Walkers of Trowell

I was with my mate Tom for part of the weekend at Derbyshire, when he asked if I fancied a run up to Walkers of Trowell

They do not do a catalogue anymore but they do have a website.
What an Alladins cave of tackle it was, anything from flyfishing to course fishing, and I was especially pleased because it enabled me to pick up a few bits and bobs which I can not get locally. I have done mail order with them in the past, and shall be using them again in the future.
The staff which I think are a family run business were both curtiouse and knowledgeable.

I?m not too sure but I think the owner is related to **** Walker. Anyone know for sure?

Sorry, I forgot to mention sea fishing also.
With a House of Hardy for your fly fishing tackle.

I have informed the shop of our presence so mind your P's & Q's.

I used to think so, but a recent experience put me off them in a big way.
I run an angling club for a special needs school and we were invited to visit Dynamite Baits to look round their factory. It was a great visit and they showered us with bait!
We decided to round out the day out with a trip to Walkers, to stock up with a few bits of tackle. I went into the shop and asked the gut on the counter if he minded if we brought in the 6 kids with us (2 adults, 6 kids) - the shop being almost empty. I emphasised we would keep the kids close by and make sure they didn't get any 'free' souvenirs. He said it was ok and so we looked round the store, keeping the kids very close. My mate, who helps me run the angling club, spoke to me and said 'I think we had better leave the shop', when I asked why, he pointed out the counter assistants who were taking the pee out of the kids and making 'choo-choo train' noises because they were doing as told and following close to the adults.
We bought nothing, and never will again!

Dear Baz,

The shop was founded by John Walker, (no relation to ****) and Dave Barndens in the 60's. John sadly died of a heart attack whilst staying at a hotel during a salmon fishing trip with some friends a few years ago. Dave then took over the business which he runs with his wife and son along with their staff.

Shaun Harrison, the long term resident specialist expert who had worked for Walkers since he left school left Walkers recently to pursue a angling orientated career elsewhere. David, his son, and the rest of the Walkers staff are all expert anglers in their own fields.

I'm very surprised to learn of Grey Fox's experience and I'm absolutely certain that if Dave was made aware of it, heads would have rolled!!

I grew up with Walkers being my local tackle shop as my family home used to be only a couple of miles away across the meadows. The shop still has the original bell above the door it had on the first day it opened, but that once traditional smell of oil and maggots has long gone like most other old tackle shops. As kids, we used to cycle across the meadows to Walkers and buy maggots for fishing on the nearby "top-cut" or down the Trowell Boards to fish the Erewash Canal in the "hot waters" area. Great days when kids could have real adventures in much safer times.

I was in there myself only the other day catching up with Dave and the guys and as usual, came out several hundred quid lighter!

Regards,

Lee.

Nicely put Lee, Walkers is the only angling shop I will use in the area,(I am from Ockbrook) it is a traditional old fashioned Angling shop, where you are left alone to browse among hundreds of angling items covering every discipline within angling, and if they havent got what you want they will go through hell and high water to get it for you.
You will also get well informed advice from a knowledgable and friendly staff, who will not try to push on to you the most expensive item in stock as a lot of other shops would. As for Greyfoxs bad experiences with the staff, I am very surprised as they are all mature people in there and it may be a case of people misunderstanding each other, as Lee says I am sure if he contacts Walkers they would apologize unreservedly.

Baz, are you still going to get that fishing hat, the one that makes you look like freddy kruegar in halloween?

Hahaaa, I might do yet Tom, although I fancied the felt one.

Lee,
Tom pointed out the hot waters to me, I can't remember where we were but, he did mention that you lived in a cetain area as we were passing through. It ended up as an early morning tour, before we went fishing, but not before a quick brew in the Salt Box.
I particularly liked their advert -: we make real chips.

Dear Baz,

The "hot waters" or "Stanton Hot Waters" as they were locally known was situated along the Erewash canal in between two locks that were right at the side of the old Stanton Ironworks foundry. The factory walls used to come right up to the side of the canal and hot water used to spew from some of these pipes into the section of canal.

This spot was extremely popular with kids and adult fisher folk alike during the colder months because the fish would simply feed all year round. As kids we used to cycle down Moorbridge Lane when we were not going to Walkers and approach the hot waters via the canal towpath. Imagine the excitement when we cycled along in thick hoar frosts knowing for certain those plump roach were waiting for us!

Our old family home was actually in Bramcote on Ilkeston Road opposite Bramcote Park. There was some cracking fishing locally. The Stanton Estate had some great ponds, there was a choice of two canals, and Attenborough Gravel pits and the Trent were all within reach of litte peddling legs. Great days indeed when school summer holidays seemed to last forever. Incidentally Baz, I can remember the last of the steam trains being worked on the lines down Moorbridge Lane. When going over the railway bridge, which used to have a station on stilts at the side of it, one would get ingulfed in steam as the trains roared past. My Gran used to live on New Road off Moorbridge Lane and when I stayed there at night I used to lie in bed and listen to the shunting waggons down in the Toton sidings. Life was like an old black and white movie back then, simply boys own stuff!

Regards,

Lee.

Looking around the Dove and parts of the Trent is like Boys Own stuff to me Lee.
Miles and miles of river virtually untouched and peacefull, and lots of classic descriptions of swims I have only ever read about in the weeklies of yester year. I have never seen a river that can change so much, from the shallow gravelly swim or streamer weed to a fast and deep flowing river as both of these do.
Beautifull places they are, you are very fortunate to be on the doorstep.
But as I am getting to know them better with the help of Tom, my travelling time can be down to one hour which isn't bad at all, and well worth that bit of effort.

Never used the shop myself, but going by Greyfox's experience I never will do. How about e-mailing them a link to this thread?

At least it will give them a chance to investigate.

You never read my second post then Steve????

Lee,we have been in paralell circles mate,when I was 16 i had some money in a bank account from my grandparents and when that day came I asked my mum to take me to Walkers(I lived at chilwell)I think i had 80 quid which in 83 was a lot of money and I spent the lot in there on "proper tackle" used to haunt the Gravs on a leisure sport ticket,and the Trent at beeston and the marina at Sawley,me and my mates used to scramble on motorbikes at Toton sidings(everybody did)
Summer holidays cycling down to Trent lock or catching chub and roach from the erewash at long Eaton
Still love driving through the Stanton Ironworks remembering when I used to fish Sowbrook lake when it was a Deep water
Walkers is for me one of those shops that even though I don't use much now I still have fond memories of,and it hasn't changed at all-you really could spend a day in there.

Regards Matt

GreyFox,I have to answer what I feel is unjust and un-called for critism of the staff at Walkers of Trowell.
I am one of the 'counter assistants' at Walkers and although I can't personally remember you or your party of youngsters visiting the shop, I am sure your mate mis-read the situation. As another forum user remarked, the staff are all mature people and wouldn't take the 'pee' as you put it. In fact, the shop's owner does a lot of charity work for special needs children, as does another staff member. A couple of years ago the shop donated several hundred pounds worth of tackle to a childrens angling charity. One of our regular customers has a child with special needs, the staff always chat to him and sometimes joke with him. Is that ever thought of as taking the pee? If we were 'pee takers' GreyFox, would we doing these things? I think not.
If you were so aggrieved by what you thought had happened, why have you aired your anger on a public forum? Did you consider having a word with, or writing to the shop's owner first? Did you bother to check the facts before leaving the shop?

Phil Aylett

baz as you where at the saltbox i take it you looked at the Tutbury section of the dove nice isn't it ,i'am a drac member and we have a stretch there,fished it last week
did't catch owt though (well nearly hooked a salmon ! ).
i live at ilkeston and walkers is one of my local shops,i've never had a problem with the staff ( GreyFox you should off made a complaint/said something as that would be your right as pheelsteel said i know i would if any shopstaff did something that offended me.)they've always been very helpfull and patient as i always have a good look around but buy very little usually,it because they have such a great selection of gear .(nice to see you on here phil)