Farm Diversification

According to the Clay Pigeon Association clay pigeon shooting in the UK has grown rapidly in the last decade. They claim that their membership has increasing by 180% in the last 10 years with the number of affiliated clubs increasing by 130% over the same period.

Most shooting takes place at member clubs (See the Scottish Clay Target Association website for a list of clubs in Scotland).

There may also be a growing demand for clay pigeon shooting facilities from groups seeking weekend entertainment, such as stag and hen parties, or from companies looking to entertain guests or employees. If well-organised, a large number of people can shoot in any one day and there is potential for spectator enjoyment as well. When establishing a clay pigeon business which is to be marketed to novices and proficient users alike it will be essential to have qualified instructors available to instruct the beginers.

Provision of training is a further potential source of income if qualified (see The Association of Professional Shooting Instructors website or the The Institute of Clay Shooting Instructors website for details about these instructors).  For a comprehensive description of all aspects of the sport see the Clay Pigeon Association website

Location of your proposed venture and topographical aspects of the site are all important. The site should be easily accessible 'remote' from population centres, but near enough to the potential market to make it attractive. A varied terrain means a range of 'birds' can be simulated, increasing the quality of the shooting.

For around 10 shooting positions there should be should be a minimum of 15 hectares for with a minimum safety zone of 275 metres (where there should be restricted public access). Shooting near overhead powerlines and telephone lines should be avoided.

There will be a need for traps and hides,labour - including a high level of supervision, sufficient car parking, etc.

Depnding on your target market there may be some need for visitor facilities such as changing areas, toilets, cafeteria,etc. and there may also be an opportunity develop complimentary facilities such as fishing, quad bilkes, etc.

Some aspects of course design are examined in some articles on the Clay Shooting Magazine website. It is advisable that the shoot is set up to avoid having to shoot into the sun - facing north or north-east. The shooting background will determine the colour of clays required - in darker wooded areas black clays prove very difficult to see and therfore orange, white or yellow clays are preferable. The CPSA recommend that adjacent shooting stands are separated by a minimum of 20 metres and stands should have notice describing the target orientation to the shooter. It is adviseable to have a range of target trajectories to provide the users with variety requiring different skills 

Consideration must be given to facilities and access for disabled customers.

The following costing information is general and current prices should be sought for budgeting purposes.

Capital Costs Basic traps £50 - £200

Automatic traps ~£1,500

Guns £450 - £2,000 each

Cages £10 each if constructed from pallets, etc up to £600

Car parking and any other visitor facilities

Hearing protection (muffs or plugs)

Shooting glasses

Shooting jackets

Advertising and administration must be considered

Insurance - it is advisable to have third party liability insurance of at least £2,000,000 for any single accident. You will also require Employers liability insurance (the Clay Pigeon Association have a list of affiliated insurers)

Casual labour £5/hour - £40/day

Clays 2 - 5 pence each with running costs per clay @ 9p - 15p

Cartridges £35 for 250

Gun fees per day depend on the area and quality of the shooting provided.

Guns can be charged per trap, clay or by the day.

Per clay a charge of 10p - 18p can be charged depending on quantity shot.

Cartridge prices vary widely start at about £3.00 for a box of 25, to £90 for a thousand.

Novices can be expected to pay £25 -£50 for introductory session and up to 50 clays.

Qualified instructors may charge between £20 - £30 per hour.

Selling refreshments will boost takings.

Safety - see the CPSA's advice booklet The CPSA Safety Guide. Covers all aspects of the safe operation of the sport, for ground owners and shooters.

Planning Permission - planning permission is required if the site is operating more than 28 days per year. For sites operating for less than 28 days per year no permanent structures are allowed to be erected.

Gun license and laws - unless users are shotgun certificate holders a police permit will be needed to allow users to purchase ammunition and be in possession of a shotgun under supervision (this comes under section 11(6) of the Firearms Act 1968).

VAT - Consideration should be given to any nearby housing to reduce the possibility of complaints about noise. Special consideration must be given to the VAT aspects of diversification as the new activity may not be treated the same as the existing farm business from a VAT stand point. It is strongly recommended that HM Customs and Excise National Advice Service (0845 010 9000 8am - 8pm) is contacted to discuss potential VAT implications of this new venture.

Through the Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP) 2007-2013 funding is now available for rural businesses throughout Scotland for diversification and renewable energy projects. Specifically, support is delivered through Rural Development Contracts – Rural Priorities which was launched in April 2008. For further information about what support is available see the Section on Rural Development Contracts – Rural Priorities.