Brands Unite Behind Buy British Day

July 25, 2021 15.26

The 22nd July was a very warm day even by the standards of this very warm spell and as the BoB team were unloading the van parked outside the House of Commons so that every item could be individually security-scanned we were excited at the morning in prospect but wishing that shorts and flip-flops could be deemed appropriate attire for the building and the occasion.

Buy British Day

We were then put very firmly in our respective style places upon the arrival of our Director Wayne Hemingway who arrived rocking a vintage 70’s shirt, shorts and brogues to chair the event. Dammit – why can’t we get away with that?

Once the room was set up and some 70 individual brand items displayed by the team the logo for our newest initiative Buy British Day was unveiled for the first time and proceedings could commence.

A fascinating debate took place with our very distinguished panel debating the whys and wherefores of a) producing in the UK and then b) marketing and selling that product to a UK audience.  This same audience (it was discussed) is only recently again starting to appreciate (in numbers at least) that high quality goods are still (or newly) made here and that these goods will last a hell of a lot longer than items bought because they are cheap – but at what cost in real terms?

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The BoB team firmly believe that the provenance of what we buy is increasingly important to the UK as well as to the international consumer. When attending BoB, the quality of each item produced is clear, whether it has been created lovingly by hand or in the oldest running factory in the world.

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The panel was chaired by BoB Executive Director Wayne Hemingway MBE and featured Will Butler-Adams (MD Brompton), Cressida Grainger (MD Mathmos), bespoke tailor Timothy Everest MBE, Nick English (MD Bremont) and William Church (MD Cheaney).

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Brands present at the launch and who we would like to thank for their contribution included Brompton, Timothy Everest, Susannah Hall, Meantime, Sipsmith, London Velvet, Cherchbi, Chapman, Linenlawn, Wateroffaducksback, British Footwear Association, Cheaney, Juju, Hetty Rose, White Rabbit, Mathmos Karen Brost, Leathersmith of London, Silver Tree Crystal, Gillies Jones, Parris Wakefield, The Little Shoemaker, Kamm & Sons, Lolly 5000, Mudlark, Doe Leather, Griffin & Sinclair, Walsh, White Dove and Wonder, Pantherella, Beau Loves, Meccanica and many more all displayed on rails supplied by Andrew Nebbett and incredibly lit mannequins from Mannequino

After an amazing morning with a buzz of energy from the assembled audience reminding us all of how special and event Best of Britannia is we packed all the amazing products back into the van and in true British fashion got stuck in the mother of all traffic jams on the M23 due to a runaway dog….

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Support Buy British Day on the 3rd October by seeking out the fantastic range of British-produced goods on offer throughout the UK or at Best of Britannia.

bestofbritannia.com/attend-bob