Another LBS bites the dust.

[Accy cyclist]

To me a LBS is like the one near me. He fixes mostly cheapo mountain bikes for the kids and takes a few quid cash in hand for doing it. No itemised bills, no v.a.t no bullshit about how he's had to send off for parts etc, just leave it there and come back tomorrow, I once asked him why he didn't buy parts, cycling clothing,gels and other stuff. He said there's no point as they can buy that online. They can't get their chains replaced or punctures done online so that's where i come in. He won't make a fortune but he'll still be going next year and the year after that.

 

[EltonFrog]

Not around here they're not! Thriving in Oxfordshire/ Berks! My neighbour in in his early 30's, has 5 branches, and is a multi millionaire. Another mate has 3 branches and does very well thank you. Probably due to the lack of big chains in our local towns.

Which bike shops are they then?

 

[Smokin Joe]

It's not just bike shops, it's the whole High Street. Look at the recent carnage in mainstream retail. The nearest equivalent to bike shops that I can think of is fishing, a hugely popular hobby. There used to be several fishing tackle shops in towns in Cornwall, and they were just wonderful places to visit, with great stock and run by enthusiasts. Mostly gone. Amazon, Ebay and online sheds completely undercut them, and I shared some responsibiliyy for their demise by using a keyboard rather than visiting them in person. The whole nature of retail has changed, and if you have high overheads like commercial rents etc, it's blooming hard to make a living.

Model and hobby shops have gone the same way. Nearly every high street had one, now they are virtually extinct unless they are large operations with an online shop too.

 

[Stantheman]

I grew up in Norwich and remember a small bike shop on Aylsham Road, always in there as a kid getting bits and bobs. Bet its long gone now.

 

[mark st1]

Which bike shops are they then?

I've asked that a while ago but no reply as yet maybe it's a secret squirrels club lol

Your Oxford way arnt you @CarlP do you have any that you no of ? 5 shops all linked must be quite popular.

 

[jefmcg]

To me a LBS is like the one near me. He fixes mostly cheapo mountain bikes for the kids and takes a few quid cash in hand for doing it. No itemised bills, no v.a.t no bullshit about how he's had to send off for parts etc, just leave it there and come back tomorrow, I once asked him why he didn't buy parts, cycling clothing,gels and other stuff. He said there's no point as they can buy that online. They can't get their chains replaced or punctures done online so that's where i come in. He won't make a fortune but he'll still be going next year and the year after that.

LBS don't pay VAT? My local bike shops are legitimate businesses operating inside the law, and paying all the required taxes and rates. I regard this as an advantage in shopping there rather from Amazon, who pay much lower taxes.

If the "VAT man" catches him, he won't be there next year.

 

[mark st1]

LBS don't pay VAT? My local bike shops are legitimate businesses operating inside the law, and paying all the required taxes and rates. I regard this as an advantage in shopping there rather from Amazon, who pay much lower taxes.

If the "VAT man" catches him, he won't be there next year.

Well if the bike business fails...

 

[slowmotion]

Maybe the future for the LBS is the business model of Spa Cycles in Harrogate. A shop run by enthusiasts who know their stuff inside out but also have a strong internet retail operation.
http://www.spacycles.co.uk/

 

[srw]

LBS don't pay VAT?

If it's as described - a simple space which offers basic fettling services only, and doesn't sell anything - then it's unlikely that it's got enough turnover to get above the VAT threshold.

 

[srw]

... To the point where SJS no longer qualify as an LBS? I understand that if you walk in to buy a component, you get fairly short shrift? So does their example perhaps indicate that LBSs can't in fact survive as LBSs, they need to transform into something else?

Yes, in a nutshell.

To survive on the High Street, any shop (whether it's Waitrose or Woolworth or Boots or an LBS) needs to offer something the customer can't get anywhere else. Which doesn't necessarily mean the cheapest product. If I were advising Robin Thorn I'd ask him why he doesn't either offer a proper shop experience for the town (which isn't small) or else relocate to somewhere cheaper and with proper parking. While I'm about it, I'd also ask how he can claim to have a comprehensive mail order service without being available at weekends, but that's another story.

Here's teh current shop on streetview: https://goo.gl/maps/wb5W4KcPf6p

 

[pawl]

That's sad
A proper bike shop.

Agree.
In Leicester there was four what I call proper bike shops Leedhams Cedric Clayson Sid Mottram had two shops

I thinkmost of these closed mid seventies to late eighties.
I now use a shop in Loughborough not exactly local to me but give good service and appears well patronised.

 

[vickster]

If it's as described - a simple space which offers basic fettling services only, and doesn't sell anything - then it's unlikely that it's got enough turnover to get above the VAT threshold.

If no invoices and all cash in hand, how does he keep records of his turnover for HMRC. He may not turnover enough to pay tax, but the revenue should be deciding that

 

[bozmandb9]

I've asked that a while ago but no reply as yet maybe it's a secret squirrels club lol

Your Oxford way arnt you @CarlP do you have any that you no of ? 5 shops all linked must be quite popular.

Mountain Mania and Road Room. What's a squirrels club? Anything wrong with getting out in the sunshine, rather than sitting waiting to respond instantly to CC posts Carl? ;-)

http://www.mountainmaniacycles.co.uk/

 

[srw]

If no invoices and all cash in hand, how does he keep records of his turnover for HMRC. He may not turnover enough to pay tax, but the revenue should be deciding that

I'm being generous and assuming that the cash goes through a till.

 

[Alembicbassman]

My LBS has charged me anything from £2 to £15 to remove a sealed cart BB, cash in hand no receipt. That's just how it goes with them.

I wanted a headset fitted at another LBS and he refused to fit it because I hadn't bought it from him at twice the price, but another shop fitted it with no quibbles for a 10 pound note.