Differing opinions will definitely be found on this forum regarding HOS and the Gold Brothers, a lot of it negative. I have frequented their website and visited their stores in Edinburgh when I was there last spring, and they indeed do sell an awful lot of pretty crappy quality non UK made stuff----tat as they call it there. But before I became aware of and joined this forum, and before I knew much about the Gold brothers I ordered two machine made 16oz 8yd kilts in Marton Mills made tartans (Ancient MacDonald and Black Isle) and recieved good quality product at a good price (about $300US a year ago--would be about 25% less now) within a decent shipping time, and good communication. I have since purchased on special sales 8 yards of a special weave fabric at abour 60% of what it would have cost a kiltmaker to order it wholesale. a very nice well fitting lovat blue tweed jacket and waistcoat for about half of what others are selling them for ON SALE ($120), another 16oz 8yd kilt (Ancient Douglas) at about $240, and have recently ordered another length of my family hunting tartan at a great price during their after New Years 20% off sale, which should arrive sometime in the next couple weeks.

My dealing with them over the internet have been positive. When they could not locate my tartan in stock (as it had been listed their website) they went to the mill and had it custom woven for me at no extra charge--just a delay of a few extra weeks. When their source for the tweed jacket and waistcoat went out of business before completing my order they transferred it to another manufacturer who completed it quickly and at the same price point, with excellent quality. When they have a question or concern they contact you by email fairly promptly, and when you have a question you can prioritize it in their email cue by its improtance to you---urgent, soon, routine, etc...

Now I am not first hand knowledgeable about many of the other allegedly underhanded and frankly illegal things they have been accused of, as listed above and in other Gold Brothers posts. It does bother me that they seem to be constantly in the news for some shady dealings or another. I am very troubled by their retail sales tactics and products at their stores all up and down the Royal Mile and Princes Street-------cheap tourist crap flowing out onto sidewalks which are bombarded constantly by loudspeakers blaring unending celtic or bagpiipe rock and roll fusion out onto the street, and their in store customer service is "ccrrraaappp", as someone else here recently said.

But online I have been less troubled by it all, and continue to haunt their website for the occasional sale on something I want that I cannot either get or cannot get at anything close to as reasonable price as I can at HOS. The key remains caveat emptor. And trust your own morals and ethics about the other stuff. There are plenty of vendors selling lots of highland goodies beside the several Gold Brothers stores, with overall reputaions far less scarred than theirs.

Okay guys, feel free now to open the flood gates of ridicule upon my poor heathen soul.