http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Topic: Bike Shop Closure en Mon, 06 Apr 2026 05:06:30 +0000 http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12175&page=2#post-152972 Sun, 11 May 2014 10:51:45 +0000 Nelly 152972@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Out with friends last night, one of whom used Bike Repair man regularly, sad it closed.</p> <p>On the plus front gave rave review to Cycle Service, also handy for his workplace at council HQ. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12175&page=2#post-152793 Fri, 09 May 2014 20:01:06 +0000 Charterhall 152793@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>C&amp;G Cycles. Does the G stand for Gregor ? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12175&page=2#post-152357 Wed, 07 May 2014 13:47:36 +0000 crowriver 152357@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Yeah, can we take this over to the White Paper thread? Ta. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12175&page=2#post-152355 Wed, 07 May 2014 13:44:20 +0000 calmac 152355@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>I think there's a small but genuine chance we'd get more local governance in an independent Scotland, because civic Scotland know that it would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to radically shift power down to local levels. I think independence would lead to people thinking "ok, now what will we do with it?" And I can see decentralisation as a part of that. I just think there would be an appetite for serious constitutional change. </p> <p>But there's literally no chance of it at present, because all people here is "more councillors, more bureacracy, more layers of government" and the debate is over. </p> <p>I don't blame our political leaders for not being radical when most people would be against it and the shreiking loonies in our newspapers would go ballistic. </p> <p>As for cetnralisation, true, the council tax freeze means even less money being directly raised. But lifting hypothecation in 2007 opened up a lot of freedom for councils. But I wouldn't want more powers or money for the councils as they are - I'd want restructuring to create town, district and community councils first with real power.</p> <p>Anyway... good luck to all LBSs! </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12175&page=2#post-152354 Wed, 07 May 2014 13:42:46 +0000 crowriver 152354@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Maybe we should take this to the <a href="http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=11722&amp;page=30&amp;replies=882#post-152352">"other" thread</a>? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12175&page=2#post-152347 Wed, 07 May 2014 13:27:06 +0000 Instography 152347@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"All or some of these could be possible in an independent Scotland, to create better accountability, and check the imbalances of power resting mainly with central government."</p> <p>Wrong thread but what's the chances of that happening? With it's freeze on council taxes, Scottish local government finance is more centralised than ever. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12175#post-152343 Wed, 07 May 2014 13:22:02 +0000 crowriver 152343@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Anyway, I hope the new bike shop owner does well. ;-) </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12175#post-152341 Wed, 07 May 2014 13:20:55 +0000 crowriver 152341@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>The whole unitary authority structure we have now was a Thatcherite exercise in prising (mostly Labour at the time) power away from the old regional authorities; centralising power at national level; gerrymandering; and "efficiency savings", ie, cuts.</p> <p>Most countries have a layered structure:</p> <p>- local (equivalent of our community councils but with budgets and real powers.<br /> - regional/city (like the old Lothian region or a city/metropolitan authority eg. CEC)<br /> - national (eg. Scottish government/Westminster)</p> <p>Some countries have federal structures where regions have substantial tax, borrowing powers and large budgets separate from the national government.</p> <p>All or some of these could be possible in an independent Scotland, to create better accountability, and check the imbalances of power resting mainly with central government. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12175#post-152324 Wed, 07 May 2014 12:02:55 +0000 calmac 152324@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@Nelly, whereas in North Lanarkshire... ;-)</p> <p>Of course there are problems. But I'd take those problems over the ones we have - we have local government that isn't local and doesn't govern. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12175#post-152321 Wed, 07 May 2014 11:58:21 +0000 Nelly 152321@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"Outside of the UK, no-one else has an average over 50,000 and around 20,000 is much more typical."</p> <p>In France, they have a bottom tier of "Commune" which (in my experience) is run from the local village and is also incredibly clique / crony ridden. Its the kind of 'democracy' where if your face doesnt fit you cant build a shed but the head honchos brother gets carte blanche to build a hotel.</p> <p>Not saying it doesnt have its good points, but there are issues. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12175#post-152317 Wed, 07 May 2014 11:51:41 +0000 chdot 152317@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>"Outside of the UK, no-one else has an average over 50,000 and around 20,000 is much more typical."</p> <p>That seems impractically small for a city. </p> <p>I suppose it depends what powers/responsibilities the bottom tier has. </p> <p>There are Community Councils, but they have no decision making powers and very little cash to spend. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12175#post-152315 Wed, 07 May 2014 11:43:40 +0000 calmac 152315@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Just a wee geeky aside on that point about the size of our local authorities - Scotland has the largets bottom-tier of local government in Europe. The average Scottish local authority covers over 150,000 thousand. Outside of the UK, no-one else has an average over 50,000 and around 20,000 is much more typical. </p> <p>And on size - the average council in the EU27 is 50 km2, while Scotland's average is nearly 2,500 km2. We have a whole lot of nothing in this country so it skews things, but so too do Finland and their average is only a little over 1,000 km2. </p> <p>In size of councils the UK is very strange in comparison with the rest of Europe, and Scotland is the strangest of all. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12175#post-152293 Wed, 07 May 2014 09:39:51 +0000 steveo 152293@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Meh, west of the bypass is all Glasgow anyway... </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12175#post-152290 Wed, 07 May 2014 09:37:50 +0000 kaputnik 152290@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Lanarkshire / Ayrshire. It's all Greek to me.</p> <p>No, I did mean Lanarkshire. It's just something else came out of my fingertips. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12175#post-152276 Wed, 07 May 2014 08:10:29 +0000 cc 152276@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Newspapers at the time suggested that the split was done to give the Tories a more or less guaranteed area of political influence (East Renfrewshire).</p> <p>Personally I'd have thought it could do with being split into more like twenty councils. They'd actually get some local government then rather than remote government </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12175#post-152273 Wed, 07 May 2014 06:44:10 +0000 gembo 152273@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Could it be trading under a new name?</p> <p>Motherwell is not far from Ayrshire at all but would involve leaving north Lanarkshire and missing out either renfrewshires (why the county of my birth already small with Robert Semple in fifteenth century and Peter Weir since then as notable - needed to split into two tiny counties/ local authorities is a mystery that only Toyah could solve). Then of course you would have your Hobson's choice of the three Ayrshires, east, north and South. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12175#post-152252 Tue, 06 May 2014 22:29:44 +0000 Instography 152252@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Not the High Fidelity effect? (Defined as "setting your shop up to put people off coming in" or "looking down your nose at people who ride the wrong kind of bike and aren't your mates") </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12175#post-152246 Tue, 06 May 2014 22:20:43 +0000 crowriver 152246@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>From the Edinburgh Gazette:</p> <p>"Petitions to Wind Up (Companies)<br /> VELO ECOSSE LIMITED<br /> On 24 October 2013, a petition was presented to Dunfermline Sheriff Court by the Advocate General for Scotland for and on behalf of the Commissioners for Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs craving the Court inter alia to order that Velo Ecosse Limited, 25-27 Bruntsfield Place, Edinburgh EH10 4HJ (registered office) be wound up by the Court and to appoint a liquidator. All parties claiming an interest must lodge Answers with Dunfermline Sheriff Court, 1/6 Carnegie Drive, Dunfermline within 8 days of intimation, service and advertisement.</p> <p>R M Lees, Officer of Revenue &amp; Customs<br /> HM Revenue &amp; Customs, Debt Management &amp; Banking, Enforcement &amp; Insolvency, 20 Haymarket Yards, Edinburgh<br /> for Petitioner"</p> <p>From a company check web site:</p> <p>"VELO ECOSSE LIMITED<br /> Company Number: SC197078<br /> Status: Liquidation<br /> Incorporation Date: 10 June 1999 (almost 15 years ago)<br /> Company Type: Private Limited Company"</p> <p>Oh well. Another one bites the dust. Tax/VAT problems, I presume.</p> <p>The Evans effect, the gift that keeps on giving. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12175#post-152230 Tue, 06 May 2014 21:15:13 +0000 kaputnik 152230@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>On the subject of Velo Ecosse, looks like a new name;<br /> <img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7417/13938629277_e8eef77192.jpg"><br /> "C &amp; G Cycles". Google suggests there's a shop in Motherwell with that name. Perhaps "our man in Ayrshire" knows more? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12175#post-142136 Fri, 07 Feb 2014 22:21:52 +0000 SSR 142136@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>A real shame as they were convenient for my work and always got repairs done the same day, whether true-ing a wheel or replacing a chainset I could drop it off in the morning and pick up when I left work. Always helpful and although their stock wasn't extensive it was always my first stop if I was looking for parts quickly. </p> <p>I popped in to say bye today and my best wishes to them in future endeavours. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12175#post-142129 Fri, 07 Feb 2014 21:59:04 +0000 gembo 142129@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@chrisfl</p> <p>I am not a fan of the Internet as I have to visit tHe Dell sorting office to pick the items up S they do not get delivered to my house. Prefer shop or Internet and then I pick up at shop? So to me your experiment is felacious in tht it lacks veracity for me. Ordering off Internet quick. Getting it in shop quicker if you want to have it that day? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12175#post-142111 Fri, 07 Feb 2014 19:22:21 +0000 allebong 142111@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Never been there but a shame to see it go all the same.</p> <p>Velo Ecosse seemed to look open last I drifted by (which was a few weeks ago), nothing out of the ordinary on their site/facebook etc. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12175#post-142106 Fri, 07 Feb 2014 18:44:21 +0000 SRD 142106@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>@cc guy at pedals recently assured me he could handle hub gears</p> <p>but its worth trying the bikeworks if its not a busy time of year. i've never had to leave my bike overnight. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12175#post-142105 Fri, 07 Feb 2014 18:32:22 +0000 cc 142105@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>That's terrible news. I always took my bikes to them for maintenance. I'll miss them. Don't know where to go now. The last time I tried the Bicycle Works they said I'd have to leave my bike with them for a week, but the Bicycle Repair Man always got the work done the day I needed it. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12175#post-142069 Fri, 07 Feb 2014 13:06:10 +0000 crowriver 142069@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>That's the sole Dawes touring specialist in Edinburgh gone I do believe. Galaxy owners, or prospective Galaxy owners, take note. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12175#post-142063 Fri, 07 Feb 2014 12:25:35 +0000 amir 142063@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>That's bad news - they have helped me out in the past.</p> <p>I had thought that Velo Ecosse had reopened - I went there in Jan. Has it closed again? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12175#post-142051 Fri, 07 Feb 2014 11:58:24 +0000 chrisfl 142051@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Last time I tried to buy something in EBC, I did a little test and ordered the item (replacement pedals, as the bearings in mime were seizing up) online, while standing in the shop in less time than it took to find a member a stuff to get it out the locked cabinet for me. </p> <p>But I tend to use Pedals for repairs, and will drop into shops every now and them for browsing or emergency purchases.</p> <p>Even with the closures recently, it seems to be that more shops are opening up than closing at the moment? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12175#post-142024 Thu, 06 Feb 2014 23:07:42 +0000 AIMC 142024@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>Sad to hear this. Have taken my bikes to John and Chris for years. Fast, efficient and friendly service. Best wishes to both whatever their future plans. </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12175#post-142008 Thu, 06 Feb 2014 21:12:47 +0000 gembo 142008@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>EBC will price match so technically they are not over priced if you find the item elsewhere cheaper and tell them? </p> http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/topic.php?id=12175#post-142002 Thu, 06 Feb 2014 20:53:11 +0000 SRD 142002@http://citycyclingedinburgh.info/bbpress/ <p>'Evans and EBC... Expensive and overpriced"</p> <p>Tend to think it depends what you get, I've got some well-priced items I've worn a lot from EBC and very happy so far with a couple of christmas things from Evans. But then I don't go to EBC out with the sale, unless I need something quite specific and urgently. </p>