Army surplus sales soar

Army surplus sales soar

Sales of army surplus have increased in the past few months

An East Midlands army surplus company says it is selling more supplies than ever to families who are sending them to soldiers in the Gulf.

Anchor Supplies Limited has big outlets in Ripley, Derbyshire, and on Meadow Lane in Nottingham.

The firm has been selling army surplus and ex-military equipment for 20 years, but claims turnover has increased rapidly in the past few months.

Anchor Supplies director Julian Hogg said: "There has definitely been an upturn in business - we have seen an improvement in jerry can and waterman sales and items of uniforms that are sent out to the Gulf."

Personal kit

He said families of military personnel who are serving abroad are buying the extra kit and sending it to them.

There is no shortage

Ministry of Defence statement

Staff say some families have been critical about the apparent shortage of supplies in the Gulf.

A statement from the Ministry of Defence said: "Services personal deployed to the Gulf are issued with appropriate boots - there is no shortage and many hundreds have been shipped out already.

"It added that some individual service personnel like to personalise their own kit and buy elsewhere, but this does not mean to say there is a deficiency in supplies."

Christine Gration of Anchor Supplies said: "Stocks have been low after a surge in demand, but we are increasing our orders to cope."