Inverness Trophy Centre on changing customer needs

Scott McBride knows that keeping pace with customer demand is also helping the demise of his craft.

The family-owned Inverness Trophy Centre has been a mainstay of the city centre for more than 50 years.

From traditional sporting cups and medals, to quaichs, gifts and engraved jewellery, most local homes or organisations will have an item from the business.

Engraver’s art still in demand, but for how long?

While the hand engraver’s art is still in demand, technology is chiselling away at its long-term future.

Scott’s father William set up the business in 1972 in Academy Street and once employed five engravers.

Now the bulk of the work is done by computer. All hand engraving is carried out by just Scott and his wife Isobel who run the shop.

“It’s quicker, but it takes a lot of the skill I learned in a five-year apprenticeship out of it”, he said.

Inverness Trophy Centre is in Church Street . Image Sandy McCook/DC Thomson

It’s the biggest change over the decades for the business that serves customers all over the north of Scotland, and as far away at the south of England.

It has also sent hip flasks from its JustFlask website to customers in the US and Australia.

“Our customers require an increasingly faster service”, says Scott.

“I would never keep up with demand if I was engraving everything by hand.

“We had to speed up delivery to customers and investing in equipment has enabled us to do that.”

He said hand engraving a family crest on a signet ring could take him half a day.

A computer can do the job in 90 minutes and then repeat it in 10 minutes.

“We don’t do a huge amount of hand engraving now”, he said.

“People don’t want to pay for that time when there is a cheaper product.”

‘I feel sorry for my trade’

But increased efficiency comes with a tinge of sadness.

“Hand engraving is like drawing a picture by hand.

“You are able to see the artist’s brush strokes and the interpretation of what the artist is seeing.

“Everything is unique.

“With computers you get a precise, exact copy of the artwork which is replicated over and over and there is never a difference.

The shops sells a wide variety of trophies for a number of organsiations. Image Sandy McCook/DC Thomson

“I can see the difference between the two and it always makes me feel a little bit sorry for my trade.

“It’s dying out and will eventually disappear, or very few people will do it.

“I wouldn’t train anyone else to do it now. Computers make such a good job so we need ot embrace new technologies.”

Company divided in the 1970s

Scott, 50, started working as a 12-year-old with his father in the business.

It was originally called McBride Engraving and work included engraving welding plates for AI Welders.

In the mid 70s the company was split into two – Inverness Trophy Centre and McBride Signs, the latter still run by Scott’s brother Grant.

After leaving school Scott completed his apprenticeship with his father, but later became a full-time fire fighter.

He returned part-time and in 2006 Isobel bought the Trophy Centre.

The shop has customes all over the north of Scotland. Image Sandy McCook/DC Thomson

Trading at first online, the business was then based at Fairways for six years before moving to Church street in 2012.

Recently retired from the fire service, Scott is back in the family business full-time.

And yes, his retirement gift from colleagues, a fire fighter’s axe, was engraved at the shop, by Isobel.

Over the years, the company has literally left its mark on trophies and prizes for a wide range of organisations.

Around 45% of the business comes in May and June during schools’ prize-givings and sports days.

It also provides trophies and medals for, among others, the Royal National Mod, the Highland Cross event, the Camanachd Association, golf clubs and Highland Games events, some still seeking hand engraving on historic trophies.

Pros and cons of city centre location

Having a city centre presence gives the business increased visibility and passing tourist trade.

But, like others, there are issues.

“Parking is a problem, but not a huge problem”, says Scott.

“Where is becomes difficult is when people come in with a few heavy boxes and need to park outside.”

Other challenges, he says, includes keeping shoppers in the city centre.

The family-run business has been in the city centre since 2012. Image Sandy McCook/DC Thomson

“People find it easy to shop in retail parks which has killed a lot of the footfall, much of it tourism.”

More amenities for visitors, removing buildings in Upper Bridge Street and amending the plans to stop through traffic in Academy Street are things he would like to see for the city centre.

“We should give tourists somewhere to go.

“Why don’t we take down those monstrosities that are hiding the castle when we are spending so much to upgrade it?

“We could have bars and shops there where they could sit out with views over the most beautiful part of the city.”