Avenue Angling Fishing Tackle Shop

Author's product rating:   

Prices	Excellent value
Selection & range	Huge selection
Quality of stock	very good
Customer service	Excellent
Ordering facilities	very good

Advantages:	Excellent service, products, prices
Disadvantages:	You'll probably spend too much money

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Avenue Angling is owned by John Lambert and run by both John Lambert and Martin (don't know his surname).

Avenue Angling is located up Denbeigh Road in the Golden Triangle are of Norwich. If you can't visit the shop then I know that John does mail order, Call 01603 764004

It was one of my carp fishing buddoes that got me in to Avenue Angling. The way carp fishing was going had meant that carp super markets were being opened up just like Angling Direct. The personal touch was missing and it was impossible to obtain help and advice from knowledgeable anglers, instead you get served by YTS Saturday boys that don't know the difference between a boilie and a bivvy. It is good that all products are on display in that it is possible to see the size of the bivvy and what it looks like when it is set up, feel how heavy the rod is before you buy it etc. etc. but there is no atmosphere in these sorts of places.

After a diappointing visit to Angling Direct my mate took me to Avenue. The first thing I noticed was how small the shop was. It looked kind of pokey, and being out of the way in the middle of the residential Golden Triangle I wasn't too sure that it would have what I wanted. How WRONG I was.......................

The amount of stuff in the shop is unbelievable. There is everything that you will ever need and some. Avenue sells rods, reels, bivvies, rod pods, bait, clothing, foot wear, small items of tackle, alarms, bait boats, brollies etc etc. The list is endless. If you want it or need it then it will be Avenue. In the rare cases that it is not in stock then it can be ordered and will be ready and waiting for collection in a few days.

All top brand names are there including Fox, Daiwa, Shimano, Giant, Leeda, Shakespeare - all of them. And it is not just carp gear that is sold - pike, coarse, sea and game tackle is readily available.

You could spend hours just looking around at everything.

John and Martin are top blokes too. John likes his pike fishing and is always willing to help and advise on anything from where to fish, how to fish, the best tackle/bait etc.etc. I think John is also a bit of a sea angler. If you have a question then ask John. If he can help he will and he will always give an honest answer. This is not the case with most anglers, especially specimen anglers as they are very secretive!

Martin is a keen carp angler. And just like John he is more than willing to help and offer advice. Be warned though - Martin is the salesman of the shop and is always keen to get you to part with your money. He has made me do it many times over for a manner of all sorts of things. In fact, I bought all my carp gear from Avenue and it has cost me thousands of pounds (as any carp angler knows how much it is to kit yourself out). However, John and Martin are always up for a deal.

The price on the ticket is not always the price you pay. They always offer massive discounts for buying two or three rods as opposed to one. Same with reels. If you can find a product cheaper elsewhere - and that includes mail order, then they will match it or even beat it.

Once you are known in the shop then they will always knock something off the price - or throw in small items of tackle for free. It is like having an invisible loyalty card.

Avenue is a very sociable shop. The regulars go in, have a coffee and talk fishing, for hours. It is in these situations that you learn about waters, the best baits, how to fish the waters/tatics, what swims to choose etc. The regulars are a nice bunch of people and, like John and Martin, very honest with queries. They will not get you to buy rubbish or lie about what bait is working etc. etc. There have been many Saturday afternoons when we have just gone in to Avenue for a chat and a drink. We have walked in, stayed there for a few hours and then walked out empty handed - although walking out empty handed did not happen that often!!

In my opinion Avenue Angling is brilliant. It has all the top products and top brands under one roof. But, the personal touch is still there. John and Martin are always willing to help with any queries - and take your cash for top quality products!! There are too many advantages to list.

Forget about the rest - go to the best!