Losing UKARA due to no skirmishes (Covid-19)

I think the situation got pretty serious after tonights address and prior to that it was still unclear whether some mild distancing meant you could still do stuff while washing hands etc. I think UKARA should hold validity on all memberships for a year from now. We are at the strangest point in human history and everyone will need time to adjust. "The end of the beginning" and all that.

 
I hate to say it, but it was very very serious well before tonight’s announcement.

The latest measures were principally a reaction to people failing to take the previous warnings seriously and doing exactly the sort of thing common sense says they shouldn’t do (like going to the beach, or getting together at a skirmish).

At the point they closed the schools (always a last resort, because of the knock on effect it has on parents who are in the emergency services etc.) people really should have taken notice.

One of the factors in the rapid spread of the disease in Italy was people continued to socialise at restaurants so spread the virus, this is why the govt closed them at the same time they closed the schools.

 
Just look at all the Divs who flooded the pubs when it was announced they were to close, Darwinism & natural selection at its finest ?

 
Tackle said:
Just look at all the Divs who flooded the pubs when it was announced they were to close, Darwinism & natural selection at its finest ?
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On top of that, the people who went to the pubs might be alright but the vulnerable people who they interact with might not be. It's pure selfishness and ignorance to willingly put other people at risk with the mentality that you'll probably be fine. 

 
Speaking as a south west skirmisher; some sites down here are offering to renew UKARA's that expire during this crisis if you're already a current member, even though we can't currently game.

If your UKARA is expiring soon, contact your site and ask them about it. Most will likely be happy to renew you if you've been there before as a member

 
Yeah, makes sense.  If the gov can hold on on MOTs, sites can extend UKARA.

 
Lets face it we all know of sites which are relaxed with the rules or know our shops well enough that even with an expired UKARA we can still buy guns. 

And I cant speak for everyone but the last thing on my mind when this is over is will I be able to buy RIFs or not, but that might just be me. 

 
if you are that concerned hen sure ly the best result is to after this is banned to buy what you are after off your local, if a regular skirmisher there they will know you and validate the sale. helps them with thir income etc. maintaining a record to go elsewhere and buy cheaper isnt going to be the most useful to what will be struggling shops. ( where they can get what you want) lets all jus hope that the rules can now be followed in such a way that this ends as quickly and safely as possible. 

 
We're doing Covid-19 contingency planning at work. Currently very hard to predict how long the situation will last - literally nobody knows for sure.

Estimates range anywhere from 6-18 months (that's not the lockdown period, just how long the pandemic in general may last). Bear in mind that pandemic flu tends to come in three waves or 'peaks'. An initial peak (which we're seeing now), a second much higher/worse peak predicted this winter, and a third peak around the same time next year. This timeframe is all dependent on whether the virus mutates and is able to reinfect people thought to have immunity (as pretty much all flu-like viruses tend to do... unfortunately).

Implications for airsoft and UKARA: I imagine we won't be regularly skirmishing for a good while yet ?

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I agree we won't be airsofting any time soon and yes people will lose their UKARA.  In the big scheme of things it's does not matter.... A curve ball has been thrown at the whole world... and people are loosing their lives.... that's what matters... nothing else!

As long as people continue to adhere to the social distancing rules that will stop the spread and the sooner the situation can be mitigated. Stay safe folks, stay at home... that's what will save lives and hopefully allow the norm to return. What that norm will look like and become who knows.... 

 
If the lock down continues for another month, a lot of shops and venues will go to the wall and  most of us will no longer have the !money to spend on toy guns.

 
emilianoksa said:
If the lock down continues for another month, a lot of shops and venues will go to the wall and  most of us will no longer have the !money to spend on toy guns.
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Yeah. I really worry for Airsoft. This is something which could - depending on the lockdown, how it changes, whether it ends - kill most airsoft sites. 

I get it, other things are important. Airsoft is too though. 

 
I can see an extended lockdown killing a lot of the smaller or newer suppliers and sites. The bigger ones will hopefully survive.

Assuming this pretty dire situation pans out we can expect to see a lot of new small businesses springing up to fill the void once the lockdown ends, some of which will be good and grow some bad and won’t last long. On that basis it will be more like Airsoft in the 90s when I first started playing with a much more fragmented market with fewer established retailers, the only difference is the guns will be better as technology doesn’t go backwards.

In this regard I don’t see Airsoft as any different from any other specialist luxury good.

The worst case would be a couple of manufacturers go to the wall and competition will be reduced and prices go up. I wouldn’t like to go back to 90s prices when a polymer bodied AR was £350......

 
Retailers still want business so I'd guess they'll accept out of date UKARA.

 
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found out yesterday that 1 of my Chinese suppliers have or will be going bankrupt - difficult to get any info at the moment but I've already been in contact with a Chinese legal firm in order to see what money I can get back.  It's a nasty situation indeed

 
ak2m4 said:
found out yesterday that 1 of my Chinese suppliers have or will be going bankrupt - difficult to get any info at the moment but I've already been in contact with a Chinese legal firm in order to see what money I can get back.  It's a nasty situation indeed
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Sorry to hear that, Hopefully you can get your money back and continue to trade without any issues or disruptions to your catalogue.

 
interesting to see the theory that this was Chinese designed growing momentum. if there is any truth to that it could end up with at least sanctions on Chinese imports so increased prices/ delays. if so, wonder if that would cause more company to pop up/ more realistic to be able to make more closer to home specially with the growing 3d printer market... 

 
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remus said:
interesting to see the theory that this was Chinese designed growing momentum. if there is any truth to that it could end up with at least sanctions on Chinese imports so increased prices/ delays. if so, wonder if that would cause more company to pop up/ more realistic to be able to make more closer to home specially with the growing 3d printer market... 
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Yeah, that and the fat dude in the red suit invented Christmas to sell his toys. There is no growing momentum ???

 
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