I'm responsible for discounts and the Cotswold Outdoors Discount has been in existence for 10 years or so since I set it up....

I've contacted other companies such as Go Outdoors. They have discounts with other organisations such as members or employees of the MOD, the Emergency Services, English Heritage, the Camping and Caravanning Club, DofE, The NCS or Online Youth Manager.

So if any LDWA members belong to these organisations you will be able to access additional offers through the member sections. If anyone wants to get a discount for your local group best to speak to the store manager and see if you can arrange something. They won't offer the LDWA any discounts..........at the moment!

In addition - or the same thing (?) - to a 'loyalty card', Cotswold Outdoor are among the many gear outlets which do discounts (theirs is 15%) on LDWA membership, and a code which is also valid for online purchases (they also do click and collect from nearest local store). See

https://www.ldwa.org.uk/discounts/discounts.php

for the discounters list, which also includes

Anquet maps, Craghoppers, Memory Map, Merino, Satmap, TGO magazine, Tracklogs.

(My recent experience of discounters includes only Cotswold.)

Iain

Yes I have twice taken back boots to Cotswold Outdoor without quibble and they are the same make, Salomon. The first pair lasted about 8 months and the second, bought in January, had worn through at the flex point and right through the fabric at the back of the heel to a hard edge by May when I again took them back and got a replacement. Recently other walkers seeing me wearing the Salomons straightaway asked whether I had problems with them wearing out ridiculously quickly, as they said they did.

I'm not a great one for spending cash on kit, I wear fell trainers costing under £30 for everything, live in them, running or walking - spending anything above £30 for walking shoes goes very much against the grain.

But during a short trip to Brecon at the weekend I decided to pop into Cotswold O. and see how much a pair of more comfy walking trainers would cost me (they call them "approach" shoes, whatever that means), I had no intention of getting my wallet out and when I saw the rows of trainers priced in £80 - 120 bracket I had a giggle, not likely.

But a pair of Salomon caught my eye reduced to £55, tried them on, they fit and were comfy so I went to pay. I told the assistant they were well over my budget and didn't expect them to last long as I destroy all footwear in weeks, but sod it, I would do them a favour and buy them at their extortionate price.

At which point the assistant told me that, if I have their "loyalty card" (Jane produced one from somewhere in the depths of her purse) the shoes have a 2 year guarantee against any defect at all. It is now company policy to replace if anything goes, stitching, sides, anything except wearing out the soles. He thought it was a potty company policy, as one keen local walker was on his 4th pair of free boots, but policy is policy!

So if you are a heavy user of walking boots/trainers buying from Cotswold may be a smart move, anyone else tried this out, is it as he says?