For farmers, horticulturists and fans of a country lifestyle, Sadler’s Agricultural is a bit of an institution in the Isle of Man.

’We can sell everything from a nail to a quad bike to a Barbour jacket’ is how the man himself, Bobbly Sadler describes the range of products he stocks. Its success over many years turns on its head a number of preconceptions about how a modern business should be.

For instance, although the it has a very smart website, the vast majority of sales are not done online.

That’s because everyone comes to ’Bobby’s’ for the personal touch.

They know that when they walk through the door, despite the fact that it always seems to be busy, they will be greeted by name and immediately asked if they ’have time for a cup of coffee and a chat’.

Not only that but Bobby is famous for ’doing a deal’ - if he can match or better a price, he will.

’That’s the personal touch,’ he says.

It’s a formula he has developed and stuck with for more than 30 years and it has worked.

It has also helped that he comes from a farming background: his grandfather, Bobby Clague, after whom he is named, farmed at Ballayolgane, in Agneash, where his parents still live.

He says: ’I mainly grew up there in my teenage years. I had always been involved in farming and had an interest in it and I wanted to get into selling things related to agriculture.

’So, as a 17-year-old boy, I started with a few fencing products and got this one single unit on South Quay which I rented off Douglas Gas back in the day.

’Their boss in those days, Chris Siddely, gave me a chance, he didn’t ask me for any security or anything.

’So we started with fencing: I had a few pallets on the floor and it was just me. I’d come in every day at 6.30am-7am and I’d spend all day getting stock ready, buying and selling, and doing quotations for people.

’Then, come 5.30pm, I’d load up Escort van, which also had a roof rack and a trailer, and go round the island delivering - I know all the locations of customers because of that.’

Thirty years on and he still deals with many of the same customers.

He says: ’The business has evolved with people and I’m dealing with people who are in their 80s now who have always been very supportive of me. And I’m dealing with their sons and their grandchildren - they always gave us a chance and they’ve stuck by us.’

An early breakthrough for Bobby came through an association with St John’s Sawmill: ’We asked for a wholesale discount from the head forester at the time, Robin Pollard, and he set us up, something they hadn’t done before.

’They said I could become an agent for them and they would offer us a discount so we could sell Manx timber.

’We were selling wire and we needed the tanalised timber fencing to go with it and it was very expensive to import, especially as we’ve got it on our doorstep.

’I’ve been an agent for them for more than 30 years now.’

From there, he says, the business has built up gradually over the years as he has kept on adding different products to the stock as and when people have asked for them.

’You’ve got to listen to what people want. We’re always looking for new products that come out and we’ve got some big brands like Honda, Barbour, Husqvarna, all the top stuff, with some cheaper brands as well,’ he says.

So it is that animal feeds, country clothing, quad bikes, gardening equipment, yard and work wear, equestrian supplies and trailers have joined the stocks of fencing equipment.

And that diversification, which has broadened his customer base, has of course helped to maintain the success of the business.

It also helped them get through lockdown as much of the stock was deemed ’essential supplies’:

’We were fortunately allowed to be open on a limited basis with all the proper precautions and we were able to keep the staff on because we had products like animal feeds.’

Bobby says he’s still an early bird: ’I probably come in even earlier now but it’s become a way of life, a bit like milking cattle. It’s about 10 or 11 hours a day but it’s fast moving and it does go quickly.

’The key to my success has been me and that’s because I’m here all the time and I’m interested in it, that’s very true, but the essence of a good business is that no one’s indispensable.

’I don’t want to create the illusion it’s been all me: a lot of my staff have been with us for many years and we couldn’t do it without them.

’As well as myself I get a great deal of help from Neil Elder, who has been with me for many years, Tony and Roz, John and Dave, there’s Barbara in the accounts office with Ellie and Jody and Paul in the workshop.

’And my father Robin still helps me behind the scenes: he’s a key person.’

When he does get away from the business Bobby likes to do a spot of gardening or take his Parson Russell terrier, Luna, for walks.

And looking back on 30 years of building his business, he adds: ’You get into a rhythm of dealing with things.

’It’s not all roses but I think by sticking at what I do and believing in what I do, that’s been a good ethos.’