Cycle café trailblazer Velo House of Tunbridge Wells announces closure
The latest in a string of bike retail closures, Velo House of Tunbridge Wells has announced that it will shut up shop and cafe by Christmas.
At the other end of the bike shop spectrum, earlier this week retail giant Chesterfield Cycles closed. The Velo House was a very different bike retail proposition and an early adopter of the cycling café model, scooping recognition in the UK Coffee Stop Awards.
“This has not been an easy decision but as nearly every advert ends these days, when the fun stops, stop,” said the a post to the firm’s Facebook.
Closing for good on Saturday the 23rd of December with a 10 to 4pm coffee and cake afternoon, the business will wind down with a final sale offering 25 to 60% reductions..
The is a silver lining in the announcement in that Velo House mechanic Mike will be setting up a new workshop only outfit.
“More details of this new workshop will be coming soon along with some special offers for getting your bikes ready for the start of 2018,” said the post.
“Alas for every tailwind and downhill run there are pesky headwinds and steep hills on any ride, with our energy stores falling low it is time to take some time off the bike before bonking completely and recharge our batteries. From every early break a few counter attacks will emerge and we hope a new group of riders will emerge with a new home for cyclists in the area,” added the post signed off by Olly and the Velo House Gang.
The store joins a significant list of others closed in 2017.