Conor O’Gorman delves into the details of the recently published 2024 Value of Shooting report.
A few months ago, I briefly mentioned the 2024 Value of Shooting report in an article about inviting newly elected MPs to your shooting business.
I highlighted that shooting is worth more than golf to the UK economy, and that nature conservation on land managed for shooting covers an area over 20 times larger than the combined landholdings owned by the National Trust and RSPB.
Let’s look in more detail at the Value of Shooting report.
The findings are based on a survey supported by 24 organisations in the latter half of 2022, completed by 11,227 participants, 703 providers of shooting opportunities, and 154 traders. The scale of the research means its findings can be regarded as statistically robust.
The headline figures from the findings are that shooting is worth £3.3 billion annually to the UK economy, generating £9.3 billion of wider economic activity.
An estimated 2.3 million people were involved in some form of shooting-related employment in the UK in 2022. That includes those employed in shooting retail and other shooting-related businesses. Overall, shooting activities support the equivalent of 67,000 full-time jobs.
As regards participants in the various shooting disciplines, the figures make for interesting reading.
Clay shooting came out top with 366,000 participants followed by air rifle and pistol
(106,000), small-bore rifle shooting (104,000), and full-bore rifle shooting (97,000).
For live quarry, there were an estimated 293,000 game shooting participants, followed by pest and predator control (255,000), deer management/stalking (120,000), and wildfowling/inland duck and goose shooting (95,000).
Whilst it’s helpful on the lobbying front to have the latest facts and figures to hand, there are perhaps aspects that cannot be truly measured.
There are memories of ‘firsts’, whether target or live quarry shooting; the rewarding experience of introducing a newcomer to shooting; the pleasure of helping customers new and old with their needs; and making new friendships through shared experiences in the field.
The media interest in Amber Rutter’s Olympic silver medal in skeet shooting is a case in point.
She was competing just over three months after giving birth to her first child, Tommy, and was surprised after the final by her husband James, who had brought their son to the Châteauroux Shooting Centre in France.
Amber was gracious about being denied a potential gold medal, saying other shooters had suffered similar judging errors and it was just one of those things. The human element resonated with the public and the media and provided much wider coverage of shooting than would otherwise have the case, even in the wake of a fantastic Olympic gold medal by trap shooter Nathan Hales.
The shooting community was unified in congratulating Amber and Nathan on their medals.
Looking ahead we need to stand together for each other wherever the threats and opportunities occur, whatever the shooting discipline.
As I have mentioned before, there is an opportunity to invite your MP to your shooting business. That human experience will resonate far deeper than a brochure on the Value of Shooting.
MPs need to see first-hand that people in their constituency spend money on guns, ammunition, sporting clothing and accessories, travel, hospitality and payment to shooting providers. The providers buy materials and services. All this economic activity supports a nationwide supply chain of manufacturers, importers, wholesalers and retailers required to service it.
Providers and retailers employ a wide range of staff, largely sourced locally. And of course, a significant amount of shooting activity relies on the involvement of an army of volunteers and unpaid workers who all contribute to the local economy.
If you secure a meeting with your MP please email me at conor.ogorman@basc.org.uk
BASC has been briefing MPs and ministers and we are busy planning for the political party conferences. As in previous years our goal is to achieve cross-party political support for shooting.
We await the outcome of consultations on lead ammunition, firearms licensing, and taking moderators off ticket.
When the Home Office firearms licensing fees review resumes, BASC will argue that full cost recovery must be matched by dramatic increases in the efficiency and effectiveness of service, in delivering for those that shoot and protecting public safety.
There are busy times ahead and by working together in communicating with MPs we really can make a difference to the future of shooting.
Furthermore, there are an estimated 620,000 people actively involved in shooting and the trade is in a prime position to encourage customers to get involved in consultations and campaigns.
The easiest way of doing so is directing people to the BASC website for the key issues, and perhaps encouraging them to join BASC to protect and promote shooting.
To download a copy of the 2024 Value of Shooting report visit www.valueofshooting.co.uk
Comments are closed