Any model shops open boxing day?

[meatloaf]

As title really, as I work at the post office there closed so a chance to visit a shop to spend my xmas cash. 

 

Are any open at all relatively close to stoke?

[dogbox321]

Think there was one in the South that used to be famous for it, but not aware of anywhere in the Midlands/North West. 

 

Happy Christmas,

 

C.

[roundhouse]

Gaugemaster are open tomorrow and I will be calling in for a few bits but that's a long way for a day trip from Stoke

[big jim]

if you can last until the 27th trident trains will be open, just had a look and dagfields (where it is located) is closed Boxing Day 

 

other than that you can try ringing hobby goblin in burslem as google says they may be open, topp trains in Stafford is closed according to google 
 

 

Edited December 25, 2019 by big jim

[meatloaf]

Yeah there all open 27th I think but im back at work then 

[russ p]

There a quite a few shut on the 27th , which is a pain as I need some crossing gates.

Bouys toys at cromer and Smith's in sheringham are both closed. But valley is open Friday but done the have what I want. We are going to Aylsham Friday so will pop in anyway 

[fezza]

Yes it is very odd really - if I ran a model shop I would certainly open on Boxing day. Lots of Dads and kids with free time and Christmas money to spend... and everywhere is closed. 

 

I don't have much time for retailers complaining how tough trading conditions are when some just don't want to make the effort when there is money to be made. 

 

Some preserved railways with model shops will be open. Best call in advance to check though. 

Edited December 25, 2019 by fezza

[russ p]

When my friend had GE models on sheringham station he always opened boxing day and did well 

[Captain Kernow]

27 minutes ago, fezza said:

I don't have much time for retailers complaining how tough trading conditions are when some just don't want to make the effort when there is money to be made. 

Whilst appreciating the predicament of the OP, my initial thoughts when seeing the question posed by this thread was, 'I hope not'.

 

Not to spoil anyone's pleasure or wishing to preach, but I was looking at it from the angle of trying to preserve a bit of peace and calm over the Christmas period and also thinking of the staff who would otherwise be asked to work and not be with their friends and families.

 

I am perfectly well aware that there will be massive sales on in lots of shops tomorrow. Good luck to those trying their luck, but I will be staying away. Plenty of opportunities to go shopping on the other 363 days of the year.

 

 

[Steamport Southport]

37 minutes ago, fezza said:

Yes it is very odd really - if I ran a model shop I would certainly open on Boxing day. Lots of Dads and kids with free time and Christmas money to spend... and everywhere is closed. 

 

I don't have much time for retailers complaining how tough trading conditions are when some just don't want to make the effort when there is money to be made. 

 

Some preserved railways with model shops will be open. Best call in advance to check though. 

 

Maybe that's why you don't run a shop.

 

You would have no staff for starters. Dragging people in on £10 an hour for eight hours just so a few people can buy a few toys is not exactly good business sense. So I really hope those that do buy things buy loads as £80 per member of staff is quite a lot of your budget/profit margin gone....

 

 

 

Jason

[royaloak]

I hope that every shop which is open tomorrow has the person who made the decision in attendance because I hate it when people tell others to work while they themselves are playing happy families!

 

I mean its not like having 363 days a year to go shopping isnt enough is it! 

[fezza]

33 minutes ago, Steamport Southport said:

 

Maybe that's why you don't run a shop.

 

You would have no staff for starters. Dragging people in on £10 an hour for eight hours just so a few people can buy a few toys is not exactly good business sense. So I really hope those that do buy things buy loads as £80 per member of staff is quite a lot of your budget/profit margin gone....

 

 

 

Jason

For what it's worth our family were in sports retail for years - it was my first job - and we opened every Boxing Day, as do most major retailers. 

[Butler Henderson]

First day back in a model shop after Christmas in my experience is normally full of people taking unwanted/faulty models back and one to be avoided for general browsing / purchasing purposes.

[Amand]

Having worked 9-5 Monday to Friday for 30 years it came as a shock to have to take a job in retail following redundancy.

 

£10 an hour in retail? More likely to be closer to the minimum wage of £8.21 an hour. The shop I was in only closed Christmas Day and Easter Sunday. The manager made us to go in on Easter Sunday to replenish the shelves and face up everything as the regional manager was due to inspect the shop the following day. No union reps to get involved, so we had to go in. You can guess the mood we were all in.

 

Thankfully I escaped to a job where we are closed Sundays and Bank Holidays. Yes I'd like to buy some fishplates tomorrow to finish the extension to the layout, but I respect that my nearest model shop staff are getting a well deserved two days off.

 

I'm sure Meatloaf the OP would complain if he had to work tomorrow? At least he gets the day off.

[Widnes Model Centre]

2 hours ago, fezza said:

Yes it is very odd really - if I ran a model shop I would certainly open on Boxing day. Lots of Dads and kids with free time and Christmas money to spend... and everywhere is closed. 

 

I don't have much time for retailers complaining how tough trading conditions are when some just don't want to make the effort when there is money to be made. 

 

Some preserved railways with model shops will be open. Best call in advance to check though. 

 

We have worked 14 days continously unti late Christmas Eve. I agree with you we appear to just not want to make the effort. Maybe it's because a Dad a Mum and a Son who run the shop? Nice to have two days off together and only at Christmas does that happen.

[Guest MM1991]

1 hour ago, fezza said:

For what it's worth our family were in sports retail for years - it was my first job - and we opened every Boxing Day, as do most major retailers. 

Sports retailers have a far higher footfall than model shops, especially these days.  The majority of model shops are not major retailers, and most probably do not have enough staff on their books to arrange different shift patterns etc

 

It can be annoying when you cant get to a model shop during normal opening times due to work, especially for small items like fishplates, paints etc, but the people who run the shops need time off like the rest of us.  God bless mail order!   

 

Off topic slightly, but I remember a sports shop in Glasgow, many many years ago that also sold some model railways - Greaves?

[PaulRhB]

I’m working tomorrow but you won’t be able to get on a train as we are making sure the bridge stays up  

Just me, the engineering crew and a couple of the BTP who popped in for a cuppa today. I’m glad model shop owners take a couple of days off for once a year, the weekend is only 2 days away  I used to work in retail and hated Boxing Day, hundreds of unwanted presents for return!! 

[Trains4U]

3 hours ago, fezza said:

Yes it is very odd really - if I ran a model shop I would certainly open on Boxing day. Lots of Dads and kids with free time and Christmas money to spend... and everywhere is closed. 

 

I don't have much time for retailers complaining how tough trading conditions are when some just don't want to make the effort when there is money to be made. 

 

Some preserved railways with model shops will be open. Best call in advance to check though. 

 

I very much doubt you would be open.

 

go into your local town/city centre on Boxing Day and see what’s open. I think you’d be shocked.

even Tesco only open about 1/4 of their estate on Boxing Day.

 

It’s one of the few opportunities for a decent break during the year and there is no way i’d be open, and I’d politely suggest that if you can’t wait another 24 hours for a toy train (for that is what they are) then it is not the retailer with the misplaced priorities.

Edited December 25, 2019 by Trains4U

[Andymsa]

Isn’t 363 days enough to buy our models.

Edited December 26, 2019 by Andymsa

[RANGERS]

16 hours ago, meatloaf said:

As title really, as I work at the post office there closed so a chance to visit a shop to spend my xmas cash. 

 

Are any open at all relatively close to stoke?

Maybe a bit far from Stoke but I seem to remember the Railway Conductor at Weedon, near Northampton have opened on Boxing Day in the past.

[Gareth Collier]

14 hours ago, fezza said:

Yes it is very odd really - if I ran a model shop I would certainly open on Boxing day. Lots of Dads and kids with free time and Christmas money to spend... and everywhere is closed. 

 

I don't have much time for retailers complaining how tough trading conditions are when some just don't want to make the effort when there is money to be made. 

 

Some preserved railways with model shops will be open. Best call in advance to check though. 

Always great to speak hypothetically, I bet if you did run a model shop you may think differently.

My missus works for a high street shop at £8.21 an hour. She finished at 8pm on Christmas Eve and had to be back in by 7am this morning for the 'sales' which will actually mean an 8 hour shift of non stop returns of all those unwanted presents probably purchased at 7.55pm on Christmas Eve by all us blokes that left it to the last minute and bought anything they could lay their hands on.

I know for a fact that at my wife's store the losses on Boxing day can run into thousands so not sure where the money is to be made?

[Simon Lee]

Come to Germany, majority of shops closed from 2pm Christmas Eve will not reopen until 0900 27th.

Shops closed Sundays apart from ones at Stations Airports etc. Far more civilised way of life than the frantic life in the UK. Locals cant understand why anyone needs to buy a sofa a car, or clothes in Boxing day.

I was in a model shop in Köln just before Christmas, the owner mentioned he would be closing for lunch in 20 mins l was still browsing at 1.00, so off to the local bar, and back at 2.00 spent a bit more than intended after a couple of beers.

[Phil Parker]

Part of the problem is that model shops (& customers) need people with skills and expertise - but can't afford to pay them the £15+ per hour they deserve.

 

Staff retention is down to providing an interesting and enjoyable place to work. I'd say that a boxing day closure is part of this if that's what the staff want. We are only talking a single day. The alternative is big electrical store levels of expertise and enthusiasm...

[woodenhead]

15 hours ago, fezza said:

Yes it is very odd really - if I ran a model shop I would certainly open on Boxing day. Lots of Dads and kids with free time and Christmas money to spend... and everywhere is closed. 

 

I don't have much time for retailers complaining how tough trading conditions are when some just don't want to make the effort when there is money to be made. 

 

Some preserved railways with model shops will be open. Best call in advance to check though. 

My son was in work on Christmas Day at 9am, this morning he had to be in even earlier as he is opening up - he works in a public house.  He didn't finish work until 7pm last night (10 hours), he got to our house by 8:30 for a roast beef dinner and was asleep on the sofa at 9:30pm.  He stayed at our house as it would have cost the earth to get to his flat and would have had even less sleep before his next shift.

 

Not everyone is off with free time and I applaud companies like Aldi who don't feel the pressure to open up on Boxing Day.

[Widnes Model Centre]

27 minutes ago, Phil Parker said:

Part of the problem is that model shops (& customers) need people with skills and expertise - but can't afford to pay them the £15+ per hour they deserve.

 

Staff retention is down to providing an interesting and enjoyable place to work. I'd say that a boxing day closure is part of this if that's what the staff want. We are only talking a single day. The alternative is big electrical store levels of expertise and enthusiasm...

 

Totally agree with your comments. I wish as a family run and staffed shop that we could pay anywhere near what our son deserves. On Christmas Eve, when he spent nearly two hours repairing two loco’s bought as presents not even from our shop. We made no charge for the repairs. One successful, unfortunately one will have to be returned despite his best efforts. Suspect a twisted chassis. 

 

We we were about to lock up again when last minute buy.com came into the shop with his young son’s Christmas present. A radio controlled car. Not bought from us. Thirty minutes later he left with the problem solved. One of the problems with the car was that he had only fitted two out of the four batteries. Then the real problem became apparent.

 

The Internet may be 24/7 but real Customer Service is not available online especially late on Christmas Eve. 

 

Really looking forward to tomorrow when the majority of “issues ‘ will be items that need an expert will be Web purchases not from our shop. Together with. the Farish loco bought someone who models in OO, the guy who has been bought an Airfix aeroplane but wanted a ship

 

Yes we all needed today off so we can relax and post on here. In between replying to the email, Facebook messages that say ‘according to Google, Facebook etc you are closed... are you open?”