Fishing tackle shops to close for last time

A family business which runs fishing tackle stores in Bridgnorth and Ludlow will close its doors for the last time this month with the loss of four jobs.

Bridgnorth and Ludlow Tackle have been trading in Shropshire for 20 years, but current owner Neil Price has decided to shut after receiving 'substantial' offers for both stores as he considered a restructure.

Mr Price said Mid-Counties Co-Operative made an offer for his Bridgnorth premises on Mill Street, which could become a funeral directors, and

Majestic Wines approached him for the Ludlow shop on Bromfield Road.

Mr Price said: "My late father, Tom, and myself had been in talks over the last couple of years about ways of re-structuring the business, with the emphasis being on the internet as this sector of our business had grown substantially, especially in the last 18 months.

"We were toying with the idea of downsizing to perhaps one shop and running everything from there when out of the blue we were approached by two different parties acting on behalf of clients interested in buying the properties.

"We certainly hadn't envisaged selling up entirely and this was a huge decision not to be taken lightly as it affected so many people, not least the staff involved, and after 20 years of running your own business, there is always going to be an element of sentiment attached.

"In the end though the offers were just too good to refuse and so after much deliberation and putting sentiment aside, we decided it was the best way to go, especially as the long term future in retail is currently an uncertain one."

He said the Ludlow Tackle brand would most likely be resurrected in the form of a purely internet based operation.

He added: "On behalf of my dad, who is no longer with us, and myself, I would like to thank each and every one of our customers, old and new for their support."

According to Mr Price the Bridgnorth Tackle shop will close on May 26 to become a Co-Operative funeral directors.

The Ludlow Tackle store will close on June 2.

Majestic Wines said it was too early to estimate about potential jobs for Ludlow.