With police firearms licensing across Devon, Cornwall and Dorset in meltdown, local country and gun shops are having to diversify. Martin and Chris Lamb run the Country Sport Shop in Bovey Tracey, Devon. They have opened ‘The Barbecue Shack‘ to go alongside their business supplying local gamekeepers, shoots and pest controllers. They tell their story.
Here’s the most recent letter from Devon & Cornwall Firearms Licensing:
Devon & Cornwall police is sending out an email to applicants explaining the chaos surrounding firearms licensing. While other forces have run normal firearms licensing throughout covid, Devon & Cornwall police continues to blame the pandemic lockdowns for the collapse of its service. Its email refers to ‘weapon’ instead of ‘firearm’, showing a misunderstanding of the licensing process. It refers to ‘legislation’ when it means ‘statutory guidance’. It mentions delays in licensing but not the delays of up to two-and-a-half years that some shooters have suffered. It goes on to beg gun owners not to contact firearms licensing officials.
More on the Devon & Cornwall gun grab story here:
Gwent police double down on gun grab
Gareth Davies had a horrific shooting accident while out foxing in January 2024. His shooting buddy Mark Wise saved his life. After we put out
Deer manager police gun grab
When deer manager Peter Littlejohn was assaulted, naturally he called the police. Little did he think that months later he would be without his guns,
Update – Kent gun grab saga drags on
Lewis Dedman told us his gun grab story at the start of the summer (Watch that one here). The professional pest controller contacted us because
Police grab air rifles from pest controller and charge him
Professional pest controller Daniel Maddock has lost the tools of his trade and denied, for the moment at least, permission to own another. After applying for a firearms certificate in January 2024, because his boss wanted him to start taking on deer management jobs, he had a home visit by two officers from Police Scotland. He thought they were there to assess his security. Instead, they had come to charge him for ‘lying’ on his medical records.
Firearms cops grapple gundog-trainer granny
www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8vtuRQ0lOo Armed police subjected gundog-owning granny Helen Cadman to a terrifying and painful ordeal. They smashed down the gates to her Warwickshire home at 8am
Gruesome shooting accident leads to Gwent Police gun grab
It was a shooting accident on a farm in the Forest of Dean late at night. The police and the ambulance service were magnificent. Gloucestershire
