Liverpool Bicycle Co-operative
Liverpool Bicycle Co-operative started as a cycle hire business run from home four years ago. The original idea was just to get people cycling. Colin Trigg, founder, says: "I felt that, despite national initiatives, it needed to be pitched at a lower grass roots level. I also wanted to create jobs."
These days the Liverpool Bicycle Co-operative is a not-for-profit company, operating as a workers' co-operative, supporting individuals and organisations who wish to cycle.
Trigg adds: "Our mobile cycle hire service won awards and great feedback but we always wanted a permanent base to provide advice, hire and retail under one roof."
Through various contracts and contacts Trigg eventually opened a cycle shop and cycling advice centre in a reclaimed former warehouse. When the idea came to the attention of the UK MD of Giant Bicycles, it was a meeting of minds. Giant is the world's biggest manufacturer of bikes, supplying in the region of 5.5m units to shops every year.
Trigg's idea was to promote a greener way of travelling, offer advice on cycling and promote health. Giant were so taken with the idea that they decided to open a concept store - the first of its kind in Europe. Giant helped with the design and investment and Bike Beat opened on 1 June last year in the Novas building on Parliament Street in Liverpool, when the president of Giant came over from Taiwan and declared the shop 'the best bicycle shop in the world.'
Since he started, Trigg has created five full-time jobs, trained two staff as cycle mechanics and will be starting another two on the same path soon.
"Through our unique business model we aim to achieve 'trusted partner' status with organisations who have cycling objectives," says Trigg. "We try not to impose our vision on anyone else but shape a solution to our partners issues. Cycle hire alone is too seasonal, but a repair service with retail support should work, in the right location."
Trigg says he would like to open further stores in the city but the right location is crucial. He says: "Maybe landlords, developers, councils or business communities would like to partner us by providing us with the space and we would do the rest. Cycling is high on the agenda for environmental, health and transport reasons and having us in the area may have a positive effect on the community."
