Edinburgh Bicycle Co-operative, which currently operates six stores throughout Scotland and the North of England, has revealed that it is to operate the retail space in Manchester’s new Cycle Hub, which opens at City Tower next to Piccadilly Gardens when it opens on 12 November.
The social enterprise, which now trades in Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Leeds, Newcastle and Sheffield, says that it views the operation, which will also have a workshop and provide training, as a satellite of its existing Manchester shop in Rusholme rather than a separate store.
In line with that, the mechanics working from the facility will be the same as those staffing the Rusholme branch, but Edinburgh Bicycle Cooperative says that the new space will also enable it to expand its offer beyond that traditionally provided by local bike shops, for example by holding cycle maintenance classes.
Developed as part of Transport for Greater Manchester’s Commuter Cycling Project, the Cycle Hub will include secure covered parking for up to 200 bicycles with shower and changing facilities. Annual membership is available, and access to the site is via a swipe card.
The part of the premises where Edinburgh Bicycle Co-operative will operate what it terms “a cyclists’ convenience store” will be open to the public as well as those with Cycle Hub membership.
Steven Burke, Olympic gold medallist this summer in London in the team pursuit, was given a tour of the facility last week and said: “It was great to see the new hub facility at City Tower. It’s got everything you could ask for as a commuter, and hopefully it’ll encourage even more people in the city to ride their bikes to work.”
4 thoughts on “Edinburgh Bicycle Co-operative sets up shop in Manchester’s new City Tower Cycle Hub”
Very odd, given the location
Very odd, given the location that the rules ban users from parking bikes overnight. Piccadilly Tower is adjacent main tram interchange – trams don’t carry bikes and many have been disenfranchised when trams replaced the trains on the converted rail lines to Bury and Altrincham, and now to Oldham. Thus leaving bikes overnight at this cycle hub is actually the option most likely to be sought by a user.
For £200/year (premium membership) to offer I would have thought a secure cycle parking facility might have offered theft indemnity. The disclaimer suggests an uncertainty in the ability to deliver a secure cycle parking facility – should secure bike parks which charge for the facility offer inclusive ‘insurance/indemnity’ against theft and damage to bikes properly secured, in the facility.
Always good to see extra
Always good to see extra facilities for cyclists in town. Will it remove barriers to cycling for enough people to make it worthwhile? Hope so
Happily, my workplace already
Happily, my workplace already has secure cycle parking – though I think this is to be welcomed and If I worked elsewhere in town I’d certainly consider this (though the 5pm close on weekends/bank hols is a bit miserly). Also, Edinburgh Bicycle Cooperative are decent bunch who provider great service.
Now how about some real cycling infrastructure on the roads of ‘home of British Cycling’ Manchester? I’m still awaiting the long-promised closure of Oxford Road to cars (is this actually going to happen?) and many of the arterial routes are in disgraceful repair. One step at a time, I suppose.
Despite being a chain,
Despite being a chain, Edinburgh Bike co-op always seem a decent bunch when I pop in. Plus there’s (or used to be) a cute female road racer in there! :X