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"Despatch operation shutdown"?


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1 hour ago, TheSignalEngineer said:

The government has already suspended competition laws in some industries. No doubt they would like more people to stay at home rather than travelling to pack parcels. 

 

 

They would, BUT....

 

Please remember with schools suspended for many it will be essential for deliveries of non-essential items to continue to flow so to facilitate learning. You don't need, pens, paint, paper, etc to live - but they are pretty much essential to being able to create imaginative and engaging activities for pre-schoolers. Older kids may appreciate various kits allowing perhaps some science experiments to be undertaken.

 

Similarly adults NEED stimulation of the mind - and there is only so many crosswords that can be done. If you have garden then this could provide an ideal thing to use as a project of some sort - but for that to happen you will most assuredly require non essential items to be provided. If garden centres and DIY stores are shut then mail order becomes the only way to facilitate this.

 

Ultimately people need to remember that the current sate of affairs will continue for many weeks if not months! Forcing people to stay at home for such a length of time while denying them access to non essentials is a recipe for social breakdown and could undo all the good work a 'stay at home' plan seeks to achieve.

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23 hours ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

I can't really see the advantage in a total lockdown. There must be some businesses that could continue albeit at a reduced rate rather than close down completely.

 

The guy who was doing some building work for me today has had three jobs cancelled (or postponed indefinitely). Likewise, my neighbour who has a flooring business.

It is so people in non essential services don’t travel around spreading/catching the virus, even the smallest shop/supplier has workers who travel......about the only businesses that will be able to continue are those single home workers in their sheds/garages.....but even then they really should not be going out to the PO with packages to send.

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22 hours ago, Nickey Line said:

As far as Hatton's is concerned, I think that's a unilateral decision on their part, and very unlikely to be widely implemented... I hope. :negative:

Don’t hold your breath......it’s happening.

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30 minutes ago, boxbrownie said:

Don’t hold your breath......it’s happening.

 

Please, this is close to scaremongering and I don't want that.

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Part of the challenge here is that some companies might find it difficult to continue trading even online and if suppliers like Peco and Dapol are shutting down (I see Derails is prioritising stocks to existing customers) then you have to look at the bigger picture.

 

Rails & Hattons probably have the staff numbers to keep it going but does that then force others who may be struggling with other challenges to also keep trading, I can think of one North West shop where the owner possibly should be in that list of people who are spending 12 weeks inside but it still trading online.

 

Equally on the other side, shutting down puts people into the hands of the government payouts which could be 8 weeks away before the first payment and for some being sole traders there is still no parachute to help them with the loss of income.

 

How many people though are in the position to keep making purchases - if your income is fixed you're probably ok during this period but many people are now waiting on handouts or no pay, I doubt very much the latest class 66 or a whole pile of track is on their agenda at present.

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I am a manager within an arts and crafts wholesaler. we only supply business to business via mail order, could of stayed open but have taken the decision to close to avoid being a source of possible contagion to our staff and their family’s.

 

simultaneously and without coordination a number of our competitors appear to have made the same decision today. If we had known our competitors where doing the same it would have been one less point to consider, at this point in an unprecedented life and death scenario.

 

well done Hattons for starting a mature conversation in your industry, and trying to put the health and welfare of your staff ahead of toy trains.

Edited by Jonboy
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50 minutes ago, boxbrownie said:

Don’t hold your breath......it’s happening.

 

If you have evidence - preferably issued by an official Government body or the experts currently guiding the official response then please provide it.

 

If you haven't - stop insulating there is worse to come.

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Very hard to know what the right answer is.

 

Whilst not wishing to generalise about modellers, we are however known as a fraternity that buys kits to be done "some day".  Is it time to delve into our stash and complete a few of them?  But perhaps if you do - make sure you have all you need to complete it to avoid disappointment! 

 

Then post back onto this thread the results of your labours?

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3 hours ago, Jonboy said:

well done Hattons for starting a mature conversation in your industry, and trying to put the health and welfare of your staff ahead of toy trains.

 

That's certainly a laudable stance in a business employing numerous staff but there are many family smaller businesses in the trade. They often live under the same roof as well as working together and they can't give their livelihoods away prematurely.

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19 minutes ago, AY Mod said:

 

That's certainly a laudable stance in a budines employing numerous staff but there are many family smaller businesses in the trade. They often live under the same roof as well as working together and they can't give their livelihoods away prematurely.

 

I get the impression from Richard that his motive is to try and reassure those smaller traders that if they have to cease taking mail order, that the "big boys" will do so as well, so that they dont feel the need to carry on to keep their market share. 

 

If during "the Emergency", the only retailers were the Big 4 of Hattons, Rails, KMRC, Gaugemaster say, because they have the resources to do so, then many of those smaller sellers wont be coming back.

 

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22 hours ago, Jonboy said:

I am a manager within an arts and crafts wholesaler. we only supply business to business via mail order, could of stayed open but have taken the decision to close to avoid being a source of possible contagion to our staff and their family’s.

 

simultaneously and without coordination a number of our competitors appear to have made the same decision today. If we had known our competitors where doing the same it would have been one less point to consider, at this point in an unprecedented life and death scenario.

 

well done Hattons for starting a mature conversation in your industry, and trying to put the health and welfare of your staff ahead of toy trains.

 

While understandable for the reasons you have gave - I would suggest that this is a bad decision if it was repeated across the board.

 

As I highlighted above there are lots of kids that will require home schooling - 'arts and crafts' materials being of vital importance, particularly to younger age groups.

 

Thing is while we all have to draw line somewhere life is not quite as clear cut as many would assume. For example Halfords was campaigning to stay open rather than shut along with all other retailers. Why? well consider the NHS worker who uses their car to drive to work - but suffers from a blown headlamp. Halfords sell headlamps (and even fit them) so in that particular example they could be considered in the same way as the likes of Tesco selling food to keep the NHS worker sustained as without a working headlamp the NHS worker may not be able to attend work after dark. On the other hand Halfords quite clearly sell an awful lot of non essential items like bikes, car radios and car care products.

 

So while I accept that 'model railway items', as a group of products are quite clearly not essential in the strictest sense of the word, rushing in to curtail it - or indeed wider 'arts and craft' supplies is a mistake. IF it is desired to reduce exposure then there are some less drastic steps that could be taken - for example only sending out deliveries as one bulk lot every 2 weeks (thus only meaning staff have to be together once every 14 days). For customers putting newly delivered articles in 'Quarantine' for 3 days before opening would similarly cut down the chances of virus transmission via home deliveries.

 

Ultimately in this Coronavirus emergency there is a need not only to 'beat the virus' as it were, but to also ensure that folks educational and mental  well being are such that the eventual recovery of society can be achieved smoothly.

 

Elsewhere I have seen suggestions that seeing as nobody should be leaving home then we should close down motorway service areas apart from fuel and toilets. A noble suggestion but what about the truckers moving groceries or NHS supplies about? Are they not entitled to obtain refreshments on route (particularly as many will be working anti-social hours and thus not be at supermarkets as soon as they open to obtain supplies) and although a M&S sandwich or Costa Coffee from a machine may not be as satisfying as a hot meal, keeping the shop elements of services open is probably a risk worth taking.

 

 

Edited by phil-b259
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39 minutes ago, woodenhead said:

Part of the challenge here is that some companies might find it difficult to continue trading even online and if suppliers like Peco and Dapol are shutting down (I see Derails is prioritising stocks to existing customers) then you have to look at the bigger picture.

 

 

This is sensible - obviously the production of fresh stocks by Peco is clearly inappropriate at this time. However what Peco stock already exists has plenty of potential to keep folk sane during what is expected to be an extended lockdown - pity those with an underlying health condition who have been told they mus NEVER leave their house for 12 weeks (even to go shopping for food or exercise due to them being especially vulnerable)

Edited by phil-b259
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Our specialism is more the adult end of the market, rather than the kids end with a few notable exceptions.

 

I would suggest the average hobbyist has enough supplies in stock to craft through a 2 year shutdown, let alone a few weeks, as the universal truth seems to be you buy three for every one you use....whether it be loco kits, model planes, wool, fabric, scrapbooking embellishments, cameras and lenses, bikes or almost any other hobby/interest equipment you care to mention.

 

I do take @AY Mods point of different retailers having to make their own decisions for their circumstances and hope all businesses pull through ok.
(Talking to our customers many seem to be having constructive talks with landlords, which is heartening to hear).

 

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After much consternation and checking the DVLA website, I contacted our local garage to see if they were till doing MOT;s for which my vehicle was booked in for today as it expires in a few days and turns out that this is still a requirement for private vehicles but may well change in the coming days.

 

The garage had a distancing procedure in place and I paid over the phone before my other half drove me back to collect the car, keys and invoice being placed on the window cill of the reception. From behind the window the owner said that whilst they are one of the allowed places to continue they will probably have to close as all the spare part suppliers were shutting down.

 

Fine for me but what about any key workers requiring their vehicle to be repaired and now can't get the parts to allow them to drive to the hospital or wherever they need to be. 

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2 hours ago, atom3624 said:

When you receive a package, no matter what - letter, parcel, etc - are you taking similar precautions?

 

I have been for at least 2 weeks, wiping down with alcohol wipes.

I'm fairly certain not many others do this.

As a matter of fact, I have been doing something similar. All post is opened immediately and the outer wrapping or envelope binned straight away and hands then thoroughly washed, being conscious during that time not to touch my face and also to disinfect any door handles and the like that I may have touched between picking up the post and throwing the envelopes away.

 

It's a common sense precaution and not that difficult or time-consuming and is based on the highest risk factor, namely that postie him or herself has the virus but doesn't yet realise it.

 

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1 hour ago, phil-b259 said:

Ultimately in this Coronavirus emergency there is a need not only to 'beat the virus' as it were, but to also ensure that folks educational and mental  well being are such that the eventual recovery of society can be achieved smoothly.

Phil, it seems to me that you are talking the most sense of all the commentators on this thread so far (apart from our Esteemed Leader, of course, who is Sense personified!).

 

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If Hattons feel that they have to shut shop, that's their decision. Good for them.

 

But other businesses should be able to make their own decisions, within the government guidelines. To assume/imply/advocate a cross-business compliance with Hattons' own position should not be acceptable.

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1 hour ago, Jonboy said:

I would suggest the average hobbyist has enough supplies in stock to craft through a 2 year shutdown, let alone a few weeks

But, with respect, that is a rather sweeping generalisation and cannot apply to everyone.

 

I'm of the view that this is going to go on for longer than some people might imagine and it seems to me that there are likely to be greater mental health issues arising as we get further into this.

 

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8 minutes ago, truffy said:

But other businesses should be able to make their own decisions, within the government guidelines.

I agree. If the postal services and courier companies deem the risk too high for their employees, then they will be best placed to say this. They are professional organisations and will have their own medical and risk assessment experts.

 

If I was running a mail order company, it would be reasonable for me to check with my courier company on a regular basis that they are still happy to continue operating in that way, but I wouldn't presume to make any such judgement for them.

 

 

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1 hour ago, Captain Kernow said:

But, with respect, that is a rather sweeping generalisation and cannot apply to everyone.

 

Indeed. How many people have enough of all their "consumables"?

 

I generally keep on top of most things I might need so I'm not held up while I wait to get to the shops or for something to arrive.

 

But a pre-lock down audit, so to speak, showed me a few things that I hadn't realised I was low on.

 

And as we don't know how long this is for, and it's not always easy to predict what you will need and how much, it would be very useful to be able to carry on buying things.

 

That's not to say though, that it's reasonable of me to expect other people to risk going in to work so that I can have the luxury of ordering stuff I don't need from the safety of my home.

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I personally think that Hatton’s as well as other modelling shops should be commended for their stance on having a total closure.  The more people stay indoors, the quicker this virus can be beaten.

 

It’s for all our safety and also it’s our responsibility to adhere to the guidelines.  It really angers me watching people wandering around as if this crisis doesn’t affect them yet you can be sure that they’d be the first to complain if they get infected.

 

Remember where your priorities lie.  Keep yourself safe and well, protect your family and just use common sense.  A model railway is hardly high on the list of priorities.

Edited by jools1959
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I guess I am glad I am not the one making the decision. In a lockdown with people at home they need enough to do to keep them occupied and not bored for their mental health but again most modellers have probably a stockpile of things to do anyway, it will just be that pot of paint or that little thing needed I guess, maybe it will make us all a bit more organised with supplies in the future

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15 hours ago, 81C said:

They don't want to miss out on their share of the market if they shut down and others don't, money driven methinks. 

 

 Another tricky one . On the one hand its probably to protect staff , we really all should be staying home and minimising use of public transport .  But as said if they do it and others don't then they lose market share and people, who meanwhile have used others, may not come back .  So to that extent I sympathise .  On the other hand an attempt to get others to follow suit seems a bit heavy handed . Following on from the Stephensons Rocket scenario where they couldn't fulfil orders, Hattons star beginning to look a bit tarnished.

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