Industry Stalwart Gripping Beast Announce They Are Closing Their Doors
September 11, 2026 by brennon
One of the stalwarts of the wargaming world, Gripping Beast, has announced that they are going to be closing their doors. Started in 1996, Gripping Beast are going to be winding up their operations.
Gripping Beast's Announcement
In an announcement on social media and on their website, they said...
"Sadly, the time has come for us to admit that we unfortunately aren’t getting any younger, some of us are getting considerably creakier, and our small team has been reduced by recent retirements. So, after a lot of thought (and not enough tea), we have decided that it is time for us to close the doors at Beast Towers."
Whilst this is sad news, the team have said that the closing of the doors won't be immediate.
"The online shop will remain open for the time being, and we promise to fulfil all orders that come in. Eventually, though, at some point, we will have to turn sales off so that we can finish everything outstanding and get the last parcels out of the door before we turn off the lights."
The crew at Gripping Beast are hoping that someone could come along and take ownership of the business, especially considering the customer base that Gripping Beast has curated over the years and the wider number of ranges they supply.
"We would very much like to see the business continue under new ownership. There is a huge amount of history here, a substantial established collection of ranges and a loyal customer base around the world, so we would be delighted if someone came along and decided that they fancied taking on the rather enormous pile of miniatures we've spent decades creating and looking after."
I first became aware of Gripping Beast when I was getting stuck into SAGA for the first time. I snapped up a lot of their miniatures at Salute shows and really enjoyed their plastic kits. More recently, they have been selling the awesome Ragnarok Miniatures collection, which has been great fun to delve into.
If you'd like to read their longer, full statement, then you can check it out HERE. They have also been chatting with the community on Facebook if you want to share your thoughts.
What do you make of Gripping Beast closing their doors?
"The crew at Gripping Beast are hoping that someone could come along and take ownership of the business..."
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I’ve had the privilege of knowing the Beastie Boys (Andy and Darren) for almost 25 years. They are without doubt some of the most decent chaps I’ve ever met, inside and outside of wargaming. I wish them and all the other staff the best for the future. Am still in a bit of shock as I was planning to catch up with them at Beast Towers in a bit. A reminder, as if I needed it, not to put off things. There is nothing permanent under the sun
Wow; that’s a genuine shock. I hope someone picks up the brand – would be better than buying, say, a magazine.
Expect more of these small companies to stop as the guys in charge retire, because that’s the thing few will ever think about until it is too late.