Oh No! Fosters sold

[fishplate42]

Angling Direct have just bought Fosters of Birmingham.

One of the best tackle retailers has now become part of a huge business - I fear the worst, but let's wait and see.

Ralph.

 

[thecrow]

That's a shock, I was in there the other week and didn't get the usual friendly service in there the chap that served me was a miserable bu$$er, maybe that will change with the new owners

 

[fishplate42]

That's a shock, I was in there the other week and didn't get the usual friendly service in there the chap that served me was a miserable bu$$er, maybe that will change with the new owners

Maybe he knew what was coming.

From being the largest independent tackle shop in the UK, it will now become just a part of a much bigger 'box-shifter' I assume the new owners will replace the excellent staff with lower-paid workers with limited experience. I hope I am wrong but it seems to be the way retail is going all over the world.

With multinational retailers like Toys-R-Us, in the USA, filing for bankruptcy at this time of year I can understand why the owners of FOB have decided to sell.

Ralph.

 

[thecrow]

The place always felt less friendly right from the first move from the smaller place in kingstanding to the larger place a mile down the road where you could never park, less intimate, where they are now is a bit cliquey with some that worked there preferring to lean on counters talking to mates rather than serve customers who were standing waiting to be served, I prefer Banks and Burr in rugby and at about the same distance for me from both its only when I was in the brum area that I would go to Fosters because of this attitude, maybe some of them will wish they hadn't been so bloody rude now that it could be to late for them but I doubt it.

 

[nottskev]

I'm sorry to hear that. Only bought a few items, but always good service and price. Last year, after a mail-order cock-up, they resolved it very much in my favour. The sort of flexibility and discretion I associate with independent shops, and not available at the sorry-that's-company-policy Tesco-type giants.

 

[steve2]

I visited an Angling Direct store at the weekend it carried loads of stock but it would appear that this one was aimed solely at the carp angler very little tackle for other species and not very helpful staff. Hopefully your one will be different.

 

[puffer_]

I've used Angling Direct's online shop quite a bit. Service has always been good and prices seem about right.

Not had any experience with Fosters

 

[sam vimes]

I can't get upset about a tackle shop I never visited, and never found a good reason to mail order from, being bought. That might be different if it was being closed down or was more local to me.

It's not that long ago that AD bought Climax. That was a shop that I'd visited and mail ordered from. I didn't manage to come close to getting my knickers in a knot over that one either. (Though the knowledge that certain brands would be cleared for rock bottom prices at certain times is sadly defunct)

I've never visited an AD shop. I have bought the odd item from them, but not regularly. When it comes to what appears to be their closest competitors, Fishing Republic, I've never knowingly bought a thing from them. I did visit one of their more northerly branches, but was deeply unimpressed.

The only issue I have with the multi-outlet/mail order big boys is the homogenisation of the market (and prices). So many of their shops seem to be packed to the gunnels with budget gear from the same old brands. Finding top line stuff, or gear from "minor" brands is getting harder and harder.

 

[Peter Jacobs]

I visited the shop a few years ago and was impressed with the staff; they all were knowledgeable anglers who seemed to be well schooled in customer service.

I do hope the place doesn't change too much now . . . . .

 

[103841]

Watched this happen when Jessops started buying out lots of indie photography shops, professional expert staff replaced by kids, really saddens me.

 

[maggot_dangler]

Well speak as you find i use AD for a good 90% of my fishing needs now their maggots are always in good condition the staff helpfull pleasent range of stock is quite good .

I walk in and am always greeted with hello pete unlike some other places where if you aintplanning on spending big you may as well not bother walking in and these are not BIG places either ..


PG ...

 

[fishplate42]

How about this for a real piece of business talk, straight from the script of 'The Office'.

Darren Bailey, CEO of Angling Direct, commented: "Fosters is a long-established and very successful business with a loyal customer base and knowledgeable team. The acquisition will be earnings enhancing from day one and validates Angling Direct's long-term strategy - to consolidate the fishing tackle market whilst expanding our business through acquisition.
"We look forward to working closely and supporting the Fosters team with the integration over the coming months."

Do you remember when milk from different cows tasted different? Then they homogenised and standardised it to make it the same or very similar.

"...to consolidate the fishing tackle market whilst expanding our business."

In other words make it all the same, selling all the same gear that is bought as cheaply as possible and sold as fast as possible.

The accountants have moved in while the anglers have gon fishing. Go on Angling Direct, buy up everything in sight and build a huge company that will probably just make a louder noise when it in all crashes to the ground after all the assets get stripped.

It is not just in our area of interest this is happening. The whole retail sector is moving to become box-shifters. They call it progress, they say they are only responding to what the customer wants. Yeah right!

How many of you want the big independents to be "Consolidated" into the big national chains?

Ralph

 

[103841]

You could well be right Ralph and it's for this very reason that I think it's necessary to stock up whilst we can. I've made a start with another rod on order, perhaps I should get another reel to go with it.

 

[fishplate42]

You could well be right Ralph and it's for this very reason that I think it's necessary to stock up whilst we can. I've made a start with another rod on order, perhaps I should get another reel to go with it.

Any excuse, I dunno...

Ralph.

 

[mikench]

How about this for a real piece of business talk, straight from the script of 'The Office'.

Darren Bailey, CEO of Angling Direct, commented: "Fosters is a long-established and very successful business with a loyal customer base and knowledgeable team. The acquisition will be earnings enhancing from day one and validates Angling Direct's long-term strategy - to consolidate the fishing tackle market whilst expanding our business through acquisition.
"We look forward to working closely and supporting the Fosters team with the integration over the coming months."

Do you remember when milk from different cows tasted different? Then they homogenised and standardised it to make it the same or very similar.

"...to consolidate the fishing tackle market whilst expanding our business."

In other words make it all the same, selling all the same gear that is bought as cheaply as possible and sold as fast as possible.

The accountants have moved in while the anglers have gon fishing. Go on Angling Direct, buy up everything in sight and build a huge company that will probably just make a louder noise when it in all crashes to the ground after all the assets get stripped.

It is not just in our area of interest this is happening. The whole retail sector is moving to become box-shifters. They call it progress, they say they are only responding to what the customer wants. Yeah right!

How many of you want the big independents to be "Consolidated" into the big national chains?

Ralph [/QUO

I certainly don't ! I refuse to go to any coffee chains for reasons of expense and poor quality coffee; I make better and I am not even a barrister ( pun intended)

It's a world wide phenomenon thus making all high streets look the same. One goes to Kefalonia or Venice or Nice for good local food not McDonalds or KFC or Subway! If we don't support independent shops they will disappear! We are in a race , not to the top but to the bottom!

 

[103841]

When I moved to Whitstable in 2011 is wasn't long before I realised there was a fierce campaign to keep the town independent and they've had their successes, noteably kicking out Tesco who had planned to open a coffe shop in the town.

The beauty of the town is it's quirky little shops, we have a sewing machine shop, a hardware shop that sells fork handles and a shop that sells nothing but vinyl records. Until a few years ago there was also a model shop selling trains, planes and Scalextric but sadly that's now a carpet shop.

As the pressure grows the supporters grow weary as one after another the "big boys" find their way in, Costa, Iceland, Sainsburys to name but three. It will be a sad day if someone like McDonald's replace Wheelers, most probably the best seafood cafe in the south.

 

[steve2]

I suppose it is the way of the world big fish swallow little fish and we have to dance to their tune. Unfortunately for the non-carp angler tackle shops like the one I was in at the weekend will stock only what they can sell not much different to Tesco and small shops will disappear.
Reading the CEO words this is what they want to do.

 

[thecrow]

How many of you want the big independents to be "Consolidated" into the big national chains?

Certainly not me but some of the local tackle shops in my area that have closed down have deserved to close, some were like walking into a saloon in an old black and white western, every thing going quiet when you walk in makes you feel very uncomfortable, then theres the one that has a permanent I've done this done that type that says everything very loudly in order to impress the disciples that have gathered round him, shops where you are ignored while the staff continue their conversation ignoring the customer, imo the only local (within 20 miles) shop that will survive in this area are the ones where this doesn't happen.

There is a large very well known tackle shop fairly near to me that I wont use because of the staff, the angler that started it would turn in his grave if he knew what it was like now.

 

[mikench]

When I moved to Whitstable in 2011 is wasn't long before I realised there was a fierce campaign to keep the town independent and they've had their successes, noteably kicking out Tesco who had planned to open a coffe shop in the town.

The beauty of the town is it's quirky little shops, we have a sewing machine shop, a hardware shop that sells fork handles and a shop that sells nothing but vinyl records. Until a few years ago there was also a model shop selling trains, planes and Scalextric but sadly that's now a carpet shop.

As the pressure grows the supporters grow weary as one after another the "big boys" find their way in, Costa, Iceland, Sainsburys to name but three. It will be a sad day if someone like McDonald's replace Wheelers, most probably the best seafood cafe in the south.

I hope not John as Whitstable is lovely including the oysters. We had thought of moving there to be nearer our daughters but I doubt that will happen!

 

[mikench]

I suppose it is the way of the world big fish swallow little fish and we have to dance to their tune. Unfortunately for the non-carp angler tackle shops like the one I was in at the weekend will stock only what they can sell not much different to Tesco and small shops will disappear.
Reading the CEO words this is what they want to do.

But which do you prefer a 2lb roach or rudd or a 20lb carp?