Thorne's sale

[Frisbee]

Anybody going to Wragby tomorrow?

Frisbee

 

[Poly Hive]

No.

PH

 

[Roy S]

I'm hoping to go, but am wondering if there will be enough sale priced frames and hive parts to make it worthwhile. Dont fancy travelling there and getting in at five past nine only to discover all the frames and hive parts have gone already!!!

 

[jimbeekeeper]

I am not going, I now prefer their winter sale. Sale prices but via internet and delivered.

 

[Roy S]

I am not going, I now prefer their winter sale. Sale prices but via internet and delivered.

Same here Jim, but needs must...I cant believe how quickly I've increased my stocks, I'm now on 8 colonies and running out of equipment RAPIDLY!!...not a situation I envisaged a couple of months back I can tell you

 

[jezd]

Same here Jim, but needs must...I cant believe how quickly I've increased my stocks, I'm now on 8 colonies and running out of equipment RAPIDLY!!...not a situation I envisaged a couple of months back I can tell you

fyi I wanted to go but after being told 4 weeks ago that they had no stock on 90% of lines at the point I doubt there will be much to see.

Worth keeping in mind.

 

[Hawklord]

Too far, would have to spend a lot to make up for cost of petrol.

 

[Frisbee]

I went................Blimey the queue the amount of stuff which disappeared in minutes........ it was amazing, and no fights I got there early and they were nearly queuing out of the door then...............

The kind people who kept an eye on my stuff whilst I looked for more

Frisbee

 

[VEG]

did they have much stock to sell?

 

[JCBrum]

How far did you travel Frisbee ?

What did you buy ?

How much stuff did they have on sale ? (low stocks were suspected)

Was it all worth it ?

JC.

 

[jezd]

did they have much stock to sell?

this will be interesting, no word of a lie I had someone go along to collect items they reserved the day before and they sold the lot before they got there, they even asked if I wanted anything and every item I asked for Thornes could not provide - all just 4 weeks ago

 

[Frisbee]

I live just outside Melton Mowbray, so it's about 1hr & 20 minutes for me, I got my petrol money back just by buying a pack of 50 frames (half price) So I bought frames -SN1 & DN4's packs of 50 only, rapid feeders - £3.50, Frame pins, £3 a 500g box, a nylon strainer £2.00, and then I was also getting stuff for friends, so National brood and super, crown board, got a good smoker for £15 & more frames.

The stuff was on pallets, every type of hive, flat packs, lots of frames, all seconds so maybe the odd piece will break, all sorts really. I was amazed as I called in about 3 weeks ago for a pack of 10 frames and they had to go in the back and make them up, but they did say how much demand there has been. The piles of stuff people were taking out I needed an assistant as you just can't carry what you need, there were so many people in there, but everything was orderly.

Frisbee

 

[Nopants]

I live just outside Melton Mowbray, so it's about 1hr & 20 minutes for me, I got my petrol money back just by buying a pack of 50 frames (half price) So I bought frames -SN1 & DN4's packs of 50 only, rapid feeders - £3.50, Frame pins, £3 a 500g box, a nylon strainer £2.00, and then I was also getting stuff for friends, so National brood and super, crown board, got a good smoker for £15 & more frames.

The stuff was on pallets, every type of hive, flat packs, lots of frames, all seconds so maybe the odd piece will break, all sorts really. I was amazed as I called in about 3 weeks ago for a pack of 10 frames and they had to go in the back and make them up, but they did say how much demand there has been. The piles of stuff people were taking out I needed an assistant as you just can't carry what you need, there were so many people in there, but everything was orderly.

Frisbee

What a headache it was...Worst sale ive ever been too. Too many people in too small a building. I had to park 100 yards away to get any where near at 9.00am. No trolleys to carry anything away and people were picking up stuff if you left it sitting there. A lot of folks were buying bulk loads of hives so if you got there at 10.30 it was all cleared out.A couple of customers I saw one had a ripped shirt and another had blood on his hand from another customer dropping a lid on his hands. All that and I didnt get a cup of tea . I did get some bargins though but as they say the early bird catches the worm

 

[Frisbee]

Well there you have it..........two views of the same sale.

I was there by 8.30 and parked on the makeshift car-park, it's true after a while it was difficult to make out what was someone's pile and what was for sale. I found a very nice lady who was guarding her stuff and I left mine with her. When I'd paid and got outside it would have been 3 carrying trips to the car-park as there were no trolleys free at the time, but I found another nice lady and drove round and picked up from the back. It was no worse than waiting for your luggage on the carousel....................

Frisbee

 

[rich]

Went to, was there at 8:30 like Frisbee.
Ok lots of folk there but got all the parts I wanted 10 supers 100 SN1, couple of 14x12 board boxes and a few bits and bobs, and was on the road again by 9:30.
Had a very helpful son to "guard" my pile of goodies on the trolley we managed to get our hands on.
One of their guys helped us through the cash point, wheeled the barrow to our car helped us load up, and then took the trolley back.
We travelled up from Cambridge, but still saved a bomb.
All set to the end of the summer now, then again LOL
Rich

 

[hedgerow pete]

sound like the spring scrum sorry sale at stoneliegh, get a full wallet and a rugby team

 

[Hawklord]

There'll be 2nd hand bargains a-plenty in 18 months when the novelty has worn off.

 

[Roy S]

Glad I went, got in the queue at 8:45, was a nice morning after a three hour drive from Liverpool with my Dad

about 9:10 people were allowed in and the fun began....there were pallet loads of stuff, certainly no shortage!!

only snag was people were collecting piles of stuff and leaving them blocking access for other people, while partners/helpers/drivers went to get trolleys etc!

After an hour the frenzy had mainly given way and there was still enough national frames, supers and brood boxes for most people arriving.
But by 11:30 this is what was left:

looking back towards the doors:

The pile of stuff by the tills on the middle/top left is one persons!!!

I think there could have been a limit set for how many items some people had though. I saw one guy wheeling out over 40 varroa floors alone, with shed loads of other stuff, would have wound me up if I'd got there and people had got off with everything. Other than that a really enjoyable day.

Refreshments were available, with nice cakes and other snacks, and free tea and coffee for a small donation to "bees for development"

If Thornes had an open day advertising "bargains" and there were nothing much there, then following open days would suffer bad attendance through people being put off. I think Thornes are wise enough to not shoot themselves in the foot, by holding an open day without the traditional plentiful bargains.

 

[BKF Admin]

I think there could have been a limit set for how many items some people had though. I saw one guy wheeling out over 40 varroa floors alone, with shed loads of other stuff, would have wound me up if I'd got there and people had got off with everything.

This is something that I noticed at a Thornes sale last year,my local BBKA branch apiary manager and band of helpers were first in the queue and purchased over 5 pallet loads of stuff before anyone else got a look in,I questioned them on why they wanted so much stuff and they said it was to sell to learners after doing the apiary bee course.

p.s: Roy,many thanks for uploading the pics for everyone !!! I really enjoyed seeing them.

 

[Poly Hive]

Not exactly doing the Thornes agents many favours I would have thought.

PH