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HOOTING & FISHING business
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AN INDEPENDENT VOICE FOR THE TACKLE AND GUN TRADE
MARCH 2010
Barbed vs barbless Investigating the issues surrounding the ongoing hook debate
A new season Country wear designs for spring/summer 2010
GREEN RETAIL: HOW TO MAKE SAVINGS BY IMPROVING YOUR ENVIRONMENTAL CREDENTIALS
RETAIL HERITAGE Chairman Colin Rutherford discusses the history and importance of Farlows
GUNDOG TRAINING Mastering the basics to ensure solid foundations in spaniel and retriever training
THIS MONTH
CONTENTS Roundup
EDITOR’S 8
Louise Hoffman speaks with Colin Rutherford, chairman of Farlows, to discover the history of the business, and the pivotal position it holds within the sector
A new season
10
Michael Northcott takes a look at some of the spring/summer shooting, fishing and country wear clothing trends for 2010
Taking stock
20
A selection of new products from the shooting and fishing industry
Business
26
Matt Dolan of the Low Carbon Innovation Centre explains how improving your environmental credentials can significantly reduce your operating costs
Events
28
Industry shows, forums and meetings
Voice on the highstreet
30
Ross Haygarth of C H Haygarth & Sons, Thurso, Caithness
Shooting focus Retrievers and spaniels: the basics 14 Andrew Cullen MBE of Laochin Gundogs introduces the foundations of good spaniel and retriever gundog training
Comment
LETTER
4
The latest news from the industry
Interview
18
Conor O’Gorman of the BASC comments on government plans to grant Forest Service staff unprecedented powers to manage deer in Northern Ireland
Welcome to the March issue of Shooting & Fishing Business. Inside this month’s magazine you will find, as usual, an array of interesting features to both inform and entertain.
F
arlows has been serving the country pursuits community since 1840. Now located in London’s Pall Mall, the store has become a British institution with a worldwide reputation. I spoke with chairman Colin Rutherford to discover more about the history of the business, and the pivotal position that it holds within the sector (page 8). The clocks go forward this month, and spring is around the corner. With this in mind, Michael Northcott investigates some of the new spring/summer shooting and fishing clothing lines available to stock for 2010 (page 10). More product ideas can be found on pages 20 and 21, from groundbaits to flashlights to shooting sticks. On page 26, Matt Dolan of the Low Carbon Innovation Centre explains how improving the environmental credentials of your retail business can significantly reduce operating costs, and suggests some easy ideas to get you started. For our shooting section this month, Andrew Cullen MBE of Laochin Gundogs discusses the importance of laying good foundations when training gundogs, going on to provide guidance on the basics of spaniel and retriever training (page 14). Also for the shooting readership, Conor O’Gorman of the BASC comments on government plans to grant Forest Service staff unprecedented powers to manage deer in Northern Ireland (page 18). Meanwhile, for the fishing focus, Michael Northcott takes a look at the issues surrounding the ongoing debate over the use of barbed and barbless hooks, and discovers the pros and cons of each (page 22); and Mark Lloyd discusses the Angling Trust’s new campaign to bring the needs and concerns of the angling community to the attention of key parliamentarians (page 24). I hope you enjoy the magazine and the month ahead.
Fishing focus Barbed versus barbless
22
The debate over the use of barbed as opposed to barbless fishing hooks continues. Michael Northcott examines some of the main issues involved
Comment Mark Lloyd discusses the Angling Trust’s new campaign to bring the needs of the angling community to the attention of key parliamentarians
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24
Louise Hoffman lh@safb.co.uk Cover image: wherewisemenfish.com
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ROUNDUP
EFTTEX exhibitor numbers continue to grow for 2010 show Editor Louise Hoffman lh@safb.co.uk Assistant Editor Louise Miles louise@safb.co.uk Editorial Assistant Nick Aston nick@safb.co.uk Design/Production Editor Matthew Bower copy@safb.co.uk Group Advertisement Manager Kelly Smith kelly@safb.co.uk Advertisement Manager Julie-Ann Kwok julie@safb.co.uk Sales Executive Russell Collins russell@safb.co.uk Accounts Tina Pitcher accounts@safb.co.uk Customer Services customers@mulberrypublications.co.uk Contributing writers: Andrew Cullen MBE, Conor O’Gorman, Matt Dolan, Mark Lloyd & Michael Northcott
Shooting & Fishing Business is published monthly by:
Mulberry Publications Ltd
A number of big industry names have already booked their stand for EFTTEX 2010, with bookings still coming in. The international fishing tackle trade event has been held annually by the European Fishing Tackle Trade Association (EFTTA) for the past 28 years. Spain’s coastal city of Valencia will Image: EFFTA 2009 host the three-day show, which already has 185 exhibitors confirmed from over 30 different countries. Organisers of the event say that if recent trends continue, EFTTEX 2010 will be one of the largest annual shows ever staged by the Association. More than 3,300 professionals attended EFFTEX 2009 from 72 separate countries. For more information about exhibiting, contact Sally Steel at sallysteel@eftta.com
Gamekeepers set to flock to this year’s Crufts event In a matter of days, gamekeepers, shoot beaters and even retailers will be making their way down to one of the biggest dog shows of the year. Crufts 2010, held at the NEC in Birmingham, has invited working dogs and their owners to the gamekeeping classes that will be held across the four-day event. Tom Blades, BASC’s head of game and gamekeeping, said: “The gundog day at Crufts provides an opportunity for gamekeepers to show their dogs. Gundogs are essential in the field and work extremely hard throughout the shooting season. Crufts gives them a chance to demonstrate their skills. It also gives gamekeepers and pickers-up a chance to get together and network.”
Taste of Game Week extended Popular British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) event, the ‘Taste of Game Week’, has been extended. Running from the 6 to 20 of November, the sessions highlight game meat as a local, wild and nutritious food, while additionally encouraging people to enjoy the various tastes. Celebrity chef and BASC council member Mike Robinson will again demonstrate how to prepare and cook a wide range of game meats. Robinson commented: “I am delighted that the event is becoming so big and so popular. Everyone is loving game, the proof is in the fact that restaurants that serve game are getting busier and the public are eating more of it.” For more information, visit www.basc.org.uk
Mulberry Publications Ltd, Wellington House, Butt Road, Colchester CO3 3DA Tel: 01206 767 797 Fax: 01206 767 532 www.safb.co.uk The editor and publishers do not guarantee the accuracy of statements made by contributors or advertisers, or accept responsibility for any statement that they express in this publication. The opinion of the contributors may not necessarily be the opinion of the publishers. Articles are considered for publication on the basis that they are the author’s original work. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise, without the permission of the publishers.
Image: BASC Taste of Game Week
ROUNDUP 5
Rise in theft prompts call for retail security strategy review Independent approvals and certification body for the security industry the National Security Inspectorate (NSI) is urging retailers to review their security strategy. The advice comes after the British Retail Consortium Retail Crime Survey revealed that thefts from shops increased by a third between 2008 and 2009. The NSI recommends contacting at least three approved installers, who should visit your premises to conduct a bespoke risk assessment before submitting a quote. A Certificate of Compliance should be issued once deterrents such as CCTV and alarms are fitted. The body additionally recommends taking out a maintenance contract to ensure that your system is kept effective and fully operational. Further advice and information can be found at www.nsi.org.uk
BRC says budget must focus on spending cuts and not tax hikes Public spending cuts instead of tax increases must be the focus of this Parliament’s final budget, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) has urged. The BRC’s submission to the Chancellor reiterates retailer beliefs that the Government’s priority must lie with reducing non-essential public spending to avoid a return to recession. In addition, the body has demanded that the proposed National Insurance increase planned for 2011 is abolished, and for business rate increases to “be kept affordable”. These measures will ensure that employment opportunities are maintained, the BRC adds.
Shark tagging project highlights need for conservation of species Hundreds of volunteer Image: SACN & their respective owners UK shark anglers will tag inshore sharks, rays and skate in Scotland’s south west waters to highlight the growing demand for the conservation of the species. Scottish shark numbers have declined across the last two decades. The Scottish Sea Angling Conservation Network (SACN) is organising the three-day event, which runs from the 18 to 20 of June. The organisation says that it hopes it will raise “public awareness of sea angling and its contribution to the economies of many coastal communities.” Scottish sea angling contributes more than £150 million annually to the country’s economy. To find out more, visit www.tagsharks.com
and briey Ice will not stop keen anglers The sport of fishing has not stopped even in the recent freezing weather, it has been noted. Despite parts of the country falling many degrees below freezing in the last few months, some ponds have been prevented from freezing over by aerators and ice prevention machines that keep water moving. As a result, those heading out with fishing rods and other angling supplies have been able to keep going.
Duck egg producer fined A duck egg producer who polluted the Mallard Hurn Drain near Spalding with liquid waste and slurry from his farm has been fined £8,000. Alan Twell was additionally ordered by Spalding Magistrate’s Court to pay full costs of almost £5,000 as well as fully compensating for work required to reduce the impact of damage to the drain. Twell’s conviction comes after the Environment Agency was alerted to fish kills in the area in July last year, which were traced to his farm.
KHV breakthrough in sight Scientists at a leading bio-tech firm say they may be nearing a vaccine to treat koi herpes virus (KHV). With no known cure, all cases of KHV found in fish stocks must be reported to the Fish Health Inspectorate. Midlands-based Henderson Morley has been working on boosting the immune systems of koi, as well as developing blood tests to identify infected and non-infected specimens.
Retailers recognised for charitable donations
The outstanding contribution made to charities by businesses within the UK retail industry will be recognised this year by the new Business Charity Awards, launched by Third Sector magazine and the Institute of Fundraising. The awards are designed to recognise retail companies that have shown leadership and commitment in forging relationships with the voluntary sector, ranging from conventional partnerships and challenge events to innovative projects such as employee engagement and social investment.
Store music victory Shop owners will save more than £5 million annually after the company which licenses in-store music lost an appeal court case. Phonographic Performance Ltd was unsuccessful in overturning a Copyright Tribunal ruling made last October, which concluded that the company’s imposed license fee increases were excessive. Charges doubled for some retailers and the defeat for PPL means stores will be refunded £20 million in excessive costs.
6 ROUNDUP
and briey Bait firm bags Andy May Three times Kamasan Matchman of the Year Andy May has been signed by bait firm Bag’em matchbaits to help promote its range of commercial fishery groundbaits and pellets. Andy, a world silver medalist in his younger days, is also a full time match fishing coach.
Retailers contain effect of VAT rise The British Retail Consortium (BRC) has announced that retailers have protected customers from much of the recent VAT increase. By reducing store prices, the BRC adds that many of the effects of the tax rises were avoided. Richard Lim, British Retail Consortium economist, said: “The inflation rate is now at its highest for 14 months,” however he added that “the effect on shop prices has largely been lost in a blizzard of promotions and discounts.”
BASC intervenes to prevent proposed gamebird tax Proposals to place a financial levy on gamebirds have been abandoned following objection from the BASC. The tax was suggested to create funds for a new body responsible for disease outbreaks such as avian flu. Following Defra’s draft Animal Health Bill, however, plans to impose a tax upon each reared gamebird have been dropped. The draft Bill’s contents are open to consultation until the 19 April.
Better book keeping campaign launched A major campaign has been launched to help small businesses and the self-employed keep their books in order. Office supplies company Staples is supporting HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) in a new partnership promoting high quality, accurate record keeping qualities. A change in the law, introduced last year, means that penalties can be imposed if businesses do not take reasonable care with their paperwork. For further information, visit www.staplesforbusiness.co.uk or www.businesslink.gov.uk/hmrctaxhelp
New sponsorship for Team England Angling
A new sponsorship package has been announced between the Angling Trust and tackle company Tronix. All of the body’s marine shore teams will be given product support, while the England World Junior Shore Team will benefit from financial assistance of £1,500 for the next three years.
Young shots’ clay shoot approaches The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) and the Game & Image: BASC Wildlife Conservation Trust are to hold their annual clay shoot at the Mid Norfolk Shooting School on Tuesday 13 April. Those aged 10 to 17 inclusive can compete regardless of membership status. The 50-bird sporting event commences at 9.30am with a latest reporting time of 11.30am, and there will also be a pool shoot. Advanced entries for the eight classes are £14 per person per entry. Parents are asked to ensure that guns are safe and properly functional prior to the shoot. For more details, contact William Heal on 01284 728 752 or email east@basc.org.uk
Salmon ‘return home’ to boost Northumberland economy Spawning grounds previously inaccessible to salmon and sea trout can now be reached for the first time in hundreds of years, the Environment Agency has said. A fish pass recently built in the River East Allen near Catton, Northumberland, has opened new breeding areas for the species. The footings of Allenmill Bridge on the outskirts of Allendale had previously meant that the fish could not swim upstream. Following discussions with Northumberland County Council, a major refurbishment of the bridge was conducted. The River Tyne, of which the East Allen is an important tributary, is regarded as the leading salmon river in England and Wales, with studies estimating that salmon caught in the waters can generate up to £4,600 for the local economy.
The Angling Trust denies otter cull reported by national media The Angling Trust has strongly denied a Sunday Times report alleging that the body called for a cull of otters. The story quoted a source claimed to be from the Trust, however a statement released by the Trust says the man “is not an employee or spokesman of the organisation,” and that it “has never spoken to The Times.” Mike Heylin, chairman of the Angling Trust, has written to the newspaper’s editor demanding both a retraction and an apology. The statement adds that the Trust “is campaigning vigorously on behalf of all anglers to ensure that our rivers are healthy enough to support populations of both otters and fish.” The group has lobbied the Environment Agency to provide funding to aid fisheries in fencing their waters and otherwise deter otters if practicable.
ROUNDUP 7
National Fishing Week becomes National Fishing Month National Fishing Week’s success last year has led to the occasion growing into a month-long event. Several celebrations are planned in each region, as well as a wide range of smaller local projects. It is hoped that through the timetable’s extension, fishery owners, coaches and retailers will be able to devote more of their time in supporting the days. It also coincides with the end of the school term. Mark Lloyd, chief executive of the Angling Trust, said that the events will encourage “people from all walks of life to discover the joys of game, coarse and sea fishing.” The initiative will commence on the 17 July, concluding on the 15 August.
BASC launches ‘Buy British’ campaign to support farmers British game rearers are to be supported by a new British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) campaign. The BASC’s David Ilsley said of the ‘Buy British’ campaign: “Our local farmers know their market and breed their birds for our climate and our shooting requirements. BASC wants to see the highest standards maintained in game farming and the use of local, traditional breeders will help this. Shorter journeys also help with welfare and disease control.” Car and window stickers with the message ‘Local, Traditional, Best’ will be sent with the forthcoming BASC Directory of Gamekeeping and additionally to all BASC gamekeeper members.
and briey High response to BASC police guidance book Following high demand from police forces, the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) has printed additional copies of a recent guide to lawful shooting. Aimed at police officers, the Association’s advice aims to prevent misunderstandings and reduce police interventions following a number of incidents. Additional copies can be ordered by telephoning 01244 573 010.
Britain’s ponds condemned A report published by the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and Pond Conservation has condemned 80 per cent of the country’s ponds as being in a “poor” or “very poor” condition. While qualities were found to be better in Scotland, the study additionally highlighted that lowland ponds have deteriorated since 1996. Research was funded by Defra and the Natural Environment Research Council as part of the Countryside Survey 2007.
Fish O Mania rearranged The Angling Trust and Matchroom have rescheduled the Fish O Mania qualifier. Originally arranged for Wednesday 21 April at Barford Lakes in Norfolk, the event will now take place on the same date at Makins Fishery in Warwickshire. Following an outbreak of KHV at the Barford fishery last year, the venue has been moved for fish welfare reasons. Any angler who successfully drew a ticket for the original event and does not wish to fish at Makins is eligible for a refund.
Old health and safety poster phasing out faster than expected
Illegal deer shooting calls for police action
The current health and safety law poster, displayed in every workplace for the last 10 years, is being phased out faster than had been expected. All employers have a legal responsibility to either display the poster in a prominent workplace position or to provide employees with a copy of the equivalent leaflet, which outlines the health and safety laws. Many organisations, however, are already choosing to display the brand new version of the poster. Lee Wright, marketing director of workplace equipment provider Slingsby, said: “The new version has been designed to be more visually appealing and contains a lot less information, which makes it easier to read.” The new poster, which costs £9.70 plus VAT, is available at www.slingsby.com
Outdoor retailer gets bigger
An estate in Wiltshire has witnessed several bouts of illegal deer shooting, which have resulted in police dog patrols of the area. According to a recent police report, most are shot at and then left to die, which is “reckless and cruel behaviour.” Estate manager Guy Anderson told BBC News: “We were worried about public safety because some of the deer have been found not too far from houses on the estate.”
One of the country’s fast-growing retailers, GO Outdoors, has announced plans to open four new stores before the end of April. The clothing and equipment chain which has a dedicated fishing section started 40 years ago in Sheffield, and is now investing more than £6 million into its new developments. The stores are predicted to open in Clydebank, Blackburn, Colindale and Swindon and will create 160 jobs.
8 INTERVIEW
Quintessentially British Louise Hoffman speaks with Colin Rutherford, chairman of Farlows, to discover more about the history of the business, and the pivotal position that it holds within the country pursuits sector Farlows has an impressively lengthy history and rich heritage. Can you tell us about the background of the company? Farlows celebrates 170 years in business this year and the name has long been synonymous with fishing and country pursuits excellence. Our first rod and tackle shop was established in 1840 at 191, The Strand, and we’ve been a firm fixture in London ever since. Farlows’ heritage is unique and the cornerstone of our reputation. Charles Farlow established Farlows to offer customers a quintessentially British selection of garments, gear and guidance in the heart of the city, and today our outlook differs very little. Whether it’s shooting, fly-fishing or simply rural living, we’re London’s elder statesman of country style!
How did the granting of a Royal Warrant benefit the business? HRH The Prince of Wales granted Farlows a Royal Warrant as suppliers of fishing tackle and waterproof clothing in 1982.
The Warrant is an immediate shorthand to a certain prestige, and although its value is hard to quantify, our customers acknowledge and trust the kudos it infers. Fishing is an international pursuit and the royal symbol also offers Farlows an advantage in markets such as the US and Japan, where the monarchy is held in extremely high esteem.
Farlows moved to its present location – 9, Pall Mall – relatively recently. What led to the decision to relocate? Has the move proved to be beneficial to the business? Have you encountered any problems? We’ve had a few London homes in our history, including Charles Street and the Royal Arcade, but 9, Pall Mall – formerly the Royal Bank of Scotland – is our current residence. Given that Farlows’ repertoire has expanded beyond fishing in recent years, increased retail space was a prerequisite for our growth. We’re now able to showcase a more comprehensive product offering and house our own expert team on the same site.
INTERVIEW 9
On the subject of location, how important a factor is this for a store such as Farlows?
What do you believe has been the key to Farlows’ success since establishment?
Farlows is very much a destination store, and while accessibility is of course important, the store is merely one component of the retail business. Ecommerce, mail order and wholesale developments allow us to respond swiftly to our customers’ varied requirements and to cater for the demands of an international audience.
Luxury has become homogenised at the expense of growth among many heritage labels, but specialist brands still have a captive audience. Farlows has remained unflinchingly loyal to its roots and resisted the temptation to enter markets where we have no expertise or credentials. We have a discerning, educated and loyal customer – one that values premium goods and impeccable service. We’ve nurtured this by offering an experience, rather than mere service alone. Superior quality is not enough – customers visit Farlows to share in 170 years of knowledge.
Which products and brands do you stock in the present day, and what has been the most recent addition to your retail offering? There is seasonal variation in our stock, as befits a large lifestyle store stocking such a variety of clothing, accessories and kit. In the winter months our offering has a strong shooting focus, with our own clothing label complemented by brands such as Schoffel, Dubarry, Aigle, Barbour and Le Chameau. As we approach spring, fly-fishing comes to the fore and customers will find brands such as Sage, Hardy, Simms and Loomis, among others. We’ve just started stocking Cumbrian bag label Millican, which has a strong collection of utilitarian canvas accessories that are all made in the Lake District. These values are important to Farlows and the brand is exclusively stocked in London with us.
Does the company still operate a manufacturing plant? Farlows established its own factory in Croydon in 1911, though it was later turned over to war production. After the death of Charles Farlow and his son Jack, the business was solely owned and managed by Jack’s widow Virginia Farlow. She developed an agreement with Walker Bampton of Alnwick to make rods under the Farlows name and later took over Henry Milward of Redditch. The preference to work with a small selection of specialist manufacturers continues to this day. We don’t view outsourcing as a cost cutting exercise. Indeed, the armoury of skills required to manufacture some of our products could not be matched outside of Britain and northern Europe, and our shared values in quality and performance are unique to the artisan suppliers we work with.
How has the industry changed since the early days? Have you found it difficult to maintain sales at any point during the evolution of the market? Country pursuits have been a bastion of the quintessentially British lifestyle for centuries, and although recreational habits change, traditional sporting activities have a loyal following. Political support, however, has been inconsistent, and it’s disappointing to witness the rural economy suffering in some regions. There are many positives, however. We’re finding the fishing business resilient in the current climate, due in no small part to a return to nostalgic, traditional pastimes. The city’s love affair with shooting has introduced a younger crowd to the sport, and we find more women in store than ever before. No doubt the vast style improvements in country clothing have helped here!
In your position as chairman, what is your overriding aim for the company, and what do you enjoy most about your role? To maintain Farlows’ international standing while at all times listening to what our customers say. I most enjoy the fraternity of our passionate employees and loyal customer base.
Finally, how do you see the Farlows business progressing in the future? We have traditionally operated within very prudent financial parameters. To fund our next steps of growth we will bolster our capital and invest further in what have been our key products and markets to date.
“Country pursuits have been a bastion of the quintessentially British lifestyle for centuries, and although recreational habits change, traditional sporting activities have a loyal following”
10  COUNTRY WEAR
A new season With winter finally loosening its grip, Michael Northcott looks ahead to warmer weather, and the spring/summer clothing trends for 2010
A
Alan Paine
s the winter season draws to a close, manufacturers begin releasing their new clothing lines for both shooting and fishing, and, as we emerge from the recession, brands and manufacturers will be hoping for much greater success during 2010. Now that the cold season is nearly over, country wear becomes more about trends and fashion than waterproofs. With a large number of manufacturers pushing their new ranges, making the right choice will be essential to remaining competitive in the current market. The bad weather of the last few months has seriously hindered retail sales because of customers’ unwillingness to venture out to the shops in the cold. This, coupled with the fact that we are operating within an outdoor pursuit market, has meant sales of shooting and fishing gear and country clothing have been hit hard. But, with spring approaching fast, and the weather picking up, we can be expectant of boosted sales, more motivated customers, and a lot of manufacturers offering long-deliberated new styles for the post-recession market. For the retailer, it will now be important to ensure that brands seen in consumer field sport magazines are on the shelves. Equally, a wide range of products, including those that have great reputations but smaller advertising campaigns, will be essential for retailers in all areas of country clothing. Retailers who have not stocked any lines of clothing before should consider it as a fresh new avenue for sales: growing national confidence in the economy means people are happier to spend more. Meet this willingness with a large variety of different products, and you could be looking at two great quarters for spring and summer. At Shooting & Fishing Business, we have spoken to a few producers and manufacturers, and this month we explore some of the new ranges that are about to hit the shelves.
Alan Paine Knitwear is the mainstay of the brand, yet several years ago Alan Paine launched a complementary lifestyle range and more
COUNTRY WEAR
11
recently a country wear collection for men and women. For 2010, Alan Paine is showing an expanded range of garments in the English Explorer collection, plus its new line – AP1907 – which takes its inspiration from vintage pieces. Alan Paine’s global reputation for evolutionary style not revolutionary fashion continues to strengthen. Aside from light-coloured tweed for gentlemen, the principal theme for Alan Paine’s flagship Country Collection for spring/ summer 2010 is light cotton. Jackets and coats of light, cleancut cotton prevail, and the new range looks as much suited to casual country wear as for practical sporting use. The main divisions in the range are between cotton-canvas and cotton-twill, the former being the casual looking attire, and the latter being the more durable and suitable for field sports. The tweed jackets and suits are more lightweight fabric compared to traditional autumn and winter ranges, offering more flexibility and a cooler temperature for the sportsman or woman. Interestingly, ‘tweed’ is a derivative of the Scottish word ‘tweel’, which means ‘twill’, thus binding the two branches of the new range into a uniformity of fabrics: twillcotton and tweed.
Thatchreed
Thatchreed has recently expanded its sales floor to include army and military equipment as well as ranges of clothing. At the company’s warehouse, there is often stock which is not listed in the catalogue or on the website, so it is worth a visit for the retailer looking to expand his or her range of lines available for customers. This season, the field sportswear is heavy in camouflage and fit for all weather. The Jack Pyke camouflaged pieces come in a number of different colour tones, to match the chosen sporting environment of your customer, and are made of ‘stealth fabric’ which is breathable, waterproof and silent, despite the laminated membrane which achieves the waterproof. There are more subtle varieties available in a rich hunter’s green with no pattern, for the more casual sportsperson.
Alan Paine
Thatchreed
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COUNTRY WEAR
Koolbox has in its range this year the Cooldry 9008 shirt – a functional woollen shirt lined with fast drying and effective moisture managing Cooldry. The shirt has a two-layer function, which provides an extra heat-insulating layer of air in the garment. This gives a warm and practical shirt without being unduly thick. The Cooldry lining maintains a pleasant body environment. The shirt is available in brown check, making it as good for casual wear as for in the field. In the ladies collection, a notable garment is the Soft Shell Carin 9308 windproof and water resistant jacket in four-way stretch material, an elastic soft shell. The three-layer laminated membrane makes the garment completely windproof. It is lined with a soft and comfortable fleece, and there is extra ventilation in the armpit, if needed during physical activity. Koolbox’s range this coming season seems to emphasise comfort and wearability, alongside trendiness, rather than the commonly seen ‘functionality-only’ design that can be present in other brand ranges. The extent to which brands are catering for countryside fashionable trends as well as functionality is an indicator of the market they are being aimed at. There are scores of country-dwellers who are not serious in field sports who will be interested in wearing durable, country-casual style clothing, even if they are not toting a shotgun or fishing gear. In the current climate, no matter how specialist your store, it is worth testing the water to see if there exists such a demographic in your locale. The serious sports person may not be interested in stocking up on the latest, more fashionable clothing if they have bought decent pieces the year before. The country-dweller might, however, so make sure you can cater for that customer base if it is there!
Koolbox
Koolbox
14  GUNDOGS
Retrievers and spaniels: the basics
GUNDOGS 15
Andrew Cullen MBE of Laochin Gundogs introduces the foundations of good spaniel and retriever training
M
Images courtesy of Greg Knight, Ruralshots www.ruralshots.com
any people buy a gundog with all the best intentions, like a builder who buys all his materials before he starts work. As we know, the foundations he lays must be solid and put in place correctly – if this is not done the house cannot be built on them. If it is rushed or done poorly then he will have problems later, as things start to crumble and fall apart. I believe this is a good example of what can go wrong if you rush gundog training. I believe that the foundations of all gundog work should never be boring for the pupil or the teacher. A lot of people try too hard, too quickly, too soon and for too long. Little and often is the way forward – 10 minute sessions are more constructive than a 30 minute square-bashing. Remember that you will find it hard to give long sessions your full concentration and most dogs, especially a youngster, will begin to play up and get bored too. I discovered that the Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov trained dogs to expect food when they heard the sound of a ringing bell. After a short while, the dogs began to salivate when they heard the bell even if no food was given to them. Pavlov had established a principle that applies to all aspects of dog training: trigger and association equals a response. Therefore, once a gundog has been properly trained, if you pull the right trigger the dog will make the association and give the desired response. With a properly trained gundog, for example, with the command “fetch”, the dog will go out, retrieve game and bring
it back to hand. Armed with this knowledge, you can be not only the teacher but also the builder of a gundog. If you lay the foundations properly through planned and structured training, your dog will perform with all of the positive results you desire. However, if you rush the foundation work, you must expect everything to crumble, with your dog becoming out of control, running in, switching game and potentially ruining a shoot day for everyone. Going back to the materials, get the best you can afford – select the right breed for the shooting that you do most, and get it from the best working lines you can. This will start you off well. I talked to someone recently who said that although his English Springer spaniel was coming on well, his retrieving and going into heavy cover was poor. When I asked how old the dog was, the reply was, “five months”. This is a typical example of rushing the basics. It always amazes me how people will spend hundreds of pounds on a gundog puppy, yet rush and skimp on the basic practical elements of its training. After all, you wouldn’t get a five-year-old child to sit A levels.
Spaniels As a general rule of thumb I normally start training spaniels at around seven to nine months old. However, before that I allow them to get used to being around me and introduce play training, including the odd retrieve. All of this is supervised
16 GUNDOGS
and I never take them on to ground where there has been lots of game or let them self-hunt. If you do, one day the dog will be five yards from you, and the next he will be 50 yards. Then you are on the back foot straight away. I take a spaniel through sit, stay, recall, then the stop whistle – the brakes. I then get him retrieving properly. Once I know he will come in to me every time without fail on the re-call he has previously been taught, I use this along with his keenness to be with me and please me, to assist me in his hunting later. I introduce him to a form of controlled hunting but I keep a check on the distance he goes from me. The turn whistle is introduced along with a change of tone of voice to control the proceedings should it be needed. Once I have him hunting I place a tennis ball into an area he has already been in and send him back into it. That way I am building up his confidence in me and the association that if he does what I tell him, he’ll find something. Hopefully, later the tennis ball will be exchanged for a flush on a bird or rabbit in cover that I push the spaniel into. Once I get him hunting and retrieving, I then only give a spaniel the odd retrieve in front. As a rule, I work the dog back the route we have come from and then send him for the forward retrieve. This helps the steadiness, bearing in mind you want a spaniel to find and flush game for the gun and be steady to the flush, shot and fall. I never teach heelwork until the dog is hunting and then, with a spaniel, I just want him at my side and behaving on and off the lead. Once you get this foundation work, the rest is built on top until you have a well-trained gundog that is willing to please and enjoyable to work over. They are a breed apart when it comes to rough-shooting.
dog’s age and ability. All young dogs are different and should never be compared to other dogs. Remember, basics should never be made boring. If they are, you are going wrong and need to review your methods or seek the help of an experienced trainer. These should be some of the most exciting times for you and your young gundog. There is nothing better than to see a young gundog carry out a skill or command that you have taught it, especially if you then receive compliments about it from your companions, whether they be fellow guns or pickers-up. That in itself will be very rewarding for you. What you put in is what you get out, both good and bad. Enjoy your gundogs!
Retriever I start training retrievers at around eight to ten months old normally. However, before that I get the puppies running around me, rushing into me and associating my hands with pleasure and fun. Later, I want them to come into those same hands with a retrieve. I will throw something for the dog to retrieve and once he carries and fetches it, I stop. I then move onto the sit and stay, the re-call and then the all-important heelwork, following on with the stop whistle. Once he is retrieving a seen retrieve in front, I then start steadiness, which is built up from the earlier work of the sit and stay. Teaching a retriever only to retrieve what you want is the key to success. After that, it is on to teaching him to take directions, simply because retrievers will go out away from you in a straight line all day, but getting them to go left and right can be a problem if not done early on. A good retriever should be steady at heel on and off the lead, quiet when sitting still at the peg, a good marker of shot game, and a retriever of wounded and dead game back to hand, from land and water without fuss. He must be able to jump safe obstacles and most importantly, I believe, he has to stop and take direction at a distance and hunt a fall site or a particular area to find shot game. Once you have this, you have a retriever that you can be proud of and will make your shooting more enjoyable and possibly add to your bag, that odd bird you thought was lost. When training gundogs the key is to be clear, confident and consistent in your training plan and sessions, always remembering to do little and often with patience. You only require a small amount of effort to make a shooting companion that will be with you for 10 years or more. Plan your sessions to achieve your goals, taking into account the
Laochin Gundogs was founded by professional gundog trainer Andrew Cullen MBE, who has over 22 years of experience and multiple field trial awards. He offers residential and one-to-one gundog training for all types of gundogs and all types of people on the Cromlix Estate in Perthshire. Contact 01786 824 280, 07841 530 967 or andy@laochingundogs.com for more information, or visit www.laochingundogs.com
18 COMMENT
Opposing NI deer shooting proposals BASC’s Conor O’Gorman looks at government plans to grant Forest Service staff unprecedented powers to manage deer in Northern Ireland
I
magine you have permission to shoot fallow deer on private land consisting of some farmland and woodland. The woodland is an excellent piece of ground, it’s adjacent to a larger area of state woodland, and it took months to get permission for it on your FAC. You abide by strict firearms law and the legal open season to manage the deer. However, you have been abroad on holiday, you come home and there are five messages on your telephone from a very irate landowner. While you have been away some forest rangers have entered the land from a nearby area of state-owned forestry to shoot fallow deer. The landowner has received a charge from the Forest Service for the ‘necessary intervention’ and he wants to know what the hell you are playing at, and that you can forget about your permission for fallow does in November. Hold on a second, you think. It’s May – what are they playing at? The season for fallow bucks ended in April. You phone the Forest Service to find out what on earth is going on. To your amazement you are told that the rangers have the power to enter that land any time of day or night, 365 days per year to shoot deer if they think it’s necessary. Moreover, they can use any calibre of rifle or any other type of firearm to do that. And yes, they are within their rights to charge the landowner for any deer shot. You then phone the landowner, and after being shouted at for a few minutes on the theme of ‘how you could let this happen’, it also transpires that the Forest Service has applied for compulsory purchase of the woodland. So, not only is your permission lost, but that carefully planned felling and planting project you had helped draft with the landowner looks likely to have been a complete waste of time. While the above scenario is fictitious, it’s a very real possibility for Northern Ireland’s professional and recreational deer stalkers. This is because the Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, Michelle Gildernew, has introduced a draft Forestry Bill to Stormont that seeks to seize a range of unprecedented, sweeping powers with almost no checks or balances, and to create Crown immunity for the Forest Service rangers. In summary, the Bill seeks powers to allow Forest Service staff to go onto almost any land in Northern Ireland; shoot deer at any time of day or night, 365 days per year; use
any calibre of rifle or any other type of firearm; charge the landowner for shooting the deer; and regulate and restrict the planting and felling of even tiny areas of woodland. These issues have arisen because the Forest Service is both the regulator of woodland and forestry in Northern Ireland and the main forest operator. The powers sought are almost entirely focused on providing a better operating environment for the production side of the Forest Service, rather than improving forestry in Northern Ireland. BASC is strongly opposed to the measures and is fighting to protect its members’ rights and property. The content of the draft Forestry Bill is being scrutinised by the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development. BASC has already submitted its evidence to the committee, but is continuing to work behind the scenes to restore some common sense to the content of the Bill, and any secondary legislation that could arise from it. It’s a busy year ahead in Northern Ireland. Lin Oxley, BASC’s trade marketing officer, has recently visited many of Northern Ireland’s gun shops, and the resounding message back is that traders are fed up with ongoing problems with firearms licensing and want the province’s shooting organisations to sort it out. It’s currently taking longer than 12 weeks for the processing of many applications for grant and variation, and this is a nightmare for affected customers and traders alike. BASC has recently held talks about these issues with two of the province’s police chiefs, the chief constable of Police Service Northern Ireland (PSNI), and the head of PSNI’s firearms and explosives branch. BASC wants to see a strengthening of resources and of improving performance and will keep the pressure on. As if that wasn’t enough to be dealing with in the province, BASC is at the forefront of discussions on the new Wildlife and Natural Environment Bill, which will lead to a complete overhaul of game and wildlife law in Northern Ireland. The Bill proposes to scrap the game licence and archaic game laws, extend the open season for hinds and does, but would leave the quarry bird species and their open seasons unchanged. Add to that separate legislative proposals for the compulsory micro-chipping of gundogs and a new Animal Welfare Bill, and it’s an extremely heavy workload on the policy front in Northern Ireland.
Conor O’Gorman is policy development manager for the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC). Is there a policy issue you would like explained in more detail in the next issue of Shooting & Fishing Business? Contact the author with comments at conor.ogorman@basc.org.uk
20
TAKING STOCK
¤ Gamekeep
Bird Puller feed supplement is a spiced formula sold worldwide by Arthur Ellwood. Using natural ingredients including aniseed and fennel, Gamekeep says that the product produces happier, healthier birds, and a much increased bag. The spices are imported in bulk and blended to a special recipe in the UK, before being packed into the brand’s distinctive buckets by Arthur himself. Also available is a garlic supplement, ideal for keeping ticks off dogs.
Deerhunter
Deerhunter’s 8418 flashlight is available with a choice of white, red or green light. White is ordinary light, red is difficult for most animals to see, while green light ensures that your eyes don’t need to adapt themselves during night time. Also available is the functional 6152 cap, with a choice of two different light colours in the hat’s peak. Both the flashlight and caps are available in Olive Night, Innovation Camo and Innovation Blaze designs. Information: +45 74 22 35 20 or www.deerhunter.dk
Information: 01833 630 232 or birdpuller@gamekeep.co.uk
¦ Bag’em Matchbaits
Bag’em Matchbaits says that it has established a reputation for high quality groundbaits, primarily because most have no breadcrumb or bulking agents in them. Following the recent VAT rise, the company says that its products remain competitively priced, with generous mark-ups for retailers. Bag’em has representatives across the UK and recently appointed three times’ Kamasan Matchman of the Year Andy May to help promote some of its products. Information: 01933 442 404 or www.bagem.co.uk
Richard Paul Russell Ltd
The Kestrel handheld weather meters offer a range of 11 units, which report on a number of environmental parameters for shooters. Easy to operate, the meters allow your customers to account for all relevant atmospheric conditions impacting shot accuracy. New for this year, accurate weather data can now be wirelessly transmitted over a range of 30 feet to your customer’s ballistics calculator or PDA using Bluetooth. As weather can easily affect long-range marksmanship, the ability to quickly measure changing environments can help to compensate for difficult conditions when the shot counts. Information: 01590 679 755 or www.r-p-r.co.uk/kestrel
TAKING STOCK 21
¦¦ Classic Canes
¦¦ Seeland
International firm Seeland is to launch a diverse range of brand new Gore-Tex, leather and Vibram footwear at IWA in Hall 4A on stands 4A-415 and 4A-417. Held in Nuremberg in mid March, the show will see the brand introduce 20 styles of leather boots and an even larger collection of rubber boots. With the majority of the stock being available from August, there will be a promotion on Seeland’s Harkila Stalker seven inch boots from May. A free pair of socks and nubuck cleaning product will be included in the box.
Shooting sticks are popular gifts and accessories that sell all year round, not just in the shooting season. Classic Canes’ managing partner Charlotte Gillan explains: “Many followers of country sports appreciate a shooting stick to walk with and sit upon, but they are also popular in the summer months for people visiting gardens and country shows.” The company stocks leather shooting sticks at a wide range of retail prices. Some models are height-adjustable, a useful feature particularly if the products are being sold as gifts. Information: 01460 75686 or www.classiccanes.co.uk
Information: Contact Simon Esnouf on 07887 997 788 or www.seeland.com
¤¤ Countryside Software
Countryside Software has been providing leading edge EPoS (electronic point of sale), ecommerce and RFD solutions to the countryside sector for many years. Firmly established as the UK’s leading supplier, all of the company’s software is written in-house. Designed for the rural sector, Countryside Software’s customers include shooting, fishing, equestrian and country clothing shops. A “one stop solution to your business requirements”, Countryside Software offers customers installation engineers, software developers and web design. A team of product trainers and dedicated customer support analysts help to ensure that your business receives the required support at all times. The EPoS system enables full control over your company through business reporting and accounts, customer promotions, loyalty, margin control, head office control, vouchers, hospitality and linked ecommerce. Countryside Software’s hardware includes touch screen tills, chip and pin units, and an Opticon scanner. The company adds that “businesses of all types and sizes” have “reduced costs, increased profitability, attained stock control” and have “been able to drive their business forward using the system.” In addition, the opportunity to spread some of your cost interest-free with the company over an agreed period of time is available. Countryside Software’s RFD solution, which is designed to completely run your business, also links directly to the National Gunseeker website to increase your sales of guns. Price plans are offered to suit all requirements. Information: 0115 984 3873/0115 984 6315 or sales@countrysidesoftware.com
22 DEBATE
Barbed versus barbless Michael Northcott takes a look at the issues surrounding the ongoing debate over the use of barbed and barbless hooks
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aving rolled on for many years, it is fair to say that the debate over barbed and barbless hooks doesn’t really have an end in sight. Even if unequivocal evidence were to emerge suggesting that the fish are in pain when a barbed hook is removed, there is nothing to dissuade anglers who simply don’t care. The welfare of the fish is important, and of course if a heavily fished lake contains a lot of fish with badly damaged mouths, the angler will find it harder to catch them because the hook will have little to penetrate. Equally, even if the hook doesn’t hurt the fish, the damage may gradually make it harder for the fish to feed, thus eventually causing its death. Equally though, even the most skilled angler can have trouble successfully landing a catch if a barbless hook simply
slips out of the mouth. All it takes is for the fish to get an angle on a slackened line, and the strike is undone! Bloggers, experts and amateur anglers all differ in opinion, and all over the web and angling publications the debate continues over which is best. Here, Shooting & Fishing Business lays bare the principal arguments from each side.
The problems with barbed Aside from the obvious issue of mouth damage and the possibility that it causes more pain, the barbed hook can present other difficulties. Chief among them is the possibility of fish, in their struggle against the line, becoming tangled in weed or lakebed rock snags. In the angler’s efforts to ‘un-snag’
DEBATE
them by tugging more strongly, the line can break leaving the fish with a length of line and possibly even a weight to tow around. Even if it manages to free itself from the snag, the likelihood of becoming caught-up again is high. At Carp Societies’ Horseshoe Lake there is an area of the lake known as ‘snag corner’, where often there are found skeletons of carp, suggesting that they have become snagged and died a slow death, probably from starvation. Commonly, angling magazines and other publications report on the hook debate, often concluding that there is little difference in the damage caused between the two types. Ralph Manns of Bassdozer.com (which specialises in worldwide bass fishing) claims that the difference is greater with black bass. The studies that try to establish the least harmful hook are regularly performed on trout, and Manns’ observation implies that the difference could be much more significant between different species of fish, rather than just between hooks on the same species1. Additionally, with the catch-and-release policies of many waters and fisheries now commonplace, heavily fished waters can yield large numbers of fish with very badly damaged mouths and even throat tissues. With swallowed hooks, it is far easier to remove a barbless than a barbed. If the welfare of the fish means anything the angler (which it should, if only for the longevity of great fisheries!) then this should at least be a consideration, when it is not a certainty that the hook will always stay well clear of the throat. Admittedly, where catch-and-keep is allowed, the only consideration for hooks is the possibility that it will cause pain in either the mouth or the throat. Many propose that the lip is a near nerveless tissue area as a justification for the use of barbed hooks; however, the throat is definitely full of nerves.
The problems with barbless When compared directly with barbed hooks, the problems are definitely fewer. This is mainly because the barb is the reason that barbed hooks are harder and more damaging to remove. This is not to say, however, that barbless are somehow an innocent and 100 per cent painless way of catching a fish. A swallowed hook, for example, will always cause pain to the fish, and several hook marks from a fighting fish that keeps slipping off the hook can be more damaging than a single mark from a barbed hook. A significant problem with angling from both types of hook is air exposure, which can cause permanent damage in fish. In a study from North American Journal of Fisheries Management, the swimming performance of brook trout after simulated catch-and-release angling, looking for air exposure thresholds, was investigated. It claimed: “Air exposure has been hypothesised as one of the primary stressors present during catch-and-release angling. However, there are few studies that systematically vary air exposure duration and evaluate the consequences on individual fish. Here we evaluated the short-term sub-lethal effects of exercise (to simulate angling) and air exposure on the swimming performance of hatchery brook trout at 10°C (50°F). Nearly half of the fish held out of the water for 120 seconds were unwilling or unable to swim at all. This work suggests that fish possess air exposure thresholds that, once exceeded, result in performance impairments. Fish released after extended air exposure may become easy prey for predators or could be displaced downstream. We conclude that air exposure should be restricted to less than 60 seconds and ideally should be avoided entirely.”2 Bearing in mind that barbless hooks can dramatically reduce the amount of time that the fish spends out of water (especially when barbed hooks are much harder to remove from the
23
gullet, gills, and even the more gristly areas of the mouth tissue) it is arguable that this important and often overlooked problem with hooked fish is directly linked with the type of hook used. In places where fish are in limited supply, or where the population is fragile enough that the mortality rates of the younger fish (eg salmonids) have a direct and a negative effect on population levels a few years later, this kind of damage can put a lot of pressure on the remaining young. The barbed vs barbless debate, contrary to popular belief, does not seem to be based solely on whether or not the fish suffer wounds or other damage from the hooks themselves. The other major consideration is exposure to air, and the effect it has on their subsequent mortality – even if no damage at all is caused by the actual hook. A barbed hook more often than not takes longer to remove than a barbless one, and most anglers would agree with this. When mortality is so heavily influenced by the actual amount of time the fish spends out of water, this has to be another consideration for the debate. Ultimately, it is the angler’s or fishery’s choice, and barbed hooks are often better for catching the stronger fish which thrash around and put up more of an exciting fight. Indeed, fish with stronger mouth tissues will not suffer as much damage or (probably) pain, from barbed hooks. As a sport, though, the debate is welfare for fish vs number of catches, and welfare is everybody’s concern – a dead fish can’t be caught! www.bassdozer.com/articles/manns/barb_barbless.shtml www.nativefishsociety.org/documents BarbedandBarblessHooksLitReview408.pdf 1 2
With thanks to Lee Pullen of Oulton Broad Fishing Tackle for his initial information.
Hook images: Tubertini
24 COMMENT
Politicians fish for three million votes Mark Lloyd, chief executive of the Angling Trust, discusses the organisation’s new campaign to bring the needs and concerns of the angling community to the attention of key parliamentarians
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his month, the Angling Trust launched a new campaign strategy to highlight the concerns of Britain’s three million anglers in the run-up to the general election. Entitled ‘Fighting for the Future of Your Fishing’, the comprehensive strategy can be summarised under four headings: • Environmental campaigning: local and national campaigns to restore marine fish stocks, removal of barriers to migration, resistance to thousands of planned hydropower turbines, action on diffuse pollution and over-abstraction, all backed up by legal action from Fish Legal. • Fighting for anglers: pushing the EA for greater transparency about fisheries spending, protecting anglers’ rights and resisting universal canoe access.
Richard Benyon MP, Shadow Fisheries Spokesman (left) with Mike Heylin, Angling Trust Chairman (right)
• Managing our fisheries: new projects and campaigns to map and tackle non-native invasive species like signal crayfish and giant hogweed, a fight for more powers to control cormorants and better contingency plans to prevent fish disease. • Promoting and developing angling: promoting the benefits of angling to society, the economy and the environment, management of national and international competitions in all disciplines and millions spent via the ADB getting more people into fishing. Angling is more popular than ever, with freshwater rod licence sales soaring last year to 1.5 million from 1.3 million in the previous year. The Trust is aiming to help sustain and continue this growth, ensuring that there are plenty of fish to catch and safe, clean places for people of all ages to catch them. The strategy was presented to a meeting of the All Party Angling Group at the House of Commons and six Members of Parliament signed up as Parliamentary Supporters of the Angling Trust: Martin Salter (Reading West, Labour, Labour Spokesman for Angling & Shooting) Richard Benyon (Newbury, Conservative, Shadow Fisheries Spokesman) Jon Cruddas (Dagenham, Labour) Bill Wiggin (Leominster, Conservative, Opposition Whip) Charles Walker (Broxbourne, Conservative) Mike Penning (Hemel Hempstead, Conservative, Shadow Minister for Health) We believe that the Angling Trust has set out a clear agenda for the future of fishing, and has secured the backing of some very influential parliamentarians to help deliver it. Now we need anglers to stand up and be counted to remind these politicians of the importance of the angling vote!
For more information on annual adult membership of the Angling Trust, or to sign up, visit www.anglingtrust.net or call 0844 770 0616. Clubs, riparian owners, fisheries, tackle shops are also all welcome to join the organisation.
26 BUSINESS
Greening your business Matt Dolan of the Low Carbon Innovation Centre explains how improving your environmental credentials can significantly reduce your operating costs
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limate change is much in the news and efforts to reduce individual and organisational carbon footprints are seen as routes to address the Government’s ambitious carbon reduction targets. In the UK, business accounts for approximately 40 per cent of total carbon emissions and so it is in the interests of UK organisations to become more energy efficient. It is also financially beneficial for companies to improve their energy consumption rates as this can have meaningful and rapid impact on the bottom line. Reducing energy consumption will save you money immediately and doesn’t have to be difficult or timeconsuming. Every organisation can make its business practices as sustainable as it chooses – it all depends how far you want to go. Begin by auditing your energy consumption to see exactly where all that energy (and cost) goes, and then see if it is possible to reduce it by changing your behaviour. Using energy efficiently can be followed by investigating ethical power companies to ensure that your consumption is as green as possible. Finally, and this should only be considered after completing the previous stages, you may wish to consider offsetting practices to reduce the impact of essential consumption such as transport. In order to assess your energy usage it is helpful to compare utility bills year-on-year to work out your total annual fuel expenditure as a percentage of company turnover. Measuring the total waste your organisation produces will serve as a comparison tool. These types of standards will enable you to monitor progress.
Nowadays it is relatively simple to develop a greener supply chain. Who are your suppliers? Who supplies them? This information will take a little effort to obtain but it is all available on the web. Manufacturers are driven by the bottom line, but increasingly there are suppliers of goods with less petro-chemical content ensuring a greater degree of recyclability. Ethical procurement is also a growing concern in the minds of your customers and so publicising your ethical credentials may lead to improved customer attraction and retention and shouldn’t cost you any more than your current supplier. When you have written your sustainability policy, publicise it. Tell the world that, for example, you only use recycled or Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) paper for invoices. Write it on your headed paper, your business cards and your website. You’ll be surprised how much this makes you stand out from the crowd. Charlie Stockford of Sustain IT Solutions Limited, a corporate social responsibility (CSR) data collection specialist, takes a holistic view of the process of greening your business. “Sustainability should be taken as a whole. It’s about an ethical approach; how you behave as a business, from how employees are valued whom your suppliers work with. “You need a starting point,” she continues. “Write a sustainability policy – what are your concerns and what are your targets? – and keep it simple and achievable.” A collection of easily identifiable, zero- or low-cost activities appear overleaf and can just as easily be translated from the office, workshop or factory to the home.
BUSINESS  27
Lighting Low-energy bulbs are cheap and easily obtainable. LED lighting is much cheaper to run than standard fluorescent tubes, especially for larger business premises, and increasingly there are excellent LED options for close up lighting. Make sure that you and your staff turn lights off when you leave the room, especially the bathroom. Turning the light on and off does not use more energy than simply leaving it on.
Heating Around 30 per cent of heat escapes through the roof. Trap it in with insulation and double or even triple glaze your windows. Try to encourage staff to keep doors closed, especially those leading outside, and turn the thermostat down when premises are unoccupied. Draught excluders will give a noticeable benefit to chilly rooms and can make a real difference to the energy bill. Ensure that radiators are not obscured by furniture and fit a reflective surface such as kitchen foil behind those that are fitted to an external wall. This radiates the heat inwards. Finally, before turning the thermostat up, try wearing an extra layer of clothing. If everybody is in short sleeves during winter then the thermostat is probably too high. Providing company-branded fleeces will prove cheaper in the long run. Air conditioning also uses huge amounts of energy. Compared to 1960, we now use 10 per cent more energy to heat ourselves to the same thermal comfort level but a staggering 75 per cent extra energy to cool ourselves. Hanging a blind can save on air-conditioning costs and unplugging laptop transformers and mobile phone chargers when not in use will reduce unnecessary heat.
Consumption of materials Are your business premises paperless? Persuade customers to accept quotes and invoices by email. Always print essential communication on both sides of the paper and only source Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) accredited supplies. Recycle rather than landfill the waste and only after it has been used for taking phone messages rather than adding to waste costs by using post-its. Recycle unwanted receipts by providing a collection point by the till rather than dropping into the landfill bin. Leaking taps can cause huge amounts of waste. A drop per second wastes 10,000 litres over the course of a year and displacement devices in the toilet reservoir reduce consumption by about four litres per flush. That’s at least a further 10,000 litres a year.
Electricity Limit the number of appliances you have on standby. Intelligent power management tools are available that will power down multiple appliances when you switch off the main one. For example, turning off the computer will also turn off the printer. Digital microwaves use more energy telling us the time than heating our food. Switch it off at the wall between uses. Try to source a green energy supplier so that the energy you do use is renewable.
Waste Reduce, reuse, and recycle. Every office produces organic waste. Teabags, sandwich crusts, fruit peel and even shredded paper can all be composted, and it is a certainty that someone will appreciate the organic matter for an allotment or garden.
Information Matt Dolan is marketing co-ordinator at the Low Carbon Innovation Centre, Zicer Building, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ Tel: 01603 591 358 Email: info@lcic.com Website: www.lcic.com
28 EVENTS
Events
BASC Taste of Game Week
9 March East England Gamekeeper’s clay shoot Mid Norfolk Shooting School Deighton Hills Taverham
01284 728 752 or east@basc.org.uk
12 – 15 March IWA and Outdoor Classics 2010 Nuremberg Germany www.iwa.info
Image: IWA
13 March – 18 April
5 June
17 – 18 July
BASC National Clay Shoot Qualifier Locations across the UK
Public AGM of Angling Trust and Unofficial AGM of Fish Legal
Go Fishing Show and Fish ‘O’ Mania final Cudmore, Staffordshire
www.basc.org.uk
www.anglingtrust.net
www.gofishingshow.com
13 – 14 March
11 – 13 June
West Country Game Fair Royal Bath & West Showground Shepton Mallet
European Fishing Tackle Trade Exhibition Valencia, Spain
www.horizontal.feriavalencia.com
www.gamefair.co.uk
25 – 28 March
14 – 16 July
30 July
Visma 2010 Rotterdam The Netherlands
ICAST 2010 Las Vegas, USA
‘How to’ Wildfowling Day BASC South West Somerton, Somerset
www.nationalgamekeepers.org.uk
www.visma.nl
www.asafishing.org/asa/shows_ events/icast
23 – 25 July CLA Game Fair 2010 Alcester, Warwickshire
01823 480 903 or www.basc.org.uk
CLASSIFIED 29 TACKLE MANUFACTURERS & WHOLESALERS
GUN SMITH
KETTLES
PVA BAGS
Want an ad but have no artwork? Don’t panic! We can help. At Shooting & Fishing Business we have a free advert typesetting service. So when you book an advert with us, our production department will get straight on the case. Call our sales team now on 01206 767 797.
30  VOICE ON THE HIGHSTREET
Voice on the highstreet Ross Haygarth of C H Haygarth & Sons, Thurso, Caithness C H Haygarth & Sons is based in the Scottish Highlands and the company can offer trade terms to bona fide dealers, who hold a current RFD, on most used guns in stock. The dealer offers wholesale shotgun spares for both British and imported guns and carries many useful action and ejector parts for Antonio Zoli Model 74 + 78 o/us (the original importers of these guns in 1978).
How did you get involved with the industry? My father started the business in 1957; he trained as a gunsmith in Liverpool during world war two. I started as the shop boy aged 12, refinishing stocks, changing air rifle springs and operating our two automatic cartridge loading machines! I started a GTA-sanctioned apprenticeship as a general gunsmith upon leaving school at 16 in 1982. I took over ownership of the business in 2006.
Are you online yet, has it helped your business? Yes, a website is vital for any modern business – we get plenty of enquiries for British shotguns via the site, especially from the US, which is a very important market for us. We have also been getting more enquiries from Europe and South Africa in recent months.
What do you enjoy about the trade? I really enjoy meeting people because we have had some very interesting people through our doors in the last 53 years, from the Queen Mother to Jimmy Page!
What is the biggest challenge you face in your day-to-day job? I would say the ever-tightening firearms legislation. Lets hope Labour loses the election this year and David Cameron injects some common sense into firearms and field sports law! He will hopefully be good news for the gun trade. Another common problem is caused by part-time/cowboy dealers who are selling goods for zero profit, then expecting us to pick up the pieces when things go wrong! There are too many retailers and wholesalers, selling an over-supply of stock in the UK right now. I would expect another large retailer in the south, plus a wholesaler, to fold in 2010.
What are the most popular selling item in your shop? 1. Air rifles 2. Shotguns 3. Rifles 4. Mid-price sporting O/Us are selling well at the moment, as are rimfire rifles, good British ejector guns and hammerguns 5. Centre fire rifles normally, but unfortunately the sales slowed down a lot in 2009.