Lakeland Bushcraft ceased trading?

mountainm

Bushcrafter through and through
Jan 12, 2011
9,990
12
Selby
www.mikemountain.co.uk
Are go outdoors a serious outdoor stockist though? Not in my very humble opinion.

They sell cheap and cheerfull to mum and dad weatherspoons drinker, all done in a well packaged store. The Woolworths of the outdoors scene I think.

I'd go specialist retailer every time. Probably why I still go to the Tiso near me.

I agree to some degree - but when times are hard the cheaper options appeal to a wider audience.
 

BillyBlade

Settler
Jul 27, 2011
748
3
Lanarkshire
I agree to some degree - but when times are hard the cheaper options appeal to a wider audience.

Your right mate, it does. Thats what Go Outdoors have cleverly done.

I remember going in my local one when it opened, I recognised one of the staff from Tiso, and him I. He told me to run away, as this wasn't my kind of place at all, and he felt he'd sold his soul after just a week of being there. He didn't last.
 

mountainm

Bushcrafter through and through
Jan 12, 2011
9,990
12
Selby
www.mikemountain.co.uk
Your right mate, it does. Thats what Go Outdoors have cleverly done.

I remember going in my local one when it opened, I recognised one of the staff from Tiso, and him I. He told me to run away, as this wasn't my kind of place at all, and he felt he'd sold his soul after just a week of being there. He didn't last.

Yeomans seems to be doing OK, but who knows?
 

Trunks

Full Member
May 31, 2008
1,716
10
Haworth
Time to admit defeat and throw in the towel before the debts got out of control.

A tough decision i'm sure, but perhaps for the best in the long-run.

Just wondering Mark, what has happened to your stock? I only ask, as, like others, i was going to buy some kit in January.

I'm sure between us all on BCUK, we could buy some of the stock (at the normal prices of course :)) then at least you can recoup some of your losses. I'd rather put my money your way...
 

peaks

Settler
May 16, 2009
722
5
Derbys
I second Trunks idea - a lot of us have had brill service + kit from Mark. Its the least we can do support him when times are hard.
 

Broomstickize

Forager
Jul 28, 2011
182
0
Suffolk, UK
Sad to see this has happened.

As someone who's benefitted from the great service I'm sure Lurch will go onto do just fine.

If Mark is going to make some items available I'd be in (please tell me where)... I'm a gear nut and as the prices on Lakeland were already good so there's no need for a fire-sale. *hunts for card statement for credit limit*
 

Maxip

Forager
Dec 2, 2011
107
0
Cumbria, UK
Fairly recent into the BC scene but am sorry to see a decent independent call it a day. When I can, I try to buy from local suppliers (general rule if they are 10% within what I can get elsewhere) and am sorry that I didn't get a chance to deal with them.

Sad times BUT it sounds like the decision was made, rather than forced - good luck in the future.
 

Pierr

Forager
Sep 15, 2008
190
0
France
Sorry to hear the news as well. I too received great and personalized service from Mark.

Wish you a better start of 2012!
 

TeeDee

Full Member
Nov 6, 2008
10,980
4,092
50
Exeter
Time to admit defeat and throw in the towel before the debts got out of control.

With a level head on , probably the best thing you can do , I've seen quite a few shops incur more and more debt and trying to NOT see the truth of the long term situation gather more and more debt. I'm sure you thought long and hard before deciding to pull the plug and that reflects your accumen of the situation , which I'm sure you will take through to your next enterprise.

All the best Mark , Hope beyond the obvious you and yours are all well. I think you have done the best thing by not letting the business turn into a liabilty.
 

spandit

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 6, 2011
5,594
308
East Sussex, UK
Indeed, we may see the end of Blacks/Millets January time...

I don't know why they're not making money - they charge about 5 times what everyone else does...

Sorry to hear about Lakeland Bushcraft, I'd ordered from them in the past - feeling guilty I didn't order more now
 

bronskimac

Forager
Aug 22, 2011
124
0
Dundee
Sorry to see a well respected company close.

Yeomans opened a shop in Dundee a few months ago. Went to have a mooch round a couple of weeks ago and it's closed up.

Competing with the big businesses must be particularly difficult at the moment. Blacks and Millets with sale + 25% off. Millets last week were sale + 40% off! I do wonder if they are turning a profit at the moment, if they are, their mark-up must be pretty high.
 

ged

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jul 16, 2009
4,995
29
In the woods if possible.
... Competing with the big businesses must be particularly difficult at the moment. Blacks and Millets with sale + 25% off. Millets last week were sale + 40% off! I do wonder if they are turning a profit at the moment, if they are, their mark-up must be pretty high.

Black's Leisure Group has lost more than 95% of its market value in the past 12 months:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business/market_data/shares/3/87968/twelve_month.stm

Most of the High Street is in survival mode at the moment, if not on life support.
 

leon-1

Full Member
Condolences Mark, a business takes a hell of a lot of work to get established and establishing a good name is so very difficult to do, you managed both, it's just a shame that the economy is pants.

As a maker and seller of goods I've seen what the downturn has done and not just over the last couple of years, if it wasn't for the other things I do I would have gone under a long time ago. Chin up mate and re-invent yourself, good luck with the future.
 

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