BIG NEWS! HATTONS BECOMES PART OF THE RAILS FAMILY

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Bonky

Active Member
BIG NEWS! HATTONS BECOMES PART OF THE RAILS FAMILY​
We are pleased to announce that we have now brought “Hattons Model Railways” into the Rails family!

It was a shock to the modelling world earlier this year, when stalwart of the industry, Hattons, announced that it was to close.

At Rails, we could not allow the legacy of this esteemed brand to disappear and we have sought a way to keep the spirit of Hattons alive.

Many customers reached out to us, dismayed, that the valuable resources on the Hattons website such as the product database and expansive “Directory” system may be lost forever. Rails will soon relaunch these services and will continue to update them with new information.

While the original Hattons store and business will remain closed, this iconic brand will live on.​
 
D6356

D6356

Western Thunderer
Good news I suspect, I was musing on branding : Hattons of Sheffield , Rails of Hattons.
gets coat!
Robert
 
A

Allen M

Western Thunderer
My view though I might be wrong but one reason to purchase the name and then not using is to stop anyone else getting it and using it.
Someone could purchase the Hattons name reopen a retail outlet and 'look like' they have been going for years.
Rather like Triang purchasing the Hornby name, much better respected and therefore of benefit.

Regards
Allen
 
D

djparkins

Western Thunderer
Allen M said:
My view though I might be wrong but one reason to purchase the name and then not using is to stop anyone else getting it and using it.
Someone could purchase the Hattons name reopen a retail outlet and 'look like' they have been going for years.
Rather like Triang purchasing the Hornby name, much better respected and therefore of benefit.

Regards
Allen
Click to expand...

Absolutely. There are many reasons for purchasing businesses, whether it's just buying the name or certain ranges or products within a business. And it's not always to do with just reintroducing all the products a competitor might have had in their range, and that you now own - this is more the case with a kit manufacturer of course, than a retailer. It might actually be beneficial to the purchaser to 'bury' the name and certain products along with it, in favour of their companies own products.
 
paulc

paulc

Western Thunderer
It will be interesting to see if they introduce a 'Hattons' branded line of items or if has been suggested its to prevent other businesses from using the name . The cynic in me says the latter despite what the Rails marketing department tells us but thats just a jaded view and too many years in buisness.
 
Max M

Max M

Western Thunderer
Mick LNER said:
Not good news,=one big player = not good for future prices =no competition= lack of releases.
Click to expand...
In principle, yes, but as Hattons had already gone to the wall at least (hopefully) some of their products may continue?
 
Mick LNER

Mick LNER

Western Thunderer
Tim Humphreys ex Mudhen said:
Although it may result in the remaining suppliers being profitable and not going the same way as Hattons. Cheapest is not always the best in the long run.

Tim
Click to expand...
That is a the strangest part of this whole scenario. The owner was quoted as being a millionairess in the press year ago. Perhaps she just got bored with it all, and just gave up. I doubt if anyone one will ever know.

She had'nt hung about with the move over to Rails , so it appears that this was/has been a pre planned hand over/take over for quite a while.

I would be very surprised if Hattons were ever losing money at any time, in the past or present till the closure announcement.
 
oldravendale

oldravendale

Western Thunderer
That's very interesting, Tim. I'd never had reason to check their accounts previously but they were much £bigger than I ever dreamed! It looks as though they recognised the way the business was heading and decided to make a structured exit which I reckon they did very successfully - and quickly so it had probably been planned for a while.

Who said there's no money in toy trains, eh?

Brian
 
Eastsidepilot

Eastsidepilot

Western Thunderer
Maybe a case of what ever makes you happy ? My wife owned and ran very successful cafe's of the working mans type, greasy spoons as they call them, she made made bloody good money and having run the last two with her I know how hard she worked, up at 4.30 every morning to open at 6.00 am only getting Sunday off but never wanting for or owing anything, to put it bluntly we were loaded.
But in the end the hard work grinds you down and you become un-happy with no other life, so you sell up and do something different, same as the truck driving I did running back and forth to Italy, bloody good money at the time, but in the end no life just work, so you kick it into touch !
So maybe that's what these guys did, who want's to sell model trains all of their life ? customers are just an after thought in the end.
 
L

Longbow

Western Thunderer
Most of Hatton's loss last year was a write-off of stock dating back to 2020 (Hornby?), and their balance sheet was very strong. So the motivation for closure remains unclear.
 
H

Hayfield1

Active Member
I got the impression the owners just wanted to retire and sell up. I am enjoying retirement so I guess the owners think the same.

Sadly sometimes there is no one willing or interested in taking over the business, or perhaps the property (if owned) is more valuable than the business.

Granted very sad for the employees and for the loyal customers, but sometime you just have to call time. A small department store is trying to close in Maldon, the owners just want to retire. But no one wants the business.

On the other hand other businesses are always starting up. At Alley Pally not only were the visitors numbers looked to be up** (it was packed) but plenty of traders. Certainly showing the hobby is on the up

** No idea of the actual numbers but visually it was packed on Saturday both by visitors and traders
 
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