John Bate commissioed a small website back in 2005 for his fledgling angling holiday, guiding business in the Algarve region of Portugal. This served for a couple of seasons to get him started, but it soon became clear that the business needed a bigger and more efficient website to manage the information that was coming from trips with customers, testimonial, and ever developing new venues and hotels.
In to 2009 Hooklinks undertook a complete rebuild and loaded all the existing data into a new Content Management System that had the scope to develop to match the aspirations of the business, allow regular editing and updates with a blog of news as it was happening.
In late 2009 a new section was added that promoted property for local clients and businesses, this utilised much of the hidden features of the holiday site, adding the benefits of a Google map showing the locations of the properties and allowing a closer look at the area by any prospective home buyer.
Occasionally only beaten by “paid for” listings, which shouts loud about the value of good SEO!

My Name is David Batten, I have been working as an illustrator since 1985, working freelance for various individuals and publishers (Crowood, EMAP ) producing angling book and magazine illustrations. In 2000 I had a chance to go full time and set up Hooklinks to manage my work life after 30 years in engineering.
In 2001 it became evident that there was a wider market for my skills when asked to do some packaging work for 2 tackle and bait manufacturers, Korda and Innovatebaits. The latter was to see my skills pushed into web design and development.
Today all of these skills are used to provide support for a wide range of angling, fisheries and related businesses. On the journey I have taken on insurance, mortgage and NLP businesses as clients, all of whom continue to use my services today,
My angling illustration has come a long way from those humble days in the mid 80's as you will see in the various pages of my website.
David Batten 