How much does "Made in the UK" matter to you?

[enfieldspares]

Marconi's is the only one left

LOL! Ten minutes from me is Radar Road in New Parks, Leicester. Once GEC then Marconi and add ten minutes to that is Blackbird Road in Leicester where once Marconi made submarine torpedoes. All now gone twenty years plus passed. OTOH you also knew that because of this and the M1/M69 Interchange and the Midlands mainline up to Sheffield and Leeds crossing the East to West railway line in Leicester that if there had been a nuclear war there wouldn't have been much left of Leicester! This from a quick use of AI on Google:

Marconi historically operated two major radar and defence electronics sites in Leicester—Blackbird Road and New Parks. These facilities were crucial to radar production and defense systems under Marconi Radar Systems Ltd, with the Blackbird Road site subsequently redeveloped for residential use

 

[v1ktor]

In most instances I'd say it is important.
However, the single most important factor, IMO, is quality.

 

[Sol]

If I have the option between two similar products I'll go with the British one, but outside of that I'm not hugely bothered assuming there identical pricing.

More often than not products that claim too be British made the final product might be assembled in the UK however almost all of its components originate from else where, Its why Its never been a huge thing on my radar the only benefit (too me) if I have any issues, the representatives are likely english speaking too.

It really all things considered depends on that the item Is I'm guessing either thermal, or glass scopes going off the initial post?

 

[Danny Boy]

For shooting stuff like guns and ammunition for instance I now buy European instead of American as much as I can as I do with other items. I like bourbon whiskey but that's boycotted by me as well and I only drink Scottish and Irish. In the end I don't care much where it's made, as long as I can get it at a decent price.

 

[Domer]

I prefer to buy air rifles and food that are British but everything else I buy the best for me regardless of where it is made.

 

[ndt man]

Buy the best you can afford
Hopfully its made in

 

[Lee the Gun]

For me, it really depends on what the item is?
I'd love to say or insist on "Buy British"...In fact, I used to insist on it years ago.
I'm not being unpatriotic, just realistic. Unfortunately, for whatever and for many reason(s), a lot of "buy British" now means buy crap!
Yes, we still have some brilliant engineers, companies and manufacturers in Britain, but I would suggest that alot, if not most, simply do not make stuff as well as Johnny foreigner does these days.
It's all very nice to be "patriotic", and I doff my cap to anyone that wants to buy British, but at the end of the day I want the best product available at a price that I can afford (or am prepared to pay) but I'm afraid if the item I'm after that is made in Britain isn't as good quality as the stuff made abroad, then why the hell should I compromise and stick to my old roots of buying British?
Like it or not, as a consumer, we have to put ourselves first and stop reminiscing about the good old days of the past. How many of us drive a British car or ride a British bike?
Cast your mind back a couple of decades, (and even today) if you want(ed) the top glass in your rifle scope, you would always buy German or Swiss perhaps... and it is undoubtedly still some of the best glass available.
However, if you think about it, and think outside of the "German glass is the best" box, who for the past 100-years and continues to today, produce the very best, professional grade / world leading glass in camera lenses...Japan.
Apply that to modern rifle scopes (I don't mean the cheap **** ones) and the Japanese make some of the best glass in the world.
I appreciate my comments are controversial and are going to **** off a lot of traditionalists, but each to their own I guess.
For the record, I own, four Leupolds, three Nightforce and two Ziess scopes that I use on my rifles. Not sure what country made the glass in them and to be honest, I don't care. They are all great scopes (for my needs) with crisp, clear glass and that's what is important to me. I think we have to be more open-minded when spending our hard earned cash, rather than have a "...I remember when...back in the good old days...
So, I've set out my stall, and shared my opinion and no doubt it will generate some very strong felt opinions and responses. I'm not here to cause an argument or even defend or justify my opinion, but merely share it.
Lee.

 

[Apthorpe]

LOL! Ten minutes from me is Radar Road in New Parks, Leicester. Once GEC then Marconi and add ten minutes to that is Blackbird Road in Leicester where once Marconi made submarine torpedoes. All now gone twenty years plus passed. OTOH you also knew that because of this and the M1/M69 Interchange and the Midlands mainline up to Sheffield and Leeds crossing the East to West railway line in Leicester that if there had been a nuclear war there wouldn't have been much left of Leicester! This from a quick use of AI on Google:

Marconi historically operated two major radar and defence electronics sites in Leicester—Blackbird Road and New Parks. These facilities were crucial to radar production and defense systems under Marconi Radar Systems Ltd, with the Blackbird Road site subsequently redeveloped for residential use

Why did this happen? Because we voted to squander the money on the welfare state instead of the productive state.

 

[AGR]

Buy the best you can afford
Hopfully its made in

I've just bought a Snowbee fly line. Made in the UK!!

 

[Danny Boy]

For me, it really depends on what the item is?
I'd love to say or insist on "Buy British"...In fact, I used to insist on it years ago.
I'm not being unpatriotic, just realistic. Unfortunately, for whatever and for many reason(s), a lot of "buy British" now means buy crap!
Yes, we still have some brilliant engineers, companies and manufacturers in Britain, but I would suggest that alot, if not most, simply do not make stuff as well as Johnny foreigner does these days.
It's all very nice to be "patriotic", and I doff my cap to anyone that wants to buy British, but at the end of the day I want the best product available at a price that I can afford (or am prepared to pay) but I'm afraid if the item I'm after that is made in Britain isn't as good quality as the stuff made abroad, then why the hell should I compromise and stick to my old roots of buying British?
Like it or not, as a consumer, we have to put ourselves first and stop reminiscing about the good old days of the past. How many of us drive a British car or ride a British bike?
Cast your mind back a couple of decades, (and even today) if you want(ed) the top glass in your rifle scope, you would always buy German or Swiss perhaps... and it is undoubtedly still some of the best glass available.
However, if you think about it, and think outside of the "German glass is the best" box, who for the past 100-years and continues to today, produce the very best, professional grade / world leading glass in camera lenses...Japan.
Apply that to modern rifle scopes (I don't mean the cheap **** ones) and the Japanese make some of the best glass in the world.
I appreciate my comments are controversial and are going to **** off a lot of traditionalists, but each to their own I guess.
For the record, I own, four Leupolds, three Nightforce and two Ziess scopes that I use on my rifles. Not sure what country made the glass in them and to be honest, I don't care. They are all great scopes (for my needs) with crisp, clear glass and that's what is important to me. I think we have to be more open-minded when spending our hard earned cash, rather than have a "...I remember when...back in the good old days...
So, I've set out my stall, and shared my opinion and no doubt it will generate some very strong felt opinions and responses. I'm not here to cause an argument or even defend or justify my opinion, but merely share it.
Lee.

A lot of the British brands of the good old days are only British by name nowadays, but people seem to still want to buy them for the nostalgia. BSA, Webley & Scott etc are made in Turkey, MG are now Chinese, Mini is owned by BMW etc. Also, not everything from back then was good, if we cast our minds back to the Austin Alegro. I will, however buy products with a saltire on it before any other flag printed on the label. " Union Jack? Put it back"