In reply to Post #45
Angling Direct that just get managers in who know nothing about fishing.
but its a business at the end of the day
and generally they have well stocked items at much cheaper discount prices

or you could go to your small local shop they may not have such a large selection and dont get anywhere near the footfall and can afford to spend time chatting and selling you something at the RRP for the max profit

Im Lucky my local is Harefield Tackle one of the best stocked shops you could get with larger items upstairs on display
and the staff are all Anglers too and I shop there whenever they come close to the online sellers but being on a pension I need to shop wisely

Is all this ‘soulless' managers in suits nonsense based on experience of going into a local AD or just the imagination?

I've only ever been into the shop in Slough and the shop in Waltham Abbey. Not suit in sight. Both of these shops are decent. Well stocked and staffed by young blokes talking about fishing.

If you wanted to I'm sure you could have a coffee with them, they are always friendly and helpful and clearly keen young anglers.

In reply to Post #46
Your not getting my point Gerry but yet have to argue with everyone if they don't agree with you.

I've already stated before I'm not slagging off Angling Direct, they do have a good selection of stuff and I'm lucky to have 3 shops within a 30 mile radius if i need to view or buy anything last minute.

Maybe I'm half the problem as 99% of the stuff i buy is from online, if a shop hasn't got a website/eBay page they will fall behind times.

In reply to Post #48
Gerry but yet have to argue with everyone if they don't agree with you.
you cheeky ****er ?
its a forum where we all have opinions ??? and debate things you need to get a grip go smoke another one ! get even more paranoid

and its about Angling Direct I have very limited experience only been in the Slough one the staff were helpful and it was very well stocked I bought the amazing loose pellet deal and as it was the opening sale I got a huge free goodie bag too lol

In reply to Post #49
you cheeky ****er ?
its a forum where we all have opinions ??? and debate things you need to get a grip go smoke another one ! get even more paranoid

Paranoid

We can debate all day long but if you don't like anyone's opinion you get all defensive, exactly the same as the Global Angling barrow thread on here and Facebook.

In reply to Post #49
I bought a catapult from Angling Direct online but had to return it, and went in person to a store (ex-Fosters).
Only one of the dozen or so they had, had an elastic that wasn't perishing. I took them all off the rack to the counter to show them, and they told me to put them back on the rack. That wouldn't have happened at my local tackle shop

In reply to Post #44
I get exactly that when I walk in my regular shop,get offered a brew have a chat with the owners and the other regulars.We chat about anything and everything,the local AD you're lucky if you get a grunt out the staff and they always look miserable as sin

In reply to Post #52
I go to my local angling direct although they are polite enough and helpful I do get impression that they are too busy to have a chat,because if you say something to them it is just a nod of head or few words,but still ideal for me as I know what I want when I'm going there so now I don't bother to try to have a conversation

To be fair, I have seen and heard some utter drongos going on and on and on about nothing at all to the poor people behind the counter at AD whilst a queue is building behind them. They must get the same kind of crap day after day. They're not obliged to have long conversations with anyone, and probably have much better things to be doing, like working.

In reply to Post #52
I get exactly that when I walk in my regular shop, get offered a brew have a chat

I bet they are all asleep on the counter after 10 minutes

In reply to Post #55
Never seen you in there,they are all united fans but I don't hold that against them

In reply to Post #56
I go to angling direct

20 years ago I worked in a tackle shop,a family business and I knew the family from when I was a kid.

Throughout the week I would make up rigs, changing them as and when or when people asked about them...I would put them in water in a small rectangular fish tank,pop up rigs,bottom bait rigs and choddys (the in rig at the time) I would also lay the components on the counter from various manufacturers that would make the rig....it went down a treat, the customers loved it,no pushy sales,just help...I didn't know and still don't know everything,but I would always help as much as I can.i loved working in the shop but my fishing time was the sacrifice...whichever way you look at it its still retail, its still working weekends and bank holidays....Everyone coming in would be buzzing,buying bait,terminal etc ready for their trips and you're in work, I made the most of it and on the whole did enjoy my time. This local tackle shop is no longer open, I think the online presence of bigger retailers took its toll....people locally are still gutted and its been shut a good few years now

In reply to Post #58
and they call it "progression" today

These days, they have to have an "open day" with some "superstar"

In reply to Post #58
Proper old school tackle shop that ❤️