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Veals of Bristol RIP

Steve Lewis

Senior Member
I've only just found this out (and by sheer accident to boot), but Veals - one of the oldest tackle shops in the country - permanently closed it's doors about five weeks ago.

I know it's VERY trying times for all brick and mortar tackle shops, but I honestly thought that Veals would weather all of the problems given the quality of their fresh coarse and sea bait, the variety of stuff on the shelves, and the specialist knowledge of everyone who worked in there, especially as they had bought up the rest of the floor of the Brunel Rooms they were located in, and last summer were in the process of expanding the shop floor area (more carp and sea stuff if memory serves). Alas, it would seem that the current virus issue put paid to all that (and/or expanding the shop may have been ill advised and a bit foolhardy?).

So that's another one gone.
 
Bob

Yes, they are, but their online store (which I think I'm right in saying is Veals in name/partnership only and is otherwise a completely separately trading entity) has always been a bit limited in comparison to most other online retailers. In fact someone "on the inside" once told me that the shop was subsidising the online store. But that was several years ago and, I must admit, I've not taken a browse on the online shop for ages (preferring instead to go into the shop itself).

EDIT - in fact having looked just now, it would appear the online coarse stuff has gone along with the shop. Sea only.
 
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Really sad - me and a couple of friends used to get the bus down there almost every Saturday, in the mid/late 70s, and ogle at all the tackle on display (which we couldn't afford). Loved the place!
 
Sad news, I have always said if you don't use your local shops, you will lose them, I have only used mail order about 6 times but it seems every man and his dog buy online.
 
Must be tough to develope the mail/Internet order side but its a must these days
 
Rumours were abound for the last couple of years that they were in trouble, their stock of rods and reels were diminishing, no new stuff coming through, freezers half empty etc you get the picture, and every time I went in there less and less people were about and one time I was the only one in that huge shop, Tony Rixon who worked in there is now at premier angling in keynsham but have no idea about the other staff, they were good guys and I hope they get other jobs..
The car parking must have cost them a fortune as it was chargeable but veals would pick up the tab for your parking..
they always had a massive sale around feb/march with genuine and very generous discounts, I picked up some real bargains over the years, sad to see them gone but they were not exactly local for me, probably 25 mile round trip and right by bristols biggest shopping centre so i always had to think about the traffic..
we have Bristol angling centre which is excellent, a new Angling Direct shop is opening in channons hill fishponds on Monday 15th, premier angling in keynsham is a large shop and 3 or 4 smaller independent shops I can think of off the top of my head so unfortunately for veals the Pandemic was the last straw that broke the camels back.. as said R-I-P Veals otherwise known as "Practical Fishing"
 
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