you always get what you want it’s easy an convenient we’re all adding to the demise of actually walking in to any shop. PadefcThis is a really good point.I need to get to my local shop this weekend and spend some money. They don't always get the new releases by Airfix and when they do it is months after the release in the UK.... so I do shop online when I want to get a new release quickly.I did buy a "Thomas the Tank Engine HO train set" and accessories there for the grandkids back in July but I need to go and buy some Airfix kits there ...... If you don't use it you lose it!!!!Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hurricane Boy Posted October 27, 2021 Share Posted October 27, 2021 Well I did get to the local Hobby Shop this past Saturday and purchased another 1/72 Arifix Huriricane kit A01010 to go with Hurricane kit A55111 and Tomahawk A55101 that were on the work bench.Also bought some Mr. Colour azure blue for the partially completed Tomahawk kit.CheersTim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Triggers Posted October 27, 2021 Share Posted October 27, 2021 Can't say the stock in my local interests me...Still need to have a mooch inside at some point but buying supplies there just isn't viable due to have to pay for parking Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frederick Kullas Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 Our wee Government has just given us all £100 spending money on a debit card. It has to be spent in a local shop - no on-line buying.Unfortunately my main LMS is a 'cash only' shop so I can't spend it with him otherwise I would spend and buy kits that I really don't need.However, he is the cheapest for paints, especially Humbrol.I'll be going to him later this morning to get a few paints.As for costs of travel et cetera; I'm now of the age I have a pass for free bus & train travel so it costs me nowt but time to go to Belfast for just a few paints Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Triggers Posted October 28, 2021 Share Posted October 28, 2021 Oh dear.I'm 40 years away from a bus pass.expressionless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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