With online sales now accounting for around a third of all retail sales and traditional high streets continuing to struggle, one local charity is bucking the trend - which suggests customers are increasingly choosing to buy online – with strong face to face sales of its leading range of wildlife watching binoculars and spotting ‘scopes,  

Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, which runs shops and cafes at its centres at Attenborough & Idle Valley Nature Reserves, continues to deliver strong in-person sales success across its varied range of binoculars and ‘scopes. The charity believes the opportunity to try out kit on just the sorts of sites they were designed to be used, and its friendly, independent advice means customers feel more comfortable purchasing in store than ordering optics online. 

Speaking on behalf of Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust Trading, a subsidiary of the charity, General Manager Dave Burgess said: “Choosing something like binoculars is so much easier when you can see and use the items in a perfect setting. With so much choice, having access to friendly, independent advice can make all the difference.” 

The Trust stocks a wide range of brands including Swarovski, Hawke, Viking, Kowa, Leica, and Zeiss and takes pride in being able to supply high quality optics to suit a wide range of activities and to match customers budgets. 

Whilst the charity offers online sales via its website, many customers value the opportunity to view and try equipment in-store. The centre hosts regular optics days featuring leading brands, giving customers access to brand specialists, an extended range of stock, and exclusive discounts. In addition, a dedicated in-house optics expert is available every weekend to provide cross-brand advice. The team is now gearing up for its biggest sales event of the year — the two-day Optics Weekend on 17th and 18th May — when a wide range of manufacturers will be on site at Attenborough Nature Centre, which is proudly celebrating its 20th Anniversary since being opened by Sir David Attenborough. 

Dave explained: “Since we expanded our range and invested in our dedicated optics demonstration area at Attenborough back in 2021, we have continued to expand our range of sales events to provide customers with even better choice, advice and deals. Our Optics Fair las year was a great success and as soon as we’d packed everything away, we started preparing for this year’s fair – and we can’t wait to welcome everyone.” 

Dave added: “A pair of good quality binoculars or a good spotting scope can really enhance your wildlife watching, but we believe it’s important to stock a range to meet people’s varying needs and budgets. We have something for everyone – from those just starting out bird watching or wanting a spare pair of binoculars to keep in the car, to life-long birders and wildlife enthusiasts looking for something to take on the trip of a lifetime.”  

“As well as being able to test out kit by viewing the wildlife from our centres, customers appreciate the advice we provide, and it is always rewarding when satisfied customers return to upgrade their optics as their hobby takes hold – or to bring family and friends along to buy their own. We know customers also appreciate the fact that all our profits support the maintenance of the nature reserves and the wide work of the Wildlife Trust across the county.” 

With its wide range and perfect setting for checking out and testing binoculars and ‘scopes, the Trust believes it offers the premier optics buying experience in the region at Attenborough and the charity continues to expand the range on offer at its Idle Valley store near Retford too. 

Dave added: “Whilst we have lots of local customers who have been visiting our reserves for decades, our range, and special optics events draw customers from far and wider and we’re excited to have the support of so many of our brand partners for our event in May – which looks set to be a great weekend.”