The Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak has unveiled a wide range of measures in his Budget 2021, which look set to benefit many in rural business. From doubling apprenticeship payments to reduced VAT on the hospitality industry to business rates holiday extensions and corporation tax protection for smaller firms, there are more positives than negatives for many Game Fair exhibitors in this year’s Budget. The Chancellor announced the five per cent reduced VAT rate for the hospitality industry will be extended until September 30th followed by an interim rate of 12.5 per cent for ...

With a heritage that goes back eight generations, South African lifestyle brand Melvill & Moon boasts safari-inspired products handmade from top-quality materials by expert craftsmen, who share the brand’s love of Africa and its beauty. The Melvill & Moon collection includes safari luggage, camping furniture, bar ware, vehicle seat covers and sporting accessories, is based on many of the most successful designs from the Grand Safari era and military campaign pieces. All the products are made to last a lifetime and be as practical as they are stylish – perfect for the modern adventurer to ...

The Trafalgar is a classic men’s dealer boot style from well-known brand Fairfax & Favor. Combining elasticated panels in Fairfax & Favor’s signature navy blue, with a rendered-rubber commando sole, carefully cushioned to provide supreme comfort, it looks as good as it feels. Made with a water-resistant, breathable membrane, this boot is the perfect companion come rain, hail, snow or sunshine and just as happy when trudging endless miles through the countryside. www.fairfaxandfavor.com

The British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC), the largest shooting organisation in the UK, is on the hunt for a new Head of Firearms. Serving a wide variety of stakeholder and public interests. BASC acts as a representative body for sporting shooting, fostering opportunity, safety, high standards and wildlife conservation. It is looking for a confident and enthusiastic professional to protect the right of individuals to use hunting, sporting and heritage firearms within the UK, give accurate advice and guidance to members on all aspects of firearms and ammunition – practical, legal and technical ...

New research shows that demand for agricultural machinery was weak in 2020 in the UK but hopes are high for a ‘bounceback’ this year. Extreme weather conditions – flooding last February, a dry spring, a hot summer and heavy rain in August combined to severely deplete harvests in the UK. All this came on top of the Covid effect which notably has caused decreased demand for dairy products and high-quality meat products from cafes and restaurants. As a result, UK farmers have in the main not been in a strong position, where investment in new ...

The British Game Alliance (BGA)’s Assurance Scheme is going from strength to strength as key sporting agents and shoot managers have committed to offering days exclusively on BGA Member Shoots from the start of the 2023 game season. At a time when many in the shooting community are feeling under pressure, this is further evidence that the sector is embracing BGA shoot assurance as a crucial tool for protecting the future of game shooting. In an unprecedented display of unity in support of effective self-regulation, prominent estates and nearly every sporting agency in the UK ...

As Prime Minster Boris Johnson outlined his roadmap to recovery, The Game Fair along with all other events was given the green the light to run in its planned dates 23rd, 24th and 25th July at Ragley Hall.  “Having been in continuous talks with the local authority and Public Health England, we were already very confident, but a public statement such as this is incredibly important” said James Gower, Managing Director of The Game Fair.   “Exhibitors and visitors have shown their optimism too as trade stand and tickets sales accelerated immediately following the BBC’s live ...

Some of the most prestigious members of LAPADA will be on display throughout The Game Fair weekend from 23-25th July at Ragley Hall. The Game Fair celebrates a stellar week with the LAPADA Pavilion sold out in under 72 hours. Freya Mitten of 20th Century British Art commented “The LAPADA Pavilion is a fantastic opportunity for the Game Fair audience to explore a wide variety of specialities on offer, from fine art, furniture and contemporary works of art to decorative arts, jewellery and antiquities. There will be something for everyone.” Come and explore some of ...

Specialist food supplier game Wild and Game has unveiled another variety box to encourage more people to try cooking with a range of game meat. Its Cook with Game starter pack is designed specifically with newcomers in mind and includes a selection of ready-to-cook game meat along with copy of Talking Game, a beautiful game-focused publication packed with inspiring recipes. Growing numbers of people are starting to make game a regular part of their diet – partly because of the variety and interest it brings and partly because it’s a healthy, sustainable, food choice. Wild ...

Selected from dozens of top quality game dishes prepared by young people all over the country, Ellie Phillips won the inaugural Game Chef Hunt with a pheasant dish the judges deemed ‘extraordinary’. Run by British Game Alliance (BGA), supported by some of the top names in game shooting and judged by Rachel Carrie, Mike Robinson and Liam Stokes, the Game Chef Hunt unearthed some genuine culinary talent. Inspired by the plight of home-schooling parents and young people stuck at home during lockdown, the BGA organised a cooking competition throughout January and early February. Anyone aged ...

Why are people really buying dogs during lockdown and whose interest do they really have at heart? Those are among the questions being explored by Countryside Alliance chief executive Tim Bonner as he considers the impact of a rise in dog ownership on the countryside at large. In recent months there has been a string of press stories about dog attacks on livestock, with an estimated 70 per cent of such attacks being carried out while the owner is not even present. Tim said: “Clearly even a successful campaign to encourage dog walkers to keep ...

The shooting and fishing industries may no longer be able to sell lead products – ammunition or fishing weights – within five years if proposals by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) are approved. A six-month consultation period on the plans, designed to “address the risks of lead in these activities to protect people, wildlife and the environment” looks likely from March 24th. But, while organisations and manufacturers are moving towards some form of self-regulation with regards to lead, it is still unclear whether or how the UK will be subject to the latest REACH (Registration, ...

A partnership between The Game Fair and The Association of Art and Antique Dealers (LAPADA)will see a dedicated pavilion at this summer’s event – and spaces are already filling up fast. Not only will the LAPADA Pavilion bring together some of the best names in the art and antiques sector but it will also further boost the stylish and premium audience at the show. Exhibitors have been booking in their droves because of The Game Fair’s reputation for delivering around 120,000 high-quality visitors over three days, including land owners and estate managers, who collectively spend ...

Longthorne Gunmakers has completed its trigger plate boxlock range, which has been developed and made in Great Britain over the past year, despite the confines of Covid 19. The range incorporates the firm’s innovative patented barrels (game or sporting) together with several other features including Longthorne chokes (extended and flush), adjustable comb mechanism and recoil pads all made in-house, a UK first. Smooth to shoot with minimal felt recoil and muzzle flip and proofed for superior steel with 3in chambers, corrosion resistant interior components and adjustable trigger, the ever-expanding range offers a lower-cost alternative to ...

The British Association for Shooting and Conservation’s trailblazing scholarship programme has opened for this year’s applicants. Launched in 2019 to support people keen to develop their knowledge of conservation, land management and gamekeeping, the programme continues to grow. Receiving a maximum of £4,500 per year to go towards tuition fees or study materials, successful applicants have already begun to reap the rewards. Curtis Mossop, BASC’s head of pathways to shooting, said: “Through BASC’s legacy fund, this scholarship programme is able to make a substantial difference to those wanting to further their education. Through the devastation ...

Almost two thirds of UK gamekeepers have received abuse and threats because of their profession and now need better protection. Among the 1,000 responses to The Gamekeeper Survey 2020 are shocking reports of keepers receiving death threats and warnings of arson and criminal damage, with 64 per cent saying they had received direct abuse., with many claiming it had destroyed personal relationships. Abuse via social media channels is a rising issue for gamekeepers, with 56 per cent reporting an increase in the number of incidents over the last 12 months compared to previous years. Over ...

Two outdoor major organisations – the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) and the National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs (NFYFC) – have joined forces to condemn Government proposals to restrict airgun use for under-18s. Members of both organisations will be severely disadvantaged by the Home Office’s proposal within its current Firearms Safety consultation, they say. If approved, the proposal will see 14 to 17 year-olds in England and Wales lose their ability to use airguns unsupervised on private premises. This will impact on thousands of under-18s who use airguns as part of their ...

The British Game Alliance (BGA) has introduced an Associate Membership category, designed to widen access to the organisation for smaller shoots. The move comes amidst growing recognition of the value of self-assurance to protect the future of shooting. Until now, many smaller shoots have felt unable to join the BGA, as they do not sell their game and only shoot for personal consumption, despite recognising the need for a self-regulating shooting sector with independent shoot assurance and supporting the goal of a thriving market for game meat. The Associate Membership will bet at a lower ...

The Great British Shooting Awards give recognition to the products, organisations and people that make our industry tick. The people and products chosen as the winners in their category by our panel of high-profile judges and a public vote will be featured in Airgun Shooter, Shooting Gazette, Clay Shooting, Shooting Times, Sporting Gun, Sporting Rifle, Gun Trade News and Shooting UK, and will receive a trophy for display.  Submit your nominations now for your brands and products to be in with a chance of winning.  https://www.futureevents.uk/gbsa-nominations/begin