Are there any ME Subscribers Here?

[districtgrandmaste]

houstonceng said:

Districtgrandmaster

So where from is it being sent ? The subsrciption.co.uk web-site still hasn't got ME or MEW listed so I still don't know to whom I should complain about my Sub.

Needless to say, I'm still waiting a reply to my E-mail to "Subscription Oxymoron" aka Customer Service.

Andy

[districtgrandmaste]

I called Encanta
10 Knoll Rise
Orpington
Kent BR6 0EL
and was told to call the 'subscription line' 0870 837 8600'.

Like I said - if its not here by end of next week I'm off to my Credit Card issuer for a refund!

[greasemonkey]

HI All
How much was a subscription to ME or MEW as I was under the impression that a credit card company was only liable for purchases above £100.

regards
Andy

[the_viffer]

greasemonkey said:

HI All
How much was a subscription to ME or MEW as I was under the impression that a credit card company was only liable for purchases above £100.

regards
Andy

Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 is the thing you quote and applies only to transaction the cash price for which including any vat is between GBP100 and GBP25 000.

[alanstepney]

I dont believe there will be any lasting problems.
ME & MEW have been sold to the new owners, the model titles were known to be profitable, and the Editors and most of the support staff are the same as before.

In any major change of ownership, especially following a period of Administation, there are bound to be teething problems.

I would wait a while and see what happens.

[NigelMuskett]

Well said Alan.

I cannot believe the winging that has gone on in this tread. Highbury have gone. If Sandown Park had been 2 weeks earlier IT WOULD HAVE BEEN CANCELLED but it only went on after the fees were paid up front. Incidentally I noticed most of the same crap tool/glue/window cleaner stands that were criticised at Sandown were also at Ally Pally

There was a hiccup as Highbury went under but the new owners have got the magazines back on track with the last one 2 days late, a bloody site better than Highbury half the time!!!

No wonder it is difficult to get through on the phone it is full of winging subscribers demanding an issue that is barely due out. (Its published date is this Friday) I have no doubt that ME and MEW will be in WHS for me by the weekend.

These have been successful mags for Highbury who used the profits from them to prop up the rest of the company’s failures.

I have no doubt whatsoever that what has happened will be the best thing for the success and improvement of both magazines. There was no way that I would have subscribed to Highbury but there is every chance I will now I can see that they are on the up.

If you want to be pedantic any previous subscription was to Highbury sue them they are so in debt it wont make any difference. Unless any deal included the obligation to provide the subscriptions paid to Highbury then they should be thanked for what they are doing.

As Alan said give them a chance they have only been there for a month.
Nigel

[houstonceng]

Nigel

I am very willing to "give them a chance". My main concern is with "whats happened about the subscription". It's the uncertainty of getting the next and future magazines.

Ok. I've had the latest issue of ME and the next issue of MEW is due on 03 Feb. If it arrives, ok. If not, I may not be able to purchase a copy from W.H.S. having, of course, given the distributor and Royal Mail a few days grace to deliver it. The same concern was voiced "at the club" last week.

I've got every copy of MEW from No. 1 to 111. It would be a shame to have missing issues in the set.

Past experience with ME has left me with a few missing issues over the past 20+ years and, try as I might, I haven't been able to "plug the gaps" (yet).

OK. I'm happy that Encanta have bought out HHC. More power to their elbows. It just seems strange, however, that, although I can 'phone the subsription number, I still can't access any details on the web for my account.

Call me a cynical old "B", but an old saying goes :-
"Catch me once, shame on you. Catch me twice, shame on me"
and I've been caught once already.

If they cannot fulfill the obligation then I would be happier to know this now so's I can make alternative arrangements - like paying for a new subscription or placing an order with WHS or even popping down the road to Encanta and "buying one over the counter" (You could do this when they was published from Swanley)

In summary, therefore, let me say that, like waiting in the dentists, it's the uncertainty of what might happen that gets one worried.

Andy

[spurley]

Regarding the delivery of issues, I subscribed on the 6th January (Happy Birthday Brian, I hear you say!) and still haven't received an issue despite being told I could 'back order' and the promise that a replacement set of issues were on their way last Friday! Still nothing on the mat

However I will watch and wait and hope, might even have a Guinness

Cheers

Brian

[Peter W.]

I've been buying "Model Engineer" for 30 years at my newsagent.
Maybe 2 copies didn't get delivered in all that time !

Recently, I've had 3 copies not being delivered in as many months.

Issue 4274 never appeared at all.
Issue 4277 is nearly a week late.

Are the subscription copies being delivered ?
Is anyone else having problems getting hold of ME ?

[Tony K]

Being new to the game I thought it was me. ME appears in WHS in Northampton sometimes - usually just before the next issue should be due, but not reliably so. Pretty elusive around the country I have found. I thought about taking out a subscription (soon be my birthday!), but it seems that may not be reliable either. Model Engineer Workshop seems to be better and suits my needs at the moment. Think Brian probably has the best solution - but I substituted Greene King IPA/Abbot Ale (nearest I get to religion) for the Guinness. Regards, Tony.

[baggo]

I took out a sub to ME about 15 months ago and must admit I've had no problems at all. The only hicup was about 3 months ago when one issue was late and arrived with the next one but no big deal.

The only thing you have to watch is that when they send you the annual renewal notice they try and charge you the full price, even though they are offering big discounts for new subscribers. All you have to do is ring them up quoting the latest offer and they will renew at the discounted price.

John

[GeorgeRay]

I'm on a 6 Monthly direct debit which has just had money taken out, but issue 4277 which should have come through my letter box on 3rd July has not arrived. I've contacted the subs department who said they would send a replacement which could take up to 7 days to arrive. This looks like another case of been there done that got the T shirt. I await with interest next Monday to seee whether I get 4277 or 4278 or perhaps both. Certainly other members of ADMES have had their copy of 4277 through the post. I suspect its actually the Post Office who loose it or fail to route the mail correctly.

[Ansty]

Hi all

Popping up once again. My subscription has been OK. The major newsagents cannot stock so many magazines these days because there are just so many titles. I am sure some are persuaded at different times to take some copies and so are available at times.
Just my opinion for what it's worth

Brian

[gwrfan]

Hi All,

I know it's no real answer, but I get my ME through a regular order with WH Smith's, and it's usually there every other Friday. Number 4277 was not there last week, and I eventually got it on the Monday. The previous issue, Number 4076, appeared in my 'box' twice! I keep meaning to take out a subscription, but late or non-arrivals in the post, as reported here, are making me keep with Smiths'.

Geoff

[spurley]

Hi Chaps

My ME subscription seems to have settled down nicely! I even managed to get my 'missing' copy from a fellow forum member.

It gets here, Northern Ireland, every other week on schedule and is waiting when I get home from my week away in deepest Luton!

I did write an email to the editor about the Ulster Museum article and it's omission of MESNI's facilities also on site at Cultra.

Looking forward to see if it gets published!

Cheers

Brian

[GeorgeRay]

HAppy to say issue 4277 arrived today from the subscriptions phone call. Its wasn't in the usual blue gey envelope so it obviously wasn't part of the mass mailing. That must still be going the rounds of the post office along with several other members copies I guess.

[SteveW]

Guys,

Having kicked this thread off a while back I got interested. Looks like I'm missing copy 4277 as well. I've just discovered the previous 4276 expired on 8th July and having been on holiday (Northern Italy by train, no rain for 3-1/2 months then it pisses down) I sort-of lost track of it.

[Peter W.]

After a lot of phoning by my newsagent, he got issue
4277 for me through the post this morning !
I'll have to get 4274 via. back numbers ...

So, panic over for the moment

[GeorgeRay]

I'm happy to say 4278 dropped through the letter box this morning so the post office got it right this week.

[SteveW]

George,

My 4278 turned up today.

Looks like I'd better get a nag o'gram off to them for 4277 before they get recycled into issue 4279.

Am I missing anything?