Bike stores take prime city locations amid cycling boom

Sports retailer Start Fitness has penned a deal to take a space on Newcastle’s Northumberland Street.

The location used to be home to Outfit, a store that brought together Arcadia brands Topshop, Topman and Miss Selfridge under one roof.

Start Fitness, which is based in the Northeast, will open on Newcastle’s most famous shopping street to sell a range of sports products including its extensive bike and cycling goods ranges, many of which are brands exclusive to the local area.

Electric bike firm Pure Electric has also opened its newest high street store in London’s Holborn.

The store will sell a range of electric bikes and scooters, which have become popular modes of transport during lockdown, and has a workshop for customers to bring their vehicles in to be serviced.

Pure Electric chief executive Peter Kimberley said: “This is such an exciting time in micromobility retail; we’re still just at the start of a revolution in our transport habits and the growth potential for the next few years is immense.”

“The government is getting behind this revolution, with bold plans, for example, on infrastructure and changes to the Highway Code, but more needs to be done.

“Electric scooters need to be legalised now; the country can’t wait another 12 months for the trials to end. We’d also like to see the Cycle to Work scheme promoted more actively.”

The cycling craze reached new heights in lockdown when the government ruled that people could only have one form of exercise per day, with outdoor retailer Halfords recording a 57% rise in bike sales over the lockdown period.