On Tuesday, 1 October, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal visited Viking Arms, a leading supplier of shooting sports equipment in the UK. During the visit, The Princess Royal officially opened Viking Arms’ new warehouse facility, toured the company’s premises, and met with staff to learn about their contributions to the UK shooting sports industry.
The Princess Royal was welcomed by managing director Sam Macarthur, along with members of the founding family. The visit began with a presentation on the company’s operations. Viking Arms specialises in the supply and distribution of rifles, shotguns, ammunition, optics, and accessories to the UK gun trade, serving gamekeepers, wildlife managers, fieldsports enthusiasts, Olympic shooters, and competitive target shooters across the country.
Her Royal Highness was shown the company’s newly licensed warehouse, designed for the secure storage of firearms and ammunition. During the tour, she spoke with Andy Norris, head of sporting sales, about the role of gamekeeping and wildlife conservation in UK countryside management. The Princess Royal was also introduced to the latest Leupold rifle scopes and discussed various calibres and types of ammunition available in the UK market.
Andy Norris, head of sporting sales, commented:
“It was an honour to host Her Royal Highness. Her deep passion for the countryside, combined with her extensive knowledge of wildlife management and conservation, was evident throughout the visit. Her insights, drawn from personal experience, made the day truly memorable.”
Throughout the visit, The Princess Royal met with staff from various departments, discussing Viking Arms’ commitment to supporting the evolving needs of the UK gun trade.
In addition to officially opening the new warehouse, The Princess Royal presented an award to long-serving employee Janet Dinsdale, recognising her 48 years of service. The visit concluded with the unveiling of a commemorative plaque to mark the occasion.
Sam Macarthur, managing director, expressed pride in the visit:
“We were deeply honoured to welcome Her Royal Highness to Viking Arms. It was a privilege for the entire Viking family, including our founder Mrs Brown, to share our journey with The Princess Royal. She took the time to engage with our team, showing genuine interest in how we support the UK gun trade and our commitment to maintaining the highest standards of professional service and gun safety. We are incredibly grateful for her visit.”
Founded in 1965 by the late Geoffrey Brown, Viking Arms has grown from a small family business into one of the UK’s leading distributors of firearms, ammunition, optics and accessories. The company operates in two key divisions: defence and sporting. Viking Arms is a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant and a recipient of the Ministry of Defence’s Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Silver Award.
You can read the full November 2024 issue below:
