NEWS
Increasing costs force York Cycle Show cancellation
Lack of advance bookings put the brakes on the sixty-year old show By Jonathon Harker
renewed vigour, including the much-quoted MAMIL market (middle aged man in lycra). Halfords’ new chief exec Matt Davies said
he wanted to raise cycling-related sales by 20 per cent and bike repairs by 25 per cent. He added: "Ninety per cent of our focus needs to be on auto and cycling as these markets are significant and, with good execution, we can grow our share as well as the overall market."
www.halfords.com
WITH ANNUAL costs climbing to over £50,000 and poor weather putting off exhibitors and visitors alike, the York Cycle Show 2013 has been cancelled. The show, run by a committee of cyclists on behalf of the CTC, has been hit by a combination of factors, scuppering its appearance this summer – despite having significant plans to tie into the Grand Depart of the Tour de France in Leeds next year. Perhaps most significantly of all, poor weather has hit recent instalments of the show – particularly in 2012 – making exhibitors and visitors particularly cagey over rebooking. The committee also cited that:
“Changes in retail patterns, personal leisure time and spend, and high travel costs have also affected the market. One of the show’s regular major traders went
MTB boost for UK
Key new mountain bike venues opening this year By Jonathon Harker
It won’t just be limited to MTB
MOUNTAIN BIKING is receiving a boost with key new venues and facilities opening in the UK in 2013. BikePark Wales, located in Gethin
Woodland Park, Merthyr Tydfil, has been four years in the making and is planning to open this summer. Initially there will be between six and ten trails in the BikePark, with a long-term plan to expand that number thanks to a full time trail crew. An uplift facility – using adapted military trucks – will carry riders and their bikes to the top of the hill, allowing riders to complete up to 15 downhill runs in one day, according to the founders.
enthusiasts either. There’ll be a 1km trail for families and children, with the centre The facility will also include a 400-
square metre visitor centre featuring a café, hire fleet hub and retail concession. Last month, Trek confirmed it would be providing hire bikes for the park – including the new Fuel EX 29 and Remedy 29 – in addition to an on-site shop which will carry Bontrager P&A together with select brands. Meanwhile, the Manchester Velodrome – home of British Cycling – has opened a 6.5mile MTB trail in the Clayton Vale Local Nature Reserve, adjoining the velodrome.
BikePark Wales will target experienced mountain bikers as well as novices and families.
Again catering to novice riders as well as experienced mountain bike riders, the trail includes a run designed specifically for disabled people, thought to be a UK first. British Cycling, through Sport England, has invested over £320,000 in the project, with additional funding from Manchester City Council, among others.
annual costs had spiralled to exceed £50,000. “The Committee
was hopeful that it could attract enough interest to break even this year. However despite extensive marketing, trade and visitors
into liquidation last year. All this reduced attendance plus depleted income and over time, the Committee’s financial reserves.” With the traditional Knavesmire site in the centre of York Racecourse susceptible to heavy rain and high winds, for which the show has to hire significant water and drainage facilities as well as meet ‘changing expectations of present day visitor and traders’,
confidence has not fully returned, and the number of advance bookings this year has proved insufficient for viability.” At present the Committee is weighing
up whether the show, which was first put on in the late 1940s, will be able to return in some form next year. The group had already discussed with CTC and Welcome to Yorkshire how best to tie into the Grand Depart in 2014.
www.ctc.org.uk/york-cycle-show
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