Fishing The Fly Scotland Forum

Mike Thornton

Re: Orvis Banchory
« Reply #60 on: 29/04/2017 at 16:10 »
With regard to Orvis I had a snoop around their shop yesterday.   For anyone who may be interested they are selling a good selection of Cookshill fly tying materials at 75% off.

Graham Ritchie

Re: Orvis Banchory
« Reply #61 on: 12/10/2020 at 10:19 »
I hear that the shop in Banchory is closing down at the end of this month.

Cameron deBoth

Re: Orvis Banchory
« Reply #62 on: 12/10/2020 at 10:59 »
I hear that the shop in Banchory is closing down at the end of this month.

I received an email about that today, sad times.

Mike Barrio

Re: Orvis Banchory
« Reply #63 on: 12/10/2020 at 14:16 »
Yes, these are very difficult times indeed  :z6

Steven Sinclair

Re: Orvis Banchory
« Reply #64 on: 12/10/2020 at 15:26 »
Perhaps I am alone on this one but for me the last few times I have been in I couldn't help but feel there was an air of "snootieness" to the shop...

For example I went in dressed in jeans and trainers and hardly received any assistance and the staff seemed disinterested. Conversely when I happened to pop past in plus 4s and tweed jacket they couldn't have been more helpful...

When car salesman do this I will instantly walk away. Fishing/clothing shops are no different.

 :z18

Steven.

Rob Brownfield

Re: Orvis Banchory New
« Reply #65 on: 12/10/2020 at 16:47 »
3. With Somers catering for the cheaper end of the spectrum, and the Loop outlets at Crathes and Insch allowing you to try on site before you buy, I’m not sure what niche Orvis occupies? The tweed-clothed affluent perhaps?

Orvis Banchory have always operated a try before you buy service, and even a "here's a rod, go and have a waggle over in the park" attitude if you are a regular customer. It was not unusual for me to be let loose with £1000+ of rod and reel knowing I did not have the means to pay for it (until a sale), :)

You mention Loop, but they are almost identical in range and price to Orvis and also offer no "low end" tackle, with both companies starting single handed rods at circa £230 going up to around £850.

Orvis and Loop are pretty much tit for tat on cost, performance and quality.  Where Orvis excels is on the warranty.  Loop advertises a lifetime warranty, but that is only on manufacturers fault. The first year of ownership has a "no questions asked" policy, but Orvis do that for 25 years.

I am certainly not affluent or someone who has fished the Tweed, but I get a coffee and a biscuit when in, and often spend time chatting and being made very welcome.

However, I entirely agree with the clothing and Dog side of things. The fishing seems to have been pushed out a little, and I know that's from HQ, not the managers that have tried to increase the tackle area. That has been a real shame.

I really feel for those who are about to lose their jobs, absolutely gutted for them.

Euan Innes

Re: Orvis Banchory
« Reply #66 on: 12/10/2020 at 20:08 »
Historically Banchory has never really catered for the "lower end " angler and all the owners over the last twenty five years have just tried to cater for the "rich" visitors. There was an exception during the Ben Dixon era in the Orvis shop and I believe the latest staff did try but orders from up on high are just that. They have just never really gone after the huge market that is the non salmon angler, or at least the non rich salmon angler.
When I heard that the shop was going I was not surprised. However, this is becoming a trend in Scotland. Now the Dee has two tackle shops to choose from, Somers and the Peake Brothers. Talking to a gillie friend of mine that fished the Tay this year, the House of Bruar is the only one between Inverness and Dundee, unless you fancy a drive to Blairgowrie to Crockarts or Flemings. Even Dunkeld has no tackle shop. Mortimers in Granton is the only one on the Spey, since Munros in Aberlour closed two years ago.
These shops are as rare as the salmon we are after and I can't see how the decline is going to stop. It would be nice to have a few wee tackle shops on all these rivers but in the face of internet shopping I don't think that will ever happen.
Can anyone see a way out of this?
Sad times indeed.

Euan

Ben Crichton

Re: Orvis Banchory
« Reply #67 on: 13/10/2020 at 07:38 »
Sign if the times. Take Aberdeen city centre as an example. My Brutal opinion is, why should I haul myself into town to look for parking space that's too small for modern cars, pay 4 pound for the privilege then go to a shop that charges me more for a product I can get cheaper delivered to my door? Maybe shop owners and councillors need to be a bit more inventive in enticing people to shops

Ivor Duffus

Re: Orvis Banchory
« Reply #68 on: 13/10/2020 at 08:46 »
Frank N Snaelda also selling LTS Rods, Lines, Reels  on Deeside. I guess you can try before you buy.

 

James Laraway

Re: Orvis Banchory
« Reply #69 on: 13/10/2020 at 10:01 »
Sadly every Orvis shop i has ever been to is not really a tackle shop. Its a clothing shop with a bit of fishing tackle on the side.

I think we are lucky up here in Inverness. We have Grahams, HIS have some tackle upstairs, the model shop in Dingwall and the one in Granton.

I try and use the model shop in Dingwall as much as possible even though i can most likely get my tackle online cheaper. Why ? I think its important to ensure they stay viable, and they are really nice people. Yes i dont but everything from there ( as they dont stock everything) but if I can I will.  The last stuff i bought from them was a wee spinning rod and lures for drop shotting, plus a few fly tying bits. Not big money but every little helps. They probably were a bit more expensive but what is a few quid ?

here goes with a wee rant on my major bug-bears:

Tackle manufactures - if you manufacture in china charge me 'made in china prices'. I'm simply not going to pay top $ price for something manufactured on the cheap in a country with an appalling human rights record. Take note Hardy.....

Amazon - wont buy off them as they don't pay tax , pay rubbish wages to staff etc. If you buy regular off amazon to save a few quid you loose the right to moan  about the state of the high street, the NHS and other public services lacking money etc

Apple - see comment on tackle manufactures. Plus they hardly pay tax...

so please support local business where you can and are able to  :z16

Rob Brownfield

Re: Orvis Banchory New
« Reply #70 on: 13/10/2020 at 14:35 »
Fair point on the price of tackle being similar. But if I want to try out a double handed Loop rod I can go to Crathes and try it on the river; similarly at Loch Insch  I can take it for an hour and try it for real on the water. I’m not sure if “a waggle in the park” really cuts it for me if I’m spending hundreds of pounds on a rod, hence why I’ve never bought from Somers either.

You could go down to the river as well. It was a 1 minute walk to the bridge.

Terry Coging

Re: Orvis Banchory
« Reply #71 on: 14/10/2020 at 12:20 »
Re UK manufacturers marketing Chinese tackle....
Unfortunately some blanks require volume to justify the investment required to achieve the desired result.  I also coarse fish and last year purchased a Drennan  Acolyte float rod. The blank and build quality is amazing for the price.  I can't source a UK blank that comes anywhere near to this one. I would be happy to pay the complete rod price for just the blank but it is just not possible.

Euan Innes

Re: Orvis Banchory
« Reply #72 on: 14/10/2020 at 23:30 »
I agree with shopping locally James. Fortunately I have Angus Angling  just down the road in Forfar, which is independent, great and just the best wee tackle shop (totally biased  :wink) and Neil Anderson can get most things for me.
Somers, nae a fan....
Depends where you live. The model shop in Dingwall is magic and I could have spent a fortune on models I DO NOT NEED  :z4
Great wee shop! And that is what we are lacking.. :mad

Euan

Ben Crichton

Re: Orvis Banchory
« Reply #73 on: 15/10/2020 at 07:33 »
Somers has new folk working these days and it's good now.  I used to dread going, found certain members of staff grumpy, unhelpful and rude. Graham's in inverness is a proper tackle shop. Mortimers in Granton also very good and helpful. Theres an angling active in Dunfermline I haven't been to yet but I'm keen to look

Loch Insch - David

Re: Orvis Banchory
« Reply #74 on: 16/10/2020 at 19:31 »
Orvis Banchory have always operated a try before you buy service, and even a "here's a rod, go and have a waggle over in the park" attitude if you are a regular customer. It was not unusual for me to be let loose with £1000+ of rod and reel knowing I did not have the means to pay for it (until a sale), :)

You mention Loop, but they are almost identical in range and price to Orvis and also offer no "low end" tackle, with both companies starting single handed rods at circa £230 going up to around £850.

Orvis and Loop are pretty much tit for tat on cost, performance and quality.  Where Orvis excels is on the warranty.  Loop advertises a lifetime warranty, but that is only on manufacturers fault. The first year of ownership has a "no questions asked" policy, but Orvis do that for 25 years.

I am certainly not affluent or someone who has fished the Tweed, but I get a coffee and a biscuit when in, and often spend time chatting and being made very welcome.

However, I entirely agree with the clothing and Dog side of things. The fishing seems to have been pushed out a little, and I know that's from HQ, not the managers that have tried to increase the tackle area. That has been a real shame.

I really feel for those who are about to lose their jobs, absolutely gutted for them.

 It’s a sad day when a local institution like Orvis closes, and I particularly feel for my good friend and Orvis Banchory manager Scott Rutherford. Great guy and I hope he gets sorted with something very soon.
 
 But as has been commented on many times over the last few years, the Orvis fishing section was getting smaller and smaller, and internet sales for clothing/country wear were dwarfing shop sales.

 Just for your benefit Rob, be a little bit careful when you’re stating your view of the Loop warranty please. Customer service and warranty is a crucial part of Loop.

 All our rods are LIFETIME warranty. If you break one in the first year, and we don’t care if your dog has eaten it, you’ll get a new section FREE either same day from one of our Loop centres such as Insch or TwinPeakes at Milton of Crathes. If you cannot get to a Loop Centre, it’ll be sent out next day delivery again FREE of charge. If you’re on a local water, we’ll deliver it that day if possible!

 After the first year, no matter how you break it, you will get a new section same day or next day. Should we not have a section immediately available, and the chances are tiny, we’ll give you an equivalent Loop rod to use until your section comes in.
 If there is a manufacturer defect, the replacement will be free. If it breaks by any other way, there will be a nominal service charge. That is lifetime!

 You do not need to send the rod away, you are fishing again immediately.

 We have dozens of demo rods from our ranges at our centres, that can be fished with for the whole day with a customers lines or ours, at Insch or on the river. We want customers getting a proper fishing experience with a potential new rod, and they can make an easier decision like that.

 David.

 

 




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