I went to the "flagship" store at Truro just before Christmas. Was a most depressing sight considering the powerhouse of agricultural merchanting in Cornwall that it once was.
Merchants closing Accounts
- Thread starter Still Farming
- Start date
I went to the "flagship" store at Truro just before Christmas. Was a most depressing sight considering the powerhouse of agricultural merchanting in Cornwall that it once was.
Over the years, An Gof, I spent a considerable amount of the hard-earned with the likes of Berks, Bucks and Oxon Farmers, Wiltshire Farmers, South Devon Farmers and West Devon and North Cornwall Farmers, all of which managed to lose their shirts in seeds, feeds, fertilizers and/or machinery and were gobbled up by one of the smart guys.
Then all the smart guys decided to create Countrywide and bet the store on retailing.
matthew
Member
- Location
- Cornwall, SW England
@bankrupt said : "Then all the smart guys decided to create Countrywide and bet the store on retailing."
It sounds as if they bet on centralised buying, not retailing. There's a difference. When a store manager can order what his customers want, and what he knows he can sell, and will sell, there is profit to be made.
When that option goes, the customer goes elsewhere to buy.
And I too have seen farmer run businesses go belly up on several occasions. Melton Farmers, Staffordshire Farmers, WD & NC Farmers, and now Cornwall Farmers. We missed the boat and lost money in the latter.
Yet some independents are thriving. Or seem to be.
It sounds as if they bet on centralised buying, not retailing. There's a difference. When a store manager can order what his customers want, and what he knows he can sell, and will sell, there is profit to be made.
When that option goes, the customer goes elsewhere to buy.
And I too have seen farmer run businesses go belly up on several occasions. Melton Farmers, Staffordshire Farmers, WD & NC Farmers, and now Cornwall Farmers. We missed the boat and lost money in the latter.
Yet some independents are thriving. Or seem to be.
@bankrupt said : "Then all the smart guys decided to create Countrywide and bet the store on retailing."
some independents are thriving.
My point, matthew, is that for various reasons, some good some bad, retailing became the last refuge of the agricultural co-op.
And it should all have worked out completely fine, were it not for the brains trust at Countrywide.
matthew
Member
- Location
- Cornwall, SW England
Agree. I think.
Was told last week that our small local store had no blackleg vax. and were not allowed to order it. Now per sq. foot, this store beats every other CF store hands down for turnover - apparently. But not if customers wanting products have to buy elsewhere. This store is ripe for housing too - it's surrounded now.
icanshootwell
Member
- Location
- Ross-on-wye
Dont get me started on Ledbury, very badly run. If other stores are run the same around the country, then it will soon be lights out.
matthew
Member
- Location
- Cornwall, SW England
CW bought the retail business which was bust anyway after some creative accounting then re-accounting a few years ago. Companies often do this to take out opposition.
CF own the sites.
(I think)
Agree. I think.
Was told last week that our small local store had no blackleg vax. and were not allowed to order it. Now per sq. foot, this store beats every other CF store hands down for turnover - apparently. But not if customers wanting products have to buy elsewhere. This store is ripe for housing too - it's surrounded now.
That's not a unique problem. Went into my local MVF a few weeks ago and they were also sold out of Blackleg vaccine. Deliveries arrived next day though so no real issues other than one wasted journey.
Glad to hear your Countrywide store is ripe for development. Might be a few pennies into the original CFL shareholders funds ........ or will it all need to go for pension provisions?
Basically correct although not all sites are owned. Liskeard is a rented property.
anybody got a copy of the latest Cornwall Farmer accounts that they can provide?
matthew
Member
- Location
- Cornwall, SW England
No idea, but they owe us £1400.
Each time we had an 'Ooooh, aren't we doing well' letter, I asked for it back.
It will be a pain if this store does go, as the journey time to a n other is double if not treble the mileage for us.. It's handy to collect stuff, including bagged fertiliser as needed.
Now that's an astute question. They should have been out by now but I can't recall receiving any in the post.
It's not as if they require a major stocktake and audit any more
- Location
- Cornwall.
Surprised you managed to get there with all the road works going on around here.
- Location
- Cornwall.
Speaking to a farmer today went into the local CF store for all the bits and bobs to begin setting up electric fences, nothing in store, even simple management skills seem to be missing.
Now that's an astute question. They should have been out by now but I can't recall receiving any in the post.
It's not as if they require a major stocktake and audit any more
will be interesting to see what the current overheads are for employees and admin......not much to do now.
- Location
- Cumbria
Credit is an outdated concept and should be scrapped...
Hilly
Member
- Location
- Scottish Borders.
I stopped using Howdens i just use places that keep my account open even if a year slips by without using it, just spent thousands with another company similar that i have not used my account in a decade but it was still open !
CornishLleyn
Member
- Location
- Wiltshire
Countrywide tried to buy their way in down here (Salisbury) but went for a hugely expensive retail park store, very much aimed at the leisure market. I suspect they got a rent free first year, as come the end of the year, they've gone.
I used to be in Gloucs where CW were very good, but I hear even there they've gone downhill.
Luckily here we've got Mole, who are very good, Wynnstay who are average but often cheaper (though not much in stock) and for anything fencing related it's a quick drive to the guys at Rappa anyway.
I used to be in Gloucs where CW were very good, but I hear even there they've gone downhill.
Luckily here we've got Mole, who are very good, Wynnstay who are average but often cheaper (though not much in stock) and for anything fencing related it's a quick drive to the guys at Rappa anyway.