Decline of Army / Navy Surplus stores

[markie*mark0]

I remember being a kid and there was two in warrington, now i have to drive 30 odd minutes to get to the nearest one :sadwavey:

And to top it off these valuble stores have been replaced by some poncy shops.....:yikes:

 

[nuggets]

I think the government has `bought` them all up - to keep our troops supplied with kit !!!

 

[launditch1]

I live in Norfolk and i remember the surplus shops in Norwich(becketts) and Kings lynn(hoopers) used to be stuffed to the rafters with proper old smelly surplus!I could spend all day in them.
Most surplus shops now seem to just stock new gear with the usual odd bit of knackered plce and a moth eaten beret.
I have discovered a gem near to me though..an Alladin's cave of crusty o.g. stuff!
The surplus shop in Ferndale Dorset is also a good one.Just like they used to be:sadwavey:

 

[markie*mark0]

I live in Norfolk and i remember the surplus shops in Norwich(becketts) and Kings lynn(hoopers) used to be stuffed to the rafters with proper old smelly surplus!I could spend all day in them.
Most surplus shops now seem to just stock new gear with the usual odd bit of knackered plce and a moth eaten beret.
I have discovered a gem near to me though..an Alladin's cave of crusty o.g. stuff!
The surplus shop in Ferndale Dorset is also a good one.Just like they used to be:sadwavey:

Yeah as you mention, the recent times i've actually gone to a surplus store then they're asking top dollar, for brand new next gen gear ?!?

 

[MartinK9]

The introduction of computerised accounting and hefty fines have mostly put paid to the QM's department increasing their pension funds.

 

[Retired Member southey]

Also as crazy as it sounds, the kit is being made on an as needed basis so there is possibly less kit being disposed of through the places like s.w.withems and alike which would I guess normally filter down through to the smaller shops. that and ravenous kit heads buying up all the canvas and early style kit.

 

[sdf234]

During the Cold War many countries had large reserves of equipment on hand. Now that it has been over for about 20 years much of it has been sold off and there has not been as much manufacture of said equipment. Therefore the stocks are going down and in turn the number of surplus shops and their wares have decreased. Thats my guess anyways.

Many of the surplus stores here in the states leave a lot to be desired aswell. A lot of times much of their real military stuff is nearly worn to pieces (I've actually seen rain boots with holes for sale- doesn't that defeat the purpose!). A bunch of their new stuff is often lousy Far-East reproductions. Of course, if you take your time and visit a few shops you still sometimes find something nice at a good price!

 

[rik_uk3]

As said, the days of having mountains of kit in stores have gone, pretty much replaced by 'just in time' stock control, truth is there is not a lot to sell I suspect.

 

[Rabbitsmacker]

ahhh, surplus shop! take a deep breath everyone, thats heaven you can smell!

not too many decent ones around anymore.

 

[lub0]

Anchor supplies here in Nottingham has a hardware, electronics and clothing/kit departments. The clothing/kit department used to be wicked when I was a kid. I spent many a Saturday looking around at all the surplus but this past 6-7 years has seen Anchor Supplies decline in to selling Chinese made airsoft assault vests, civilian camping gear and not much else!

 

[ex Member swampy99]

Now the UK are issuing Multi Cam a lot of old desert stuff should be coming on the market soon. Even here in Oz british desert is coming on the market. I have found one shop in Rockhampton that has that lovely old crusty smell and loads of kit just thrown onto a shelf so you can spend hours having a rumage through. It also sells dutch, US and auscam stuff plus the far east makes.

 

[bojit]

My local store dropped the surplus from it's name about 5 years ago, they still do some surplus kit but mostly new made in china crap .
The guys that work there are quite knowledgeable about the kit they sell .Highlander is one of the main brands they stock as they are owned by highlander.
they had 2 stores in edinburgh but now are down to one .
I would rather go to them for kit than buy of the net , at least you know what you are getting quality and condition wise .

Craig.....................

 

[Radix lecti]

The surplus store that sticks in my mind was Woods Army and Navy store in Gloucester it was real old school,i got most of my kit from there many years ago when i was a young army cadet and they had real cheap kit too i was in there every other weekend , it broke my heart when they shut it down.Now its a nightclub or pub. :sadwavey:

 

[unorthadox]

Theres a fair few on ebay these days, some which do some amazing deals. From what it looks like the DPM camo system is getting changed to MTP this year so there should be a lot more stuff going on ebay soon.

Here is a brief press release about the testing of the new camoflauge system
http://www.dstl.gov.uk/news_events/press/pr2009/camouflage FINAL.pdf

 

[roger-uk]

Anchor supplies here in Nottingham has a hardware, electronics and clothing/kit departments. The clothing/kit department used to be wicked when I was a kid. I spent many a Saturday looking around at all the surplus but this past 6-7 years has seen Anchor Supplies decline in to selling Chinese made airsoft assault vests, civilian camping gear and not much else!

Ahh Anchor - Yes the days when they had earth floors and you changed into old clothes to go there. It was a tip but oHH the goodies to be had. It was a radio amateurs dream and camping gear/ex army surplus galore.

 

[WeThePeoplexfbm]

yeah once my aussie dispoal goes im F.....D XD

 

[woof]

You Nottingham guy remember Flittermans ?, and what about Wakefields, i think they were a chain of stores even back then. I used to bike over to anchor, buy stuff, take it home, stab holes in it with a pencil, then sell it "with genuine bullet holes" to school friends, ahh.. happy days.

Rob

 

[John Fenna]

Jessops in Hereford - a kit heaven in my youth...now a "poncy outdoors shop"....On my last visit I could not find any real surplus in the town at all!

 

[m.durston]

we had two surplus shops in st albans. first one was called tom peppers and he ended up moving his shop to borehamwood IIRC, shame cos he always gave a good discount to forces etc and had stacks of 58 webbing back in the early 90s. and the other was a surplus shop that opened in the centre of town that was run by the biggest dreamer you have ever met lol
the guy was an absolute bullsnot artist and used to tell anyone that come into his shop that he was ex pathfinders and SAS. i remember he sold a young cadet an american kit bag telling him it was a rucksack and he only gave a refund when my sgt instructor who was an ex para went up there and challenged him over it lol
ahh happy days indeed

as for reasons for the slow decline of surplus shops, i reckon the closure of local TA centres and ebay has helped to kill off all but the most successful shops in the country.

 

[Melonfish]

I remember being a kid and there was two in warrington, now i have to drive 30 odd minutes to get to the nearest one :sadwavey:

And to top it off these valuble stores have been replaced by some poncy shops.....:yikes:

I used to buy all my gear from the one on bridge street its now part of that pound shop i think.
Yeomans has gone from horse market street and bat21 has gone from the market, for me and thee its New cross army in manchester (tibb street) for the closest.
however i just phone endicotts for all my kit now
I don't half miss that musty smell though.