Cycling fanatic Darrren Lea-Grime is bringing the traditional bike shop back to the high street in Flixton, Manchester, thanks to a loan and support from Business Finance Solutions (BFS), the North West delivery partner of the government’s national £310m Start Up Loans programme and a lending partner of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.
Already a favourite of Paralympian cyclists including Jon-Allan Butterworth, ‘That Tiny Bike Shop’ www.thattinybikeshop.co.uk in Flixton sells new and used bikes as well as parts and accessories. With a fully equipped workshop, Darren also offers servicing and wants to build the business into a social hub for local cyclists. Darren has already secured a number of local contracts servicing fleets of school and club bikes and is planning to run workshops and classes in basic cycle repairs and maintenance.
Before launching his new venture Darren worked within learning disability services for 13 years before training as a mechanic. He has since gone on to work in bike shops and on cycles for Sport Trafford and members of the British Paralympic squad. He was inspired to open ‘That Tiny Bike Shop’ after noticing that the larger, more established cycling shops were focusing on higher end bike models, abandoning the ‘cheaper,’ second hand bikes that often act as an entry point into cycling.
Darren said: “Without the loan and support from BFS That Tiny Bike Shop simply would not be here. I’m investing my own savings into the new venture too but I needed the extra funds to make sure the shop was fitted out properly and that we had the right kind of stock that we know people are crying out for.
“The nation’s renewed interest in cycling is fantastic but not everyone wants or needs the latest Pinarello. What we want to do with our new shop is to go back to basics and help people to find and maintain the ideal bike for them. With the right maintenance a bike will last for years, so servicing and support will be a big part of what we will offer, hopefully enabling us to employ an apprentice within our first year.”
Alex Mearns, Loan Officer at Business Finance Solutions said: “Darren’s business is a really interesting example of the kind of smaller, more traditionally focussed shops that are slowly but surely reshaping our high streets. Thanks to the finance that we were able to provide him with, Darren was able to move quickly when he needed to, to secure the ideal site and the fittings to get the business up and running.
“Just as cycling is enjoying a resurgence in popularity, so too are businesses like That Tiny Bike Shop; opening to meet the needs of shoppers for advice, good old fashioned service and support.”
Paralympian cyclist and customer Jon-Allan Butterworth said: “This is a lovely little shop, with a great look and positive professional approach. Watching Darren deal with customers reminds you that the traditional approach to customer service is what smaller independent shops is all about.”
BFS, will see £15 million allocated to new start-ups across the North West over a two year period, creating around 3000 new businesses and over 5000 new jobs in the region. BFS is the finance arm of the Manchester Growth Company and supported by the GM Combined Authority and Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership. BFS is a key alternative source of funding for small businesses in Greater Manchester and has grown a comprehensive range of finance products from £500 through to £500k, with support on raising early stage equity through the Co Angel Investment Service of up to £2m. To date BFS manages over £90m of publically backed small business investments across the UK.
