Tackle shops

Ray Roberts · Feb 1, 2012

I am in the market for a new light float rod and I was looking to buy one from the Drennan range. I called into a local shop in Penge that I had found really good in the past. To my surprise there was a notice in the window saying it was shut. I found out from another tackle shop that the shop had been closed since the beginning of January, so I would expect it's gone skint. The other shop didn't have what I wanted, so I looked up most of the tackle shops nearby and was astonished at how many had ceased trading, I looked on the web site of Bury Hill Fishery and they had a list of tackle dealers, but when I rang around about half the numbers were dead or didn't respond. I found it worrying that so many had shut. The one in Penge surprised me the most as the staff were superb and it seemed a very well stocked and run shop. It may be the Internet has done for them, but if you are buying a rod, its a personal thing and not everybody's ideals are the same.

You can't waggle your rod on the Internet. Oh, middle son tells me that you can, but its the quickest way to pick up a nasty virus.

Are we about to see the demise of the local tackle dealer?

bankside · Feb 1, 2012

As well as Lostock Tackle Box closing recently,I think that the shop on Steeley lane in Chorley has closed too......what a shame.

beerweasel · Feb 1, 2012

I'm afraid it isn't looking good for your local tackle shops, the web will kill them.
Maybe they should diversify and start up an anglers cafe.
Tescos do the same to your local Grocers,Butchers and Fishmongers.

maceo · Feb 1, 2012

I think they'll survive - they just need to adapt.

I think there'll always be a demand to have fresh bait and smaller items of tackle available locally and immediately, but whether that'll be enough to support a business in an expensive high street shop as now is another question.

Perhaps what we'll see instead in the future will be just bait suppliers selling off a table in the indoor market rather than full blown tackle shops?

terry m · Feb 1, 2012

I agree with Maceo. Shops must adapt or they will run the risk of falling further behind.

The smart shops are combining web sales with local sales, furthermore the smart shops are competitive in pricing, and if the service and local information is good then they will indeed survive.

The tough economic times are driving business closures across several sectors, tackle shops are not immune.

ronroach · Feb 1, 2012

It's not looking good for the local tackle dealer. As mentioned above the tinternet is killing them off. Use it or loose it I'm afraid. it's not only tackle dealers it's all small businesses on the high st. Times are changing and the situation is not reversable I believe. At the end of the day we, the consumers, are causing the change by buying online. Are we going to stop now? I don't think so!

Ron.

Ray Roberts · Feb 2, 2012

ronroach said:
It's not looking good for the local tackle dealer. As mentioned above the tinternet is killing them off. Use it or loose it I'm afraid. it's not only tackle dealers it's all small businesses on the high st. Times are changing and the situation is not reversable I believe. At the end of the day we, the consumers, are causing the change by buying online. Are we going to stop now? I don't think so!

Ron.

There; are/were, two large tackle shops near where I live. One: Danson Angling, a large shop but with a seemingly thriving Internet side of the business, downside; pee poor service by guys who would clearly rather be doing something else and additionally next to no product knowledge. Another: Anglers Base. not much of a web site but really good personal service good stock and service that would take a lot to better. Guess which one has gone t1ts up. Bl00dy shame. I won't go in the first again if I can help it. In fact tomorrow I will rather drive a round trip of Sixty miles than deal with a bunch of total to55ers.

S-Kippy · Feb 2, 2012

terry m said:
The smart shops are combining web sales with local sales, furthermore the smart shops are competitive in pricing, and if the service and local information is good then they will indeed survive.

That's it in a nutshell...internet prices are there for all to see and local shops have to be competitive. They dont necessarily have to match on line prices,just get close enough.Fortunately my main local shop worked this out a long time ago. Their bits & bobs are a bit pricey but I understand why and I dont begrudge this if it means an excellent local shop survives.

soffit · Feb 2, 2012

S-Kippy said:
That's it in a nutshell...internet prices are there for all to see and local shops have to be competitive. They dont necessarily have to match on line prices,just get close enough.Fortunately my main local shop worked this out a long time ago. Their bits & bobs are a bit pricey but I understand why and I dont begrudge this if it means an excellent local shop survives.

Perhaps they need to cooperate as well as compete? Bulk orders from a number of shops. Can't be impossible.

Paul Morley · Feb 2, 2012

Shops are even more doomed if they employ gimps with no retail ability; the norm is surly monosyllabic apes who would clearly rather be smoking a fag if they could legally - oh the days of fume-filled tackle shops; it is EXTREMELY competetive, why don't they wake up? I actually avoid most of my local shops for reasons like the above, even a pint of maggots is a chore to them.

sam vimes · Feb 2, 2012

Even though it will be a big inconvenience to many local anglers, there are plenty of small tackle shops that don't really deserve to have any customers.
People will often suggest that you "use it or lose it", perfectly valid but it rather suggests that the customer owes them their custom simply because they are local. Shops go down the pan when they don't cut the mustard. That's down to competition or just plain bad business practices. Neither are the fault of the (potential) customers.

Mr Cholmondeley-Corker (PaSC) · Feb 2, 2012

Paul Morley said:
Shops are even more doomed if they employ gimps with no retail ability; the norm is surly monosyllabic apes who would clearly rather be smoking a fag if they could legally - oh the days of fume-filled tackle shops; it is EXTREMELY competetive, why don't they wake up? I actually avoid most of my local shops for reasons like the above, even a pint of maggots is a chore to them.

Spot on!...............

itsfishingnotcatching · Feb 2, 2012

I have four tackle outlets within ten minutes drive (Strike, J & P, Mal Storey's and Blackheath Fishing tackle) and the service from all of them has always been good with some excellent advice on venues. The critical factor seems to be the range of available tackle on the market, no one small supplier can carry all the stock, all of the time, so each will carry a small percentage of what they anticipate will be the equipment with the highest turnover. This seems to be carp tackle in my area as when buying float rods, on one occasion I bought off the internet (Angling Direct) and the other from Fosters in Birmingham (Shop and internet).

Lord Paul of Sheffield · Feb 2, 2012

There are 3 tackel shops near me - 2 sell pet food as well to keep going the 3rd is recently opened in an industrial estate - good range of goods

no-one in particular · Feb 2, 2012

There is maybe another point. Pre-forum days we went to the local tackle shop to see whats being caught, were to fish, have a chat with the owner etc and then maybe buy something. Now we come on here!

Peter Jacobs · Feb 2, 2012

Similarly there are 2 quite local tackle shops but these too sell either cycles or other sports goods.

I by-pass both on the 15 mile trip to Reid's Tackle at Witherington Farm Lakes which is very well run and well stocked too. If there is something that they don't have then it is ordered and available by the following weekend.

Dave Moody who runs the shop is an exceptional angler and is always very free with help and advice if you ask him.
His Son undertakes all of the Internet Saels and the maintenance of the web site which is also very good.

A trip to see Dave is always enjoyable, and there is a cafe on site so a cuppa and a bacon sarnie is de rigueur . . . . . . . . . .

no-one in particular · Feb 2, 2012

Pre-forum days; we used to go to the local tackle shop to have a chat with the owner, see whats being caught, find out where to fish etc, and maybe buy something in the process. Now we come on here!

bankside · Feb 2, 2012

Paul Morley said:
Shops are even more doomed if they employ gimps with no retail ability; the norm is surly monosyllabic apes who would clearly rather be smoking a fag if they could legally - oh the days of fume-filled tackle shops; it is EXTREMELY competetive, why don't they wake up? I actually avoid most of my local shops for reasons like the above, even a pint of maggots is a chore to them.

That rings a bell........I live outside Preston but I shop at Pickerings of
Burslem,[I work round there]great staff,a good laugh,everything has a price tag on it and no ones skulking around trying to avoid you........:wh

Lord Paul of Sheffield · Feb 2, 2012

There was a forth tackle shop within 5 miles but it shut about 3 years back - owner sold decent gear at good prices but just 1 shop too many in close area

mark brailsford 2 · Feb 3, 2012

billy Clarke in Sheffield combines shop sales with internet sales and also does a MASSIVE range of spares online too and seems to be doing allright...Well he is about the only dealer left in the city! If you pay a visit to billy's you will really see why he does so well, for a medium sized shop his range of tackle is out of this world!
I have been in the shop at lostock and to be honest it is no wonder he has closed, a very miserable guy and hardly anything in stock!

Mark

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