10 December 2013
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Visit to the new Hornby Hobbies store in Swindon
Following on from the recent announcement about the new Hornby Hobbies retail store opening at the McArthur Glen designer outlet in Swindon, Collectors Club of Great Britain paid a visit to find out what all the excitement was about. ...
Visit to the new Hornby Hobbies store in Swindon Images
Following on from the recent announcement about the new Hornby Hobbies retail store opening at the McArthur Glen designer outlet in Swindon, Collectors Club of Great Britain paid a visit to find out what all the excitement was about.
The setting for the outlet is marvellous with easy access and ample parking. Built on the site of the old Swindon Railway Works, the outlet retains some nice touches as historical reminders, so provides the perfect backdrop for Hornby’s model railway range, but all the other main brands are present too.
The new store, opened in late October, has plenty to offer with products from Hornby, Airfix, Scalextric, Corgi and Humbrol. It is nicely laid out for easy browsing and there are fantastic discounts to be had.
I spoke with Hornby’s UK Concessions Manager, David Howe, who was at the store when I called in. When asked if this was to be the first of many, David explained that this was an exciting trial that would look to showcase the successful ranges offered by Hornby Hobbies all under one roof. A big factor in the choice of location was the strong link to railway heritage and one of the motivations for the new initiative was the recent problems encountered by the closure of ModelZone.Hornby wishes to maintain a strong presence at the forefront of retail shopping. With the ModelZone brand being relaunched by WHSmith, Hornby is now involved in that development too and it seems exciting times are ahead for one of the biggest names in the market for many decades past.
The Hornby Hobbies store in MacArthur Glen will not feature new products but instead focus on end of product lines With several items at over 50% off and many more at bargain prices, there is plenty to tempt a collector, especially someone who has been a customer of all five brands for most of his life. It proved too much to resist and I didn’t leave the store empty handed!
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The setting for the outlet is marvellous with easy access and ample parking. Built on the site of the old Swindon Railway Works, the outlet retains some nice touches as historical reminders, so provides the perfect backdrop for Hornby’s model railway range, but all the other main brands are present too.
The new store, opened in late October, has plenty to offer with products from Hornby, Airfix, Scalextric, Corgi and Humbrol. It is nicely laid out for easy browsing and there are fantastic discounts to be had.
I spoke with Hornby’s UK Concessions Manager, David Howe, who was at the store when I called in. When asked if this was to be the first of many, David explained that this was an exciting trial that would look to showcase the successful ranges offered by Hornby Hobbies all under one roof. A big factor in the choice of location was the strong link to railway heritage and one of the motivations for the new initiative was the recent problems encountered by the closure of ModelZone.Hornby wishes to maintain a strong presence at the forefront of retail shopping. With the ModelZone brand being relaunched by WHSmith, Hornby is now involved in that development too and it seems exciting times are ahead for one of the biggest names in the market for many decades past.
The Hornby Hobbies store in MacArthur Glen will not feature new products but instead focus on end of product lines With several items at over 50% off and many more at bargain prices, there is plenty to tempt a collector, especially someone who has been a customer of all five brands for most of his life. It proved too much to resist and I didn’t leave the store empty handed!
Remember, to get the latest collecting news delivered direct to your inbox every two weeks, sign up for our e-newsletter.
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