The Electric Cycle Company, Edinburgh, has opened a new 4,000 sq ft electric bike store and workshop on Crewe Road North, which it says makes it the "largest specialist e-bike shop in the UK".
Over four times the size of their previous shop, ECC has created a "completely safe and welcoming" retail environment with enough space to display a much larger selection of both new and established electric bike brands, quality cycle clothing, and e-bike accessories, alongside a bespoke e-bike maintenance workshop.
Following an "extensive but challenging" renovation project during the Covid-19 pandemic, the new shop is a "far cry from the more traditional 'stack'em high' model of bike retail".
Customers can easily walk around the store while remaining physically distanced, the firm said.
The experienced sales team are able to safely deliver interactive and informative e-bike demonstrations and "talk throughs", matching the best e-bike to a customer's age, fitness and skill level, and general lifestyle.
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With bookable sales appointments "vitally important to an unpressured e-bike purchase experience" there is a reception and sales meeting desks, and with a dedicated, customer waiting area with a TV, coffee machine, and customer toilets.
Neill Hope, managing director of ECC, said: “I am so proud of what our small build team and the staff have achieved during the Covid-19 pandemic.
"The new shop is even more impressive than my original vision. The e-bike knowledge and the expertise in e-bike sales that we have accumulated over more than ten years has enabled us to create the most progressive bike shop in Scotland; a much more welcoming, comfortable, spacious and safe environment for our customers and staff.
"It just so happened that our long-term future proofing project dovetailed perfectly with the requirement for ‘pandemic proofing’.
“Having started the business in 2006, we quickly established ourselves as Scotland’s leading e-bike specialists, often being frowned upon by the purists within the bike industry who couldn’t see past 100% pedal power. We were just too leftfield. With our new shop we are again disrupting the industry by going against the grain of bike retail.
“Sadly, we can't have a launch party right now. However, the shop is open, and we look forward to welcoming all of our customers, new and old, who travel from all over Scotland and further afield to buy and service their e-bikes, when they can safely travel again.”
Mr Hope added: “With the UK Government’s Cycle to Work scheme and the Scottish Government backed Energy Saving Trust e-Bike Loan scheme to help with e-bike purchases, it is the perfect time to invest in an e-bike.”
Ben Macpherson, MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, said: “I warmly welcome the opening of the Electric Cycle Company showroom and workshop on Crewe Road North. It’s great that there’s so much local demand for sustainable transport and I commend the Electric Cycle Company for involving the community in the e-bike revolution, by offering free repairs during the pandemic, bike loans for Key Workers and support for local community groups. I look forward to visiting when restrictions allow and it is safe to do so.”
There are also plans for the ECC’s old shop on Granton Road. It is soon to become the base for a new Community Interest Company, Urban Initiatives, focusing on e-bike and e-Cargo bike hire, bike maintenance and training, together with local guided rides on eBikes.
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