A short distance along the road to Cannich from the Inverness-shire
town of Beauly, a long-neglected church building opened its doors
once more in February 2005, as a fifteen-month labour of love reached
completion. Ffordes Photographic, a household name for photographers
throughout the UK and beyond, has a new home.
Readers of photography magazines will be familiar with Ffordes'
regular advertisements, with their columns of small print, listing
second-hand cameras, lenses and accessories. They conjure up an Aladdin's
cave, full of treasures to lure the unwary. The reality is more than
a match for imagination and has been responsible for the temporary
disappearance of many a photographer on holiday in the area.
For four years the "cave" was a former steading in the hills above
Beauly, bursting at the seams with camera equipment. Customers who
managed to squeeze through the door were greeted by wall-to-wall cameras,
floor-to-ceiling lenses, shoulder-to-shoulder assistants and an enthusiasm
that made light of the obvious difficulties of working in such cramped
quarters. Once in, it was easy to lose track of both time and the
way out - hence the disappearing photographers.
Ffordes was started by proprietor Steve Byford's father in Basildon,
Essex. The family was actually in the building trade - Byfords Builders
had originally been established by Steve's great-grandfather, taken
over by his grandfather and then by his father, Reg. After an accident
at work that almost crippled him, Reg turned his hobby of photography
into a business in 1960 - "I wasn't even born," Steve informs me when
I call to admire the new premises.
Reg steadily built up his trade, selling camera equipment from Basildon
in Essex to all parts of the globe, with a nucleus of local customers.
In due course, Steve joined him in new premises in Southend-on-Sea,
and they worked together for 15 years. When Reg died in 1995, Steve
took over, concentrated on the mail order side of the business, moved
it to Westcliff-on-Sea, doubled the size of the premises and eventually
realised that the price of success was a quality of life he didn't
want to lose.
There are about 600 miles between the Thames estuary and the Beauly
Firth. When Steve and his family swapped one for the other in 2001
it was, as he says, "with the romantic idea of living in the Highlands,
where I'd had many relaxing holidays over the years". A house near
Beauly "was the one for us…I could just see myself sitting on a terrace
outside the French doors with a cappuccino in hand, looking at the
view…" A grin crosses his face, as I tease that perhaps east coast
midges are less virulent than those of the west.
"The plan was to reduce the business. I was expecting to have 50
per cent less, to run it with my wife and stepson. The reality soon
dawned…the phones didn't stop ringing and my poor wife couldn't pack
enough parcels quickly enough." Steve smiles again as he recalls his
discovery that a successful mail order business doesn't depend on
its geographical location. But why take on a neglected, run-down,
leaking building, much bigger than the business required? Were there
not more suitable, ready-to-use premises in the area? The quiet romantic
steps in. " I did think once upon a time about going into the building
trade...I think I just fell in love with the building…the passion
for the building saw the project through."
The camera shop now has bright, spacious new quarters on the first
floor. At ground level the latest family venture, Beauly Gallery and
Gifts (with coffee shop), is already making its mark. Why a gallery?
It combines Steve's twin passions of art and photography, and sells
both, as well as a selection of crafts and gifts. In conjunction with
the coffee shop and restaurant, it's a pleasant place to linger while
the photographer of your party is occupied upstairs. From Ffordes'
point of view, it's a shrewd business move. A return visit to Aladdin's
cave is far more likely if the first hasn't brought a family holiday
to a grinding - albeit temporary - halt.
On a personal level, Steve feels that the local community now has
a better idea of who Ffordes are and what they are about. He has been
pleased with the positive response to the conversion of the old church.
"The building was virtually derelict for 40 years. It was encouraging
during the renovations to know that our efforts were appreciated,
especially at the low points. It's nice to see local people using
the coffee shop and gallery."
It's all a far cry from downsizing - Ffordes currently has about
70 per cent more trade than in 2001, but is still very much a family
business. Apart from Steve himself, stepdaughter Cherry manages the
gallery downstairs, his wife does the accounts and his stepson works
with him in the camera shop. By the time Steve realised that the family
team were overstretched and extra help was needed, a number of keen
photographers in the area had discovered the business and some were
looking for work. Five of them are now on the staff.
With over 20 years' experience as a photographer and retailer, Steve's
policy is to "treat customers as I would like to be treated myself",
and he chooses his assistants carefully. Ffordes' clients are mainly
keen amateurs and professional photographers, well-grounded in their
own particular field. The company has built up a reputation for friendly,
knowledgeable staff, who can "talk one-to-one…with the background
knowledge which is important." There is also a huge range of stock.
"You need to back up the advice with providing what the customer needs".
The shelves hold a vast variety of equipment: from compact cameras
at £50, to a limited edition Leica at £6,000, to the latest digital
equipment and everything in between, all in working order. The clients
are equally varied. "You never know what you're going to be speaking
about next or to whom."
Most of the trading is done by telephone and - it's true - the phones
do ring all the time. After the years of scrambling over each other
to answer calls, Steve and his sales staff are now supplied with headsets,
which means response is almost instant and dealing with enquiries
is much more flexible. I watch a member of staff go from shelf to
shelf, lifting down one lens after another, describing and advising
as if the customer were right there in the shop. Even if a phone call
doesn't result in a sale, someone who receives sound advice is likely
to make Ffordes the first point of contact in future.
Where are customers based? "As far away as south Australia. They
come to us because we're specialised and because we keep the specialist
equipment that they can't get on their doorstep."
What about all the used equipment? And why do people sell it to Ffordes?
Apparently most comes from the UK, with some from the likes of Australia,
Dubai and Singapore. People with items to sell appreciate Ffordes'
combination of knowledge and correct pricing. "You hear horror stories
of customers getting next nothing for equipment," says Steve. "We
aim to give a fair price."
During the course of my visit the staff are constantly busy, dealing
with enquiries, preparing items for despatch, inspecting the day's
delivery of used equipment and attending to a steady trickle of personal
customers at the reception counter. At intervals I am introduced to
a "favourite" from the shelves, and each time I hear the story behind
its arrival in the Scottish Highlands.
A tiny, matchbox-sized camera from the 1950s (a Mycro III A) has
just arrived that day, apparently in working order, though adult fingers
are surely too big to operate the controls and the film must come
from Gulliver's Travels. Set beside one of the biggest cameras - a
giant Linhof Technorama (617 S III), it demonstrates nicely two of
the many extremes of Ffordes' huge range of equipment.
I approach the limited edition Leica with some awe. In addition to
its status as an "Oscar Barnack Centenery Camera 1879-1979", it is
also covered with lizard skin, plated with 24 carat gold, inscribed
with its edition number 672 and couched on royal blue velvet in a
polished wooden case. This is definitely a collector's item and has
never been used - who would dare?
I am told of small bugs that like to eat the Balsam cement used in
camera construction. They crawl in, feed heartily, expand in size
then can't get out again, so crawl about the viewing screen looking
like the Loch Ness Monster. "No," Steve reassures me, "they don't
appear in the photograph", but many a photographer (including this
one) has diligently shaken a bug out of the way before releasing the
shutter. Nothing to worry about, according to the experts, though
they will happily remove such wildlife if it's causing undue stress
to the camera owner. Such a cheerfully enthusiastic atmosphere indicates
that job satisfaction is high. As Steve says, the challenge is to
"glean from the customer what they actually require, rather than what
they think they need…so that they end up getting the right equipment…they'll
hopefully come back because the advice will have been correct. There's
a lot of satisfaction in knowing that you do a good job and people
appreciate it".
I ask about the effect of digital photography on trade. Steve's response
is instant: "Digital has dramatically changed the business. Many former
film-using professional photographers have moved entirely to digital,
some are using both, some are going back to film from digital." This
last point is interesting, in that it sheds fresh light on the widely-prophesied
demise of film photography. "Whatever you read in the photographic
press is heavily weighted towards digital, but the truth is that it's
not for everybody…it depends on what you want to do with the end result."
Although sales of film cameras have slowed, the market for second-hand
film equipment is still a good one, and the trade in lenses - which
can be used on both types of camera - may even have increased. However,
Ffordes' stock of new equipment is now all digital.
Downstairs, Cherry is putting the finishing touches to a show case
as I pause for a welcome cup of coffee. I am impressed by the range
and quality of the goods she has chosen to display. Alongside the
paintings and photographs I note cards, glassware, toiletries, foodstuffs…all
of Highland origin. As Cherry talks about her hopes for the gallery,
and of the promise shown by the first few months of trading, I recognise
the Byford hallmark of friendly professionalism. If past performance
is anything to go by, the former church and its new occupants can
expect a thriving future.
I put one more question to Steve. Having failed to reduce his business
by 50 per cent, and having on the contrary, increased trade by 70
per cent, moved into larger premises, started up a new venture and
dipped his toes into the building trade in the process, what was that
about escaping from the "rat race"?
"Life is different. I used to drive six miles to work, it used to
take me 45 minutes. Now I drive a mile to work and it takes me about
three minutes. The job is the same job, in a better, less stressful
environment, in a more friendly community, fresh air, brilliant views…"
He's putting down roots? "Absolutely. I wouldn't move back, my heart
is here. My family have all settled into the highland way of life
and are loving every minute of it. The small things make a big difference."