Country Life talks to Mark Osborne, managing director of William Powell, who will be at the Field & Country Fair, taking place at Cornbury Park in June.
Mark Osborne is founder and Managing Director of JM Osborne & Co. and has been a qualified Chartered Surveyor and Land Agent for over 30 years. He took over William Powell in 2008.
Describe what you do:
“I am the founder and Managing Director of JM Osborne & Co and I have been a qualified Chartered Surveyor and Land Agent for over 35 years now. I trained on two large traditional Estates being Chatsworth and Castle Ashby, before spending eleven years with a firm of Land Agent on the Welsh border.
“Since 1988 I have been involved in the setting up and running of several leisure and sporting businesses including The West Wycombe Shooting Ground, (which subsequently developed into the E.J. Churchill Group of businesses), a Squash, Health and Leisure Club, as well as a private hotel and public house.
“I continue to work at JM Osborne & Co, as well as William Powell and William Powell Sporting.”
How did you get involved with William Powell?
“In 2008, my wife, Christine Osborne and I purchased William Powell. I had been joint owner of the EJ Churchill Group and we thought that in William Powell there was a wonderful opportunity to both continue and develop this great company. We moved William Powell’s operations from Carrs Lane, Birmingham, to a modern facility in Banbury. JM Osborne & Co was already based in Banbury and so by moving William Powell here as well we were able to put all three businesses under the same roof in our 15,000 square foot buildings.”
What is the William Powell’s USP?
“William Powell has three unique selling points;
1. It prides itself on its customer service. Whether it’s face to face in our Showroom, on the telephone or via our website. We want our customers to be happy with their purchases and come back to shop with us. Faced with the difficulty of trading within a market which is inundated with ‘discounters’ where good customer service is rare, William Powell’s committed focus on customer service is clear to see, however or whatever you buy.
2. We stock over 2,200 different types of shooting related or country products and have a “depth” of stock, which no-one else has. We can occasionally run out, but it is rare given the size of our warehousing and the amount of stock we carry.
3. We are passionate about what we do and have a level of knowledge of our industry and an understanding of the products that is just not found nowadays.”
Why should people come and see you at the Cornbury Park Field & Country Fair?
“People should come and see us at the Game Fair because we will be exhibiting our famed range of Shotguns including both our Side by Sides and Over & Unders. Not only this but, you can get ready for the shooting season and grab yourself a bargain in our renowned Game Fair Clearance Sale which is packed with some great deals to include brands such as, Hunter, Barbour, Musto, Dubarry, Le Chameau, Seeland and many more. You will enjoy great savings on tweed shooting jackets, breeks, gilets and fleeces, as well as a superb range of country clothing to include, casual jumpers, shirts, trousers, ladies and children’s wear. Our Game Fair Clearance is becoming increasingly well-known and our customers look forward to it each year!
“You can also come and talk to us about what shooting you would like to buy, whether it be for Grouse, Pheasant or Partridge in the UK or overseas. Or discuss our renowned Shoot Management Service – we let or manage over 500 days Shooting a year on Shoots literally from Lands End to John O’Groats, so really know what we are talking about and would be delighted to try and help you.”
William Powell (www.williampowell.com; 01295 701 701)
To purchase tickets, and find out more about the Field & Country Fair at Cornbury Park visit: www.fieldandcountryfair.com
** Read more on the Field & Country Fair
