Sad news indeed. When I first started out stillwater angling in the mid '70s, Bob Church was at the vanguard of the coming reservoir trout bonanza. I can remember buying the very first copy of TF magazine and it was full of the impending opening of Rutland. God, how I wish I could have gone to Rutland, but as a spotty teenager with very little money and a moped, sadly it was beyond me at the time.
Bob Church, Arthur Cove, Steve Parton, Bob Carnhill were my gurus. I would have loved to lived around Northhamptonshire. If you can't actually do something, the next best thing can be to read about it. I consumed and regurgitated Bobs articles. Don't forget what he did to advance stillwater angling.
His forward thinking manifested itself in some fantastic value for money products. Drogues, rods, flies, lead core shooting heads, techniques and tips. Let's not forget too, that Bob was the first business to design and market the large arbour reel concept. With his Lineshooter reels, of which I still have several. He saw a problem and set about engineering a way round it.
Here's a couple of my Lineshooter reels. Over 20 years old. The yellow you can see on the black reel is 30lb Stren, shooting head backing. Another of Bob's tips.
In todays highly competitive, fast moving, web based tackle industry, perhaps Bob was a man of his time and was content to just stay as a family business.
This may sound like an obituary, in a way it is. The passing of one style of tackle dealing for which I will always be grateful for - the family run, go in for a packet of hooks and come out 6 hours later, cosy, gossipy, mug of tea, experience that sadly, is dying out. Here in Hereford, we had 3 family run shops, including the famous Hattons, that were game orientated. All, sadly defunct. Adapt or die, as they say.
Thanks Bob, for all you've done for us. Enjoy your retirement.
Bob Church & Co ceases trading
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