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| Bat Products
[mail order by phone/fax] no web
site A long-established outlet for cavers in the Mendips. 6 Tucker Street, WELLS, Somerset, BA5 2DZ. 01749 676771 (& fax) |
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| Bernies Cafe and Caving
Shop [mail & online ordering] www.berniescafe.co.uk The original Ingleton cavers' cafe, now selling a wide range of competitively-priced caving gear and offering a lamp-hire service. 4 Main Street, Ingleton, CARNFORTH, LA6 3EB. 015242 41802 (fax 42439) |
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Caving Supplies
[mail & online ordering]
www.caving-supplies.co.uk A long-established outlet for caving equipment in the Peak District. 19 London Road, BUXTON, SK17 9PA. 01298 71707 (fax 72463) |
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| Inglesport [mail & online ordering]
www.inglesport.co.uk A comprehensive range of caving equipment, and a fully rigged SRT barn for you to try out and adjust your new harness before going underground. Inglesport, The Square, Ingleton, CARNFORTH, LA6 3EB. 015242 41146 (fax 42033) |
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The Foot and Mouth crisis in 2001 had no parallel in recent history. Many 'niche' sports were affected, and caving probably more than most. We are almost unique in that in many areas the sport ceased completely, and the shops supplying us with gear, advice, food and a friendly face are often only caving shops and rely 100% on the sport. Other outlets such as scuba diving, walking and camping had limited customer bases left for their products as they supplied a wide diversity of other sports. Caving shops did not have this luxury.
Many cavers have a favourite shop, and the best shops are run by dedicated cavers like ourselves, not faceless multi-national companies. During the crisis some shops had to lay off their staff and then, without customers, had precious little chance of cutting overheads any further.
There are about 20,000 active cavers in the UK and less than 20 caving shops, so just a small effort from each caver can have a dramatic effect on each shop. If cavers, or caving clubs, actively seek to purchase something from their favourite caving shop (almost all do mail order, and they can all still be visited in person!) it will help a great deal. Maillons, cows-tails, a book to read, rope replacement, surveys, hangers - all those things that need replacing soon.
The shops listed above are not the only caving shops, of course, but they are the ones that cater mainly to the caving community, and who rely on mail-order from cavers as a substantial part of their business.
(Text based on the 'Caving Shops Support Project' as reported at caving.org.uk during the height of the 2001 Foot & Mouth Disease Epizootic). Back to Top