#LoveSaltash Issue 1 Love Saltash Issue 1 | Page 18

BUSINESS FOCUS

It's all about...

FIELD LEISURE

Each issue we’ll be finding out more about the people behind
the shops and businesses in our town. First up we have Paul
Addison of Field Leisure, who fell in love with Saltash several
years ago when he moved to Plymouth with the Navy.
How long have you been running Field Leisure, and how did you start?
Shortly after I left the Navy at the end of 2009, I started building websites and trading online in
Army Surplus products – demand has always been high because of the quality. We moved into a
retail premises up at Gwel Avon business park to hold stock as the business grew. The availability
of surplus products began to dwindle, and so in the last two years we decided to change our focus
to camping and outdoor activities. At this point, we chose the name Field Leisure and, six months
ago, the opportunity to take over the premises at Fore Street
came up. There was the added bonus of taking on school uniform
for Saltash, which we are expanding into a one-stop-shop as
my wife and I know, as parents, how difficult it can be traipsing
across to Plymouth to get school bits and pieces for children.

What do you like most about being based on Fore
Street?
Fore Street is a fantastic place – Saltash is a fantastic place – and
Fore Street is the hub of the community. Obviously, there have
been ups and downs for Fore Street, like any other high street,
but it’s got a great atmosphere. We feel very much part of the
community here, and are looking at projects to benefit the people
of Saltash, as well as working with other businesses in Fore Street
for mutual benefit.

What’s your favourite item that you sell?
Off the top of my head, it has to be the folding Firebox. It’s made in the US and the guys that
created it started it from a Kickstarter project to come up with a stove that collapsed and folded
flat but was a wood-burning stove. I saw it on YouTube, went to their Kickstarter page, got in
contact and said how much I loved the product. They sent me out a sample and I said I’d like to try
to sell it – I was one of the first importers of the Firebox, which, not surprisingly, is one of our best
sellers. It is an amazing piece of equipment that I’ve used a lot. It's a portable campfire, it’s great
for all ages and if you’re taking kids out and about, you’ve got a contained fire.

What’s your favourite outdoor activity in and around Saltash?

18

Something that we do as a family at the weekend is geocaching. It’s great for kids, like a treasure
hunt. It’s good fun for all ages, and is a great way of getting kids outdoors, doing some walking
and exploring new places and finding new places. Around Saltash, there are caches all over the
place – just look at the map (geocaching.com) and it’s free to register.

Saltash DIY & Home Decorating
Supplying all your decorating needs

HIGH QUALITY
CHALK TRADE PAINTS
FURNITURE

ELECTRICAL

SUPPLIES

BRUSHES, ROLLERS

& ACCESSORIES

PAINT VARNISHES POWER SCREWS, NAILS
TOOLS & FIXINGS HAND
FEATURE DECORATING
TOOLS
WALLPAPERS
GARDEN TOOLS
SUPPLIES & ACCESSORIES DE-ICING

DOOR
FURNITURE

SEALANTS &

ADHESIVES

BATTERIES

SUPPLIES

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK
Family business and friendly service

10 KEAST MEWS, SALTASH, CORNWALL PL12 6AR (by Co-op car park)

Tel: [phone]

Community Enterprises PL12 congratulates Backbone Media in
launching Saltash’s first not-for-profit Community Magazine

Calling all local entrepreneurs
Do you:
 have a business idea you would like to test?
 make saleable items or offer a useful service?
 hold excess stock you need to clear?
We offer space to trade on Fore Street with minim