It is entirely reasonable for anyone running a business to ask what they receive in return for a membership fee. Every cost must be justified, particularly in a sector already contending with rising overheads and uncertain economic conditions.
There is practical support available to members, including access to expert advice from people such as Paul Green on the realities of operating a retail firearms business. When an RFD encounters a licensing question or an operational issue, being able to speak to someone who understands both the rules and the commercial realities of the trade can be extremely valuable.
The GTA’s training is another important benefit. I attended an RFD course and saw first-hand just how many responsibilities firearms businesses are required to manage. The rules governing security, record-keeping, transactions, certification and day-to-day procedures are extensive, while mistakes can have serious consequences.
Even experienced members of the trade can benefit from refreshing their knowledge. Regulations and police expectations develop over time, and it is important that businesses understand not only what is required but how those requirements should be applied in practice. GTA training helps RFDs protect their businesses.
These are tangible services, but perhaps the most important benefit of membership is also the least visible.
A considerable amount of the GTA’s work takes place away from public view. It involves meetings, consultation responses, technical discussions and sustained engagement with government departments, parliamentarians, police representatives and other organisations.
The GTA also provides the principal trade perspective within the British Shooting Sports Council, sitting alongside many other organisations representing different parts of the shooting community. Through that collective structure, the trade can contribute to discussions
at parliamentary and government level with considerably greater authority than an individual business could achieve alone.
That representation matters. Decisions about firearms licensing and other regulatory questions can have immediate commercial consequences. A change that may appear modest on paper can introduce additional costs and delays for manufacturers, distributors and retailers.
Someone must be present when those decisions are discussed to explain how the trade actually operates and what the unintended consequences might be. The GTA performs that role.
Representation will not prevent every unwelcome decision and no responsible organisation should promise that it can. However, without an informed and credible trade body making the case, the risk is that legislation and guidance are developed without sufficient understanding of their practical effect on legitimate businesses.
It can sometimes be difficult to appreciate work whose success may consist of stopping a damaging proposal, changing a few critical words in guidance or ensuring that a minister hears the trade’s position before reaching a decision. These achievements may receive little publicity, but they can be extremely important.
For any business asking, “What do I get for my money?”, the answer is practical support, professional knowledge and representation where it matters. More fundamentally, membership helps ensure that the gun trade has a voice when its future is being decided.
ROB SMITH
group trade editor, Gun Trade Insider
THE NEWS IN NUMBERS
40
Years Malcolm Grendon has spent delivering craftsmanship, expertise and service at GMK.
55
Years John Rothery Wholesale has been in business, following its acquisition of Napier Limited.
16
Organisations now represented by the BSSC following the National Gamekeepers’ Organisation’s admission.
£20,000
Donated by the BASC Legacy Fund to support specialist police training on raptor crime.
£6.6M
Contributed annually by grouse shooting to the rural economy of the Angus Glens.
500
Years of Beretta celebrated as GMK hosted a gala dinner at Ragley Hall.