We are going to fling open the door to our lovely shop from 11:00 until 16:00 on Monday to Thursday. We can just accept pre-arranged collections on Friday which is reserved for Staff Training.
Hopefully, some of you will come to see us and buy all those bits you need to get safely back afloat. Upstairs will need to remain closed, we are taking tentative steps for the time being.
It is still very quiet here in Central London. That may be bad news for business, but it is great news for shopping. With just 20% of the usual footfall you can choose a nice alfresco table for lunch in your favourite restaurant. You can even get a whole table to yourself in a West End pub!
If you haven’t ventured into town yet, you may be in for a pleasant surprise – it is very civilised and rather peaceful!
Of course, Arthur Beale never really closed. The online orders kept coming in, so we have been dispatching parcels as usual.
We have also been very busy working backstage. Our ambitious plan is to install a completely new operating system so that everything is integrated. Hence the Friday training days. It will ultimately save us a lot of time and it will enable us to launch a brand-new upgraded website. Apparently, it will have all the bells and whistles. I was hoping it would feature more products than just bells and whistles, but at least it’s a start. 
The staff are also very keen that the website shows live stock, personally I don’t think there is much demand for buying cattle online, but we’ll see.
We aren’t banking on things getting back to normal. We were never normal in any case, but we know that we must change to meet the new challenges ahead.
We are bursting with ideas. Some of them may even be legal.
One idea that needs legs is to purchase an electric cargo bike so that we can do regular weekly deliveries to London Yacht Clubs and Marinas. We already drop off quite a few deliveries by bike, but wow antifouling is heavy stuff!
It might seem a bit “Slow Ahead” at the moment, but the staff are frantically busy working on the “New Arthur Beale”.
We have all missed you, so please do come along and say hello.
I’m skiving off for a couple of weeks as I am taking Tilman the dog to Scotland for his first sail – it will be mayhem!
Take care everyone. AF
A few things you might need for that long awaited sail…
(more on our website!)
Crewsaver Crewfit 165N Sport Lifejacket with Harness: £142.55 The Crewfit 165N Sport uses the latest 3D technology, ensuring maximum comfort levels. Entry level to the 3D range, the Crewfit 165N Sport has the essential features to ensure the recreational user remains safe when out on the water. View on arthurbeale.co.uk
Arthur Beale Enamel Mug £12.50A proper tough enamel mug made on Second World War machinery in the world’s best enamel factory. Big enough to provide enough caffeine to keep you perky right through the night. View on arthurbeale.co.uk
Icom M25 EURO Buoyant Marine VHF Transceiver. £142.55 Great features mixed with style are the traits of Icom’s new ICM25 buoyant marine VHF radio which floats and flashes when dropped into the water. Sporting an elegant slim design, this new model has the lightest body in the market for a floating VHF radio….just 220g. New for an Icom, this new radio has a tidy USB connector for convenient charging from a variety of electronic devices! Features: - Slim, lightweight, easy to use - USB charging (Micro-B USB type) - 11 hours operating time - Buoyant with flashing red LED - Large LCD and simple user-interface - 5W RF output and 550mW audio - Optional HM-213 waterproof speaker microphone. View on arthurbeale.co.uk