I used to be pretty intimately involved in the craft beer industry and from where I've been sitting: bigger isn't always better. A smaller operation with a small reach has less overheads and can get by with a small handful of essential staff whereas a larger operation with a larger direct distro area and export will have entire departments (sales, marketing etc etc) so any shake up in the market puts the big player in the danger zone but when the smaller operation has one person dealing with a few hats at any one time, they can weather it a bit better. Generally.
This is absolutely shocking news whatever way you look at it. One of the longest serving retailers who've weathered all sorts of economic headwinds, seen manufacturers rise and fall, led the sector in bespoke models that manufacturers didn't want to touch (generic 4 wheelers aside) and had an indelible mark on the world of online model train retailing. Thats no small loss to a small sector. Hattons will be greatly missed when the last parcel is despatched.