Hi

Sorry about the mid-week email, hopefully you’ll understand the reasons. I’m pleased to say that our second attempt at the livestream with Nathanael went according to plan, although there were a few unscripted moments in there! Thank you to everyone who watched, and for the kind comments. If you missed it and would like to see it, just click >>>HERE<<<.

And, if you like demos, tickets for next year’s Woodturning Weekender are now on sale! Head over to the website for more details.

I thought I’d end the year with another sort-of behind the scenes email, following the popularity of the last one about shows.
And I’m returning to the subject of the Harrogate show, with a story from last year’s event. We’re lucky that most of the visitors to this, and other shows, are nice people and honest. But, sadly, there are a few who aren’t, and we know that some of our products leave the hall without being paid for.
Last year, a Buffing Wheel Kit vanished from our stand. At over £70, it was a bit of a blow. Or it would have been, had it not been our dummy, display-only box. It had a couple of blocks of wood in it for ballast, so the thief would have been none the wiser until the box as opened.
I was secretly hoping it was given as a present; that would have resulted in an awkward conversation!

One of the most prestigious car brands in the world buy from us occasionally. I won’t embarrass them by giving their name… because this is about how difficult it can be to get money out of them.
It takes multiple emails and phone calls to get them to pay their invoices, even though they’re only for small amounts. So, we’ve put them on pro forma terms. And, to make is more crazy, they ordered something at the beginning of last month; we sent them the invoice, which they said they’d settle on their next payment run – in mid-December! Needless to say, the goods are still sitting in our warehouse until that day…

It just seems ironic to me that here’s us, tiny little Chestnut Products, taking credit terms away from a huge, multinational, flagship company!
For the last story, I’m returning to the Harrogate Show. You may have heard that, next year, it will change to a two-day event, Friday and Saturday. As traders, we’re not too unhappy about this, as it will reduce our costs and the Sunday isn’t normally very busy. But that’s not the reason this change has been made…
It’s because there’s a large potato show being held, and they’ve already booked the hall for that Sunday. That really puts us in our place – ousted by potatoes. What can you say?

(If you want to see some very big machinery in a familiar place, have a look at this).

And that’s enough for this week. And indeed, for this year. The Newsletter is now taking its annual break, and will return in the New Year. 
I hope you have a great Christmas, maybe your stocking will have some of our products in it. And, of course, a very Happy New Year – I’ll see you then.

Thanks, as always, for your support and kind words, they are very much appreciated.

All the best

Terry