 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi does anyone know if Severnsports in leeds has closed down?Their website is not running and no one answers the phone.
Thanks
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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yes, went bump about 2 weeks back
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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ok thanks saves me a wasted journey.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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That's a shame, never visited their new shop but used to go quite regularly to their old one in Armley, they were always very helpful.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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CEM, Any idea why ? No particular reason for asking only that I bought I few things there and they seemed pretty well organised, to me anyway.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Probably too expensive and couldn't sell enough gear......the mention of visiting their new shop is probably a clue I reckon, new shops = more rent and higher rates.......Poor people, must be awful losing your business.
What a shame, there are too few independents as it is.
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First creditors meeting was yesterday (as published in London Gazette)
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davidhammy, new shop was just in the wrong place for me, the Armley shop was convenient when I worked that side of Leeds
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I live 15 miles from Leeds and never went, never knew it existed, maybe they needed to market it a bit better! Anyway sad that local businesses close 
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smithyd, CEM, ...went into a large retailer in London this week, spoke to a guy I know who's a junior manager and he said that they had never been so quiet before, at this time of year. It's hard out there in retail, especially ski and climbing related. People are, I guess, just saying 'this jacket will do one more year, these skis will be fine even though they are last year's graphics etc....
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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skitow, like most ski shops, (from what i know) they were run by skiing enthusiasts rather than people with business skills, the biggest problem in the ski industry is cash-flow you order 6 month ahead of when you get stock, then have to sell it quick to pay for it, then there is the rent, rates, heat,light, wages etc etc just like any other business... get it wrong and about this time of year you end up with old out dated stock and no money to pay for them or the rent... last rent quarter was 1 month back, normally about the time it takes land lords to file the relevant paperwork to close you down.
yes it is tough out there, speaking to lots of people in the trade i feel pretty lucky with how my season ended, boots are the one thing that seems to have not been too badly affected, skis however have bee a tough sell and clothing has been hit and miss depending on where you pitched your range...the cheap stuff has been taken over by TK maxx and tesco, the middle ground is being squeezed by people either rediscounting early in the season or simply the purge volume of it available, the only people that seam to have sold through are the guys selling the very top end... plenty of lets keep this for another year, and for the average skier doing 1 week a year some of the cheaper [products out there are really well made and perfectly good for what they want them for.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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CEM,
Thanks for taking the time to put that together. If I am honest I am probably as part of this as anyone, I used to buy ski clothing from a specialist shop, now I rummage in TakyMax, I bought boots and skis discounted at the end of the season etc. instead of the start, mostly driven by the fact that I do not want to reduce the skiing time and our business is not generating the amount it was because all the expenses have gone up and our prices stay the same, or we discount......
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CEM, Thanks for the insight, I personally go for top end gear and always search around for best deals but like to support indi UK suppliers wherever possible.
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You know it makes sense.
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It doesn't help a retailer when major brands dump a load of their stock on Sport Pursuit mid season when they've got a rack of it that just a few months earlier they paid more for it than it's being sold for 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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spyderjon, I'm not a big fan of SP and the Inn's, dont think they are serious about the business, just about volume and low margin stack-it high sell it off merchants, TkMaxx types on a web Euro scale......you've found a niche mate, great business you've got, really like it...................we've got 2 pairs of skis for QK's in next few months btw, DOWN 7's Clarky999 put us onto, great skis and our quivers are growing, see you soon.
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Poster: A snowHead
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spyderjon, And another pair another mate wants doing, his Directors 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Markymark29, 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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spyderjon, Sport Pursuit are dumping Lacroix skis at the mo................................. 50% above the eventual price of Thrill-Outlet on Ebay. There's other Euro-based outlets that make TKMaxx look positively philathropical....................... I think MarkyMark is spot on with his critique of volume based web outlets.
Caveat emptor ....................... only buy what you know you want at the price you know you can get your gear at!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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CEM, Spot on................. Severn Sports................... sales, but no service......... no service, no sales. 
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Mon 29-04-13 5:56; edited 1 time in total
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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theskibob, did you ever use Severn Sports?
They did me a couple of favours for free in the past. I always liked them.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I used them for a service one, no complaints but 'normal' opening hours meant it was easier for me to drive to Castleford post work to pick up my board than have a hope of getting if aferwork from Armley which was only 15 mins away form my house!
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Secret in retail is either volume or niche specialism. No room for the generic middleman any more, who you buy from just because they are geographically close to you.
UK ski industry is adept at leaving a bad taste in the mouth of customers (with notable exceptions - see niche). My most recent example - needed a new cable ski lock. Major UK ski retailer - popped in found one of their own branded generic lumps in the ski dept with the form factor of a brick in the sale at 40% off - £8.99. Purchased it and on my way from the till saw on the travel accessories stand a nicer styled Lifesystems one for £9.99 full price. So let's get this straight you're usually ripping customers off for a badly designed white label product at 50% premium to a branded product because they are suckers enough to be into skiing?
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Mosha Marc, I used to go to the Armley shop (quite a few years back) just to see what gear they had and at what price. But living in Ilkley I had the pick of Dales outdoor centre, Skipton, The Great Outdoors, Yeadon (family run, great service, always giving decent discounts), and CentreSport in Leeds, which was without dout the best of the bunch. CentreSport was where I bought some great kit, got to know the staff, and was my first choice ski-shop. Severn Sports just lacked the range of kit, but still expected top prices for what they had.
I'm sorry they've gone, but so has CentreSport (decades ago it seems), The Dales Outdoors Centre has become ramblers delight/North Face in your face shopping.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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theskibob, I always thought they targeted the standard issue UK holiday skier. But they were happy to carry out work on my Mrs boots for nowt many years after she'd bought them. And I don't think she got the boots from them either.
I also found some CentreSport ski ties over the weekend; collectors item
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Try Glide and Slide in Otley. They know their stuff and carry specialist stuff like racing gear. If we want somthing specific which they don't carry they just order it in for us. They are real skiers so it's not like a generic outdoor shop.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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lynnecha, use G&S all the time as well, really helpful and friendly
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Sad to hear this. I got my boots there a few years ago and got great service and at a good price. They still feel as comfy as my slippers, well almost.
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Usally get my stuff from BACS in halifax, been there years, in the summer they sell a lot of walking gear though..ski gear is good, plus they have a good selection of ski gear come the season, very knowlegable as well !!
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You know it makes sense.
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lynnecha, I use Glide & Slide too, I turned up there with my skis 2 days before my holiday, having been an idiot and forgotten I needed them waxing, they did and there and then super fast with no bother. The staff are really nice. I might apply for a job there next season.
yorkshirelad, I have never heard of them! What's their address? Being that I am just up the hill from Halifax.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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crazy_skier_jules, There's been great snow at Queensbury this year!! My commute is from Kieghley-Cullingworth-Denholme-Queensbury. Some fantastic drifts on the route!! 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Edit....... duplicate post. 
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Tue 7-05-13 21:30; edited 1 time in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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What a shame, I used to work in Kirkstall and would walk to Armley just to go to the ski shop. I bought a pair of 190cm(!) K2 skis second hand from there and also a pair of brand new Salomon limited edition boots. He let me pay for them in installments (I was only 17) and I would go in and stroke them and give him some more money! My current ski bag is the one I bought there too in 1992, still doing me fine although a tad neon for my husband's liking! I don't live round there anymore but it truly was a fantastic place in its day 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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crazy_skier_jules, BAC is in Elland. Dead easy to find, just next to the cinema.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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theskibob, we have the Queensbury ski club meet once a month, usally at a pub that does free food for us, last thursday in the month, about 12 to 14 turn up each month...
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Bouhgt my skis from BAC a few years ago, looked around and decided i wanted the X wing 10's, not many in stock anywhere at the time, and those that were had a price tag well above what BACs sold mine to me for.
also have good range of 'last years stock' 
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FAQ
