Firm that ran bike hire at the Wyre Forest closes down

The owner of a bike hire company in the Wyre Forest that has shut its doors
says he is looking to "the future, not the past".

By James Vukmirovic
Published Jan 9, 2023
Last updated Jan 9, 2023

It was announced on Facebook that Bewdley Outdoors had closed. Photo:
Bewdley Outdoors
It was announced on Monday on the Wyre Forest - Forestry England Facebook
page that Bewdley Outdoors, which provided bike hire at Wyre Forest Visitor
Centre in Bewdley, had ceased trading, meaning there was no bike hire at
the visitor centre.

The owner Paul Grey said the decision to close had been relatively simple,
with a combination of factors behind the decision.

He said: "There were a few reasons why I decided to close, with the first
being that the lease will expire in a year and then go out to tender - so
I'd basically be signing a lease for one year which could then go to
somebody else, which doesn't really give you the drive to keep pushing the
business along.

"Also, I've got a job as a bike technician at Halfords and as I'm 63, it
seemed the right move to stick with that.

"I think when you decide to shut down, you do it and just think about the
future, not the past, so I'm looking forward to my job at Halfords."

Mr Grey said he'd still be available to do regular services on the bikes of
people who had been his customers, using his workshop from home, and also
said he would be doing a sale of all the bikes he had at the shop.

He said: "I've got about 60 or 70 bikes, including a number of e-bikes, and
what we do is fully service the bikes so that they are as good as new.

"Also, if you need any parts or brake pads or chains, I can replace them so
that they get a really good bike that they can then look after themselves."

To find out more about the bikes and what is on sale, go to
bewdleyoutdoors.co.uk.

<https://www.expressandstar.com/news/local-hubs/wyre-forest/bewdley/2023/01/09/bike-shop-owner-looking-forwards-not-backwards-after-closing/>

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