Retailer of the Year

For the first time in several years, we asked you to vote for your favourite retailers, across two categories: ‘Large’ and ‘Local’. In today’s retail environment, we recognise it’s not easy to differentiate between the two, not least as many of us no longer have a local model shop. Or we may just happen to live close to one of the larger retailers’ premises!

This was not an easy element to create, therefore, but we were curious to gauge your responses and compare them to how you voted last time around.

Just under 10% of voters entered replies along the lines of ‘no local retailer’ but, on a more positive note, we did receive nominations for hundreds of different retailers across the UK, Ireland and further afield. Branchline Hobby Shop in Victoria, Australia and British Model Trains in Ontario, Canada were the furthest flung outlets mentioned.

Another heart-warming feature was that some readers took the opportunity of adding a brief endorsement for their nominee, such as “great customer service”.

An interesting development, compared to previous years, was a significant number of voters listing manufacturers’ websites as their favoured retailer, particularly Accurascale, Hornby and Rapido Trains UK.

While Hattons and Rails of Sheffield were way ahead in terms of ‘Large’ retailers, Kernow MRC stood just ahead of the rest of the field.

In the ‘Local’ category, Great Eastern Models of Norwich came out on top, the family-run store also recently winning Bachmann Europe’s Retailer of the Year award. Derails of Coleford, in the heart of the Forest of Dean, came in second, followed by Marks Models of Dublin and Cork.

RETAILER OF THE YEAR – LARGE

1st – Hattons – 40%

2nd – Rails of Sheffield – 27%

3rd – Kernow Model Rail Centre – 4%

Others – 29%