One of Bristol’s most well-known and longest-running stores has announced it is going to close in a few months, citing the Clean Air Zone as the ‘final blow’ to its fortunes.
The army surplus store Marcruss has been the go-to place in Bristol for climbers and skiers to festival-goers and punks for decades, but will finally close its doors in the summer.
The store, on Hotwell Road in Hotwells, has been run by the Pinson family for more than 60 years, and was an army surplus and camping equipment store for decades before then too.
In a post on its Facebook page, boss Marcus Pinson and family thanked all its customers over the years, and asked for one last bit of support – to buy up the remaining stock over the weeks and months ahead.
“It is with a heavy heart that we write to inform you of the difficult decision to close Marcruss Outdoors for the last time this summer,” the statement said. “Unfortunately, the harsh economic climate has made it impossible for us to continue. Despite having weathered countless recessions and even the challenging lockdowns, the final blow has come in the form of the Clean Air Zone.
“It has truly been an honour and a privilege to serve each and every one of you. We will deeply miss running this shop, as it has been more than just a business to us—it’s been a place where we’ve been able to offer expert advice, exceptional customer service, and a sense of community,” they added.
“We would also like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to all those who have worked here over the years. Their loyalty, commitment, and hard work have been the foundation of our success. We couldn’t have reached the milestones we did without their dedication, and we consider both our customers and staff to be part of the Marcruss family.
“As we prepare to close our doors, we kindly ask for your support in helping us clear our remaining stock. We have some fantastic bargains available, and we would love for our loyal customers to benefit from these final sales.
“The closing of our doors will certainly be a loss, and we believe that the vibrant city of Bristol will feel a little less bright without us. Thank you for your support throughout the years. We will cherish the memories and are forever grateful for the opportunity to have served you,” they added.
Marcruss was a traditional family store selling a wide range of outdoor clothes and equipment. Marcruss was born when Frank Pinson and his son Trevor took over an existing army surplus store in the mid 1960s. Set across three floors, it has four departments selling camping and ski wear, workwear and wet weather clothing and boots. On the ground floor, the most popular items were the ranges of army surplus and Airsoft guns and accessories.
Trevor’s sons Marcus, Russ and Adam took over from him, and back in 2022, Marcus told Bristol Live it was getting to be a challenge for independent retailers, especially from the internet.
“We get an eclectic customer,” he said at the time. “When it comes to the workwear and waterproofs, we get scaffolders, ground workers and people who mow golf courses, as well as people on motorcycles.”
“We do have collectors coming in for the army surplus but not so much as we used to. I remember when we had piles of steel ‘Tommy’ helmets, but these days they tend to be found in army memorabilia shops rather than army surplus shops like ours.
“We have a safari-style pith helmet in the shop at the moment but I remember stocking ten of those and having to restock them a week later. Now you’re lucky to sell one in six months,” he added.
The range of army bags and waterproofs on the ground floor, and the camping gear upstairs, means that Marcruss Outdoors has always been a one-stop shop for festivalgoers, especially people heading to Glastonbury.
“We still get people coming in for festival clothing but it’s mostly wellies and ponchos,” says Marcus. “We also have bright yellow and orange festival camouflage trousers and jackets, which people are buying for parties and festivals,” he said.
The family had nine shops around the West Country back in the 1980s and 1990s, as far afield as Gloucester and Torquay, which consolidated to the one shop in Hotwell Road during the last recession. Back in 2022, Marcus did fear the worst with the then-looming Clean Air Zone, which would mean around the drivers of 20 per cent of vehicles in Bristol would have to pay a £9 charge to reach the store and its car park.
Speaking in May 2022, he said: “I think it could essentially kill us off because it starts from Ashton and unless people are allowed to come into this area, nobody’s going to shop in here.”
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