Meade pricing in the UK...it is a scandal

I was recently on holiday in the US, and purchased a #1244 Meade
electric focuser for 71UKP equiv, (rrp UK is 149 from BCF).

I had the fortune of talking at length with the owner of a large
Telescope Store about the UK price situation. This guy was the owner
of a store and had been in the business for over 30 years. He stated
categorically that it was both Meade and BCF hiking prices, and that
he had many many UK customers complaining and buying gear from him to
ship back. Eyepieces, focuser etc he said had completely unjustifiable
prices in Europe (France and Germany get a worse deal in some cases
that the UK from reading Astronimie and Ciel magazines in both
countries). He stated that Meade would stop dealerships for any US
dealer shipping direct to the UK, and that even taking into account
tax, shipping and all other charges, the prices were blatantly being
fixed by both parties.

Some years ago, I also pruchased my ETX90 in the USA for less than
half the UK price (in fact my flight on Virgin Atlantic...AND the
scope cost less than the UK price) and it has worked perfectly for the
years I have had it. After 1 year anyway BCF would charge some
extortionate price to make any repairs.

Any other bits I normally get via ebay or astroads, again never having
any problems at all.

I wrote the UK office of fair trading who made some "investigations"
but could not conclude that BCF were price fixing "so they said". The
UK magazines such as Astronomy Now...well I wouldnt hold your breath
...as many feel the won't do anything to help.. to the massive
advertisemnt revenue from BCF. This is an ongoing and long standing
issue, and yet never a word in print has been published relating to
this matter.

David Hinds are more in line with what I would consider a normal price
differential between US and UK.BCF really do take the biscuit, and
whilst their instore staff are normally pleasant and helpful, the
phone office at Meade UK don;t even return calls when you make general
enquiries.

They (BCF) will be at the forthcoming SPA meeting in London (mid
January 2004), and I urge anyone who is a member of the SPA to attend
and voice your disgust at their price policies, as well as Meade's who
never even have the decency to reply to any letters sent relating
these matters.

It's enough to put people off Astronomy in the UK, and whilst their
are other manufacturers who make excellent instruments in both the UK
and mainland Europe, only Meade and Celestron have the premier and (at
least in the USA) affordable technology that most of us want to be
able to use.