The perilous state of Britain’s independent tackle shop sector was brought into sharp focus last week after BobCo Tackle, one of the nation’s leading outlets, announced that it was closing its doors for the last time.
With a large online presence, reputable 24-year-old brand plus a sizeable, well-stocked unit offering an diverse array of tackle in Leeds, BobCo seemed, from an outside perspective, to be doing everything required of a modern-day shop to survive.
We contacted the owners to find the reason for the closure and were simply told that the company was in administration and that they couldn’t reveal any further details.
BobCo’s exit highlights the harsh reality that, for the vast majority of the UK tackle market, life is incredibly hard.
By contrast, the Angling Direct group continues to grow, with its latest trading update showing that revenues rose by 7.6% for the UK business in Q2 of 2024.
Having opened its first store 20 years ago, the group now operates 52 across England and Wales. In addition to expanding its UK footprint, the company’s customer loyalty club, MyAD, has also proved popular and now boasts over 300,000 subscribers. Such is their success that CEO Steve Crowe is confident the firm will achieve its ‘medium-term UK revenue target’ of £100m.
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Harsh realities
Such lofty ambitions are far from the reality for Britain’s much-loved independent stores. Tom Humphreys runs The Tackleshop Project – a social media page showcasing the nation’s independent outlets. He’s incredibly passionate about them, and has travelled the UK talking to store owners and hearing about the issues they face.
“I didn’t expect BobCo to close and was similarly shocked when Future Fishing in Newark shut earlier this year,” he told us.
“Both were shops filled with character, had great fishing on their doorsteps, and knowledgeable and passionate staff. When I think about what allows other tackle shops to survive, something I’m seeing more and more are shop owners not paying themselves a wage,” he added. “These are often family businesses, making just enough to keep ticking over. Of course, that isn’t sustainable.”
Tom believes that, to save the independent tackle trade, a ‘call to arms’ is needed in the wider angling community.
“We need to get behind these shops if we want them to survive – it’s as simple as that. With the floods we’ve seen already this autumn, business is tricky for many shops that rely on the custom of river anglers. The sad reality is that this could be the last winter for lots of them.”
Background threats
Alongside the issues of increased bills and a customer cost-of-living crisis, there are some new trends in angling that Tom reckons are also hitting the industry hard.
“I have great concern about the rise of ‘field testers’ for small companies producing cheap and often low-quality bait and tackle. These companies employ a vast army of these people, who get a small discount, generally between 10-20%, on products. As a result, the so-called testers are not going to tackle shops and buying kit,” he explained. “Then there’s the brands that are bulk buying tackle from China then repackaging it and selling it on for a profit. These not only affect our tackle shops, but also established brands that invest time and money in product development.”
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Secrets to survival
It’s often believed that trading online is the key to success and survival in the modern world, but for W.H. Lane & Son, that isn’t the case.
The Coventry shop is an industry icon, having been opened in 1936 by Billy Lane Snr, father of England’s first World Champion, Billy Lane.
“While selling online works for other retailers, we’ve found that it can end up as becoming a race to be the cheapest, so in terms of profitability, it’s not worth it for us” said the shop’s current co-owner Tom Lane.
“We also like to have interaction with customers, so we can see what they want and tailor our advice to suit their needs.
“Of course, that can be done online, but we much prefer to do so in person.”
Lanes is also famous for the quality of its bait, with many anglers travelling for miles to get what are commonly regarded as just about the best maggots and casters around.
“Our bait is a draw, and selling top quality livebait is key for an independent tackle shop,” Tom added.
“Once people are through the door, they may also then buy other items of tackle.”
In terms of the challenges they face, Tom revealed that an overall lack of people actually going fishing is among their biggest concerns.
“Over Covid, both fisheries and tackle shops were busy, but things have changed since,” he explained.
“Many venues have started using pre-booking systems, which can deter spur-of-the-moment anglers. Plus, I think that if you look at society in general, there are lots more things for would-be anglers to do, and while a day’s fishing often still costs less than paying for parking in a big city, the cost-of-living crisis is impacting people.
“The bad press surrounding sewage in natural waters must also be putting people off. Ultimately, we need more people fishing and going fishing more often.”
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