He was quite rude and dismissive with a few CBF members, myself included, at the Cricket Club Expo. I know everyone can have their off days but he was friendly and very chatty when he thought he was dealing with an everyday punter. As soon as anyone (I think as well as myself, nick Saunders, Scottish slogger and Matt from Vantage had a chat with him) steered the conversation toward bat making, his techniques, the provenance of his bats or anything along those lines his demeanour changed totally. To the extent that he flatly refused to talk to one of us, just stopped speaking and turned around mid conversation, and started talking to someone else.
Ultimately I don't really care if he doesn't make his own bats, or if he only finishes part mades from whatever source, or even just stickers up pre made bats. But to assume that every single one of his potential customers is going to take the stories he spins (see red inks comments about a press) at face value is a little optimistic. To go and get in a huff when someone asks a couple of probing questions suggests to me he doesn't do as much of the bat making process as he would have people believe.
As I said, I don't really care if a company makes their own bats, sources them, finishes them, whatever. But at least be honest about it, even if you can't name the source of your bats because of some clumsy Brighton based confidentiality agreement.
I don't have a lot of direct experience with the product, though it does seem on the pricey side. I must also say I don't hear too many glowing reviews, although on the whole, the lukewarm comments are not usually about the products themselves.
On the flip side Paul, looks like you have secured some nice looking bats, looks like you will need to buy in a couple more slat wall bat displays mate!