David Beresford, who runs Alan’s Fishing Tackle in Malvern Road, St John’s with his mum, says his family will continue to provide the valued, personal face-to-face service they have since the shop opened more than half a century ago.
Plans have been submitted to open a branch of Angling Direct in Lower Wick, just down the road from Alan’s which will mean the store will depend more than ever on the support of its loyal customers to compete.
Alan’s opened more than 50 years ago in 1972 on the corner of Malvern Road and Abbey Road, opposite what is now Sainsbury’s.
HEYDAY: Alan Reynolds (furthest left) outside the shop with friends and anglers, many of whom have now died but the business he founded carries on (Image: Supplied by family, used with permission)
The successful business was founded by his late step-father, Alan Reynolds, who died in 1993 but his dream was kept alive by Mr Beresford, himself an angler, and his 77-year-old mother (Alan’s widow), Ellen Reynolds, who still lives above the shop.
A look inside the store reveals a veritable Aladdin’s cave of what every angler or fisherman could want or wish, whether bait, fishing rods, pole floats, wagglers or waders or even just some friendly advice about the best fishing spots on the River Severn.
Almost every spare section of wall from floor to ceiling and every shelf, cupboard and cabinet is stocked full of items of all shapes, sizes and descriptions.
CHOICE: Alan’s Fishing Tackle in Malvern Road, St John’s, makes use of all available space to give ‘loyal’ customers a wide choice (Image: James Connell/Newsquest photos)
Mr Beresford, now 51, used to come to the shop at lunchtime from Christopher Whitehead School as a 10-year-old boy to help his family and has been working there full time since he left school at 16. He says many of his customers have been coming to the shop even longer.
Mr Beresford said, over the years, he had built up a specialist knowledge but also a ‘loyal’ customer following which was the lifeblood of the business.
“They’re not just customers. A lot of them are your friends. They are like a family. Some of them have been coming in since they were kids, before I was here,” he said.
LOYALTY: Alan’s Fishing Tackle in Malvern Road in St John’s has been part of the angling and fishing scene in Worcester for more than 50 years (Image: James Connell/Newsquest photos)
However, he feels fishing and angling more generally are in decline – they now sell around 20 gallons of maggots per week. Around 30 years ago the shop was selling 800 gallons a week at peak times.
“Fishing is going down and there’s no juniors, that younger generation, coming through. We have six or seven juniors that come in here,” he said.
The business does not run online sales and transactions are carried out ‘face-to-face’.
Mr Beresford also mends rods for customers and he prides himself on the shop’s price match policy although the profit margin has narrowed in recent years.
STOCK: Owners at Alan’s Fishing Tackle in Malvern Road, St John’s in Worcester, pride themselves on the range of stock they sell and their price match policy (Image: James Connell/Newsquest photos)
He added: “I’m confident in our regulars. We know they will stand by us. But of course, it (Angling Direct) will make a difference.
“We are determined to keep going. We can offer the knowledge and we know the waters. We know what the match lads want and what they’re after.”
His mum echoed this sentiment. She said: “Since they have heard Angling Direct is coming down there, they have said ‘don’t worry, we will always come in here’.
“This shop has everything an angler or fisherman could want. I have worked here all the time. I’ve never stopped. I’ve never had holidays.
“I do feel bad (about Angling Direct opening). If they do close us, I don’t know what I will do. I don’t think I could just sit and look at four walls.”
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If the Angling Direct did open, it would be ‘about 200 yards’ from Mr Beresford’s bungalow.
One customer, Byron Williams, 66, said he had been coming to the shop for over 40 years and valued the advice Mr Beresford gave him.
“If you’re short of something, you can come in here and get it. It doesn’t matter what you want, you will find it here,” he said.
Another customer, Richard Partridge, said staff at an independent shop like Alan’s had the ‘local specialist knowledge’ including the best fishing spots as he arrived to buy bait and renew his permit.
Plans for the Angling Direct have been submitted to Worcester City Council. An empty unit at the entrance to Venture Business Park in Weir Lane has been earmarked for the shop.
The unit, next to Screwfix, was previously home to CAP Industrial, a furnace spares and servicing business.
According to plans put forward to Worcester City Council, Angling Direct (AD) was founded by Martyn Page in Norfolk in 1986 and now has more than 40 fishing tackle shops around the UK.
We have approached Angling Direct for a comment.