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Old 7th Dec 2017, 4:44 pm   #32
GrahamN
Hexode
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Burnham on Crouch, Essex, UK.
Posts: 391
Default Re: Radiophile Auction - The future

I think, David, that you may have misunderstood Chas's motive in publishing the Radiophile and running the auctions. They are not profit centres - indeed I suspect Chas runs at a nett loss most years, and certainly will for the next few years with the Radio Bygones takeover. Taken together, the magazine, auctions, and teaching workshops bring in a (very) small income in a good year, and a loss in a bad one.

As Chas has already said in his open letter, the auctions are already in the potential firing line due to the work involved. With too little income to pay people to help, the only alternatives are to get volunteer helpers or to close. I know Chas was very grateful for help given at the last auction and that has certainly put off the day of reckoning for a while - but we'll have to see what transpires over the next few auctions.

Chas does it because he enjoys it, believes he is offering a service that is wanted by vintage radio enthusiasts, and because who else would do it if he didn't? I doubt there are enough potential subscribers to ever really look at a decent profit, and Chas won't compromise on print quality or any other obvious way to cut costs (except the pdf subscriptions which he has recently agreed to offer).

The reasons for Gnosall and Cowbit are simply that the costs for the halls are low and that Gnosall is near Chas and Cowbit is near where he goes on holiday. To move venues would increase costs and add even more work - not a viable move as things stand. It is also unlikely that auctions in other areas would bring in sufficiently more bidders anyway as they are very limited in appeal except to enthusiasts and collectors who tend to be spread out over the country anyway.
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