Cambridge bike shop closes just 5 years past centenary year

Ben Hayward Cycles of Cambridge has announced its closure just five years past its centenary celebrations.

In a post to its Facebook page, the store wrote: “Ben Hayward Cycles have enjoyed being a part of the vibrant cycling scene in Cambridge for nearly 105 years. Much has changed in that time, cycling use has oscillated, trends come and gone – remember when we rode round town on mountain bikes! We have always tried to concentrate on service, offering the best advice, customisation, hopefully a friendly easy route to a bike that fitted your needs. But the High Street has changed, retailing has changed and despite our best efforts, we find ourselves fighting to survive let alone thrive in our saturated Cambridge/World marketplace.”

The store will trade until Christmas, starting a clearance sale on the 28th of this month.

2016 has proved an incredibly tough year for the UK bicycle business, with businesses long-standing, large and small closing up or being acquired. At the very least bike shops are increasingly being forced to adapt.

Back in August Neil Armitage, formerly of Pelican cycles outlined the many fold reasons he felt the independent bike shop was struggling at present.