Tuesday 22 May 2007

The_Parkerilla posted something in the guestbook yesterday which I thought I'd move over here as it's very relevant local news. I'll be going past there this evening so will take a look and see if I can glean any clues. If any of you hear anything more then do comment to let us know. Thanks Parkerilla!

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Hi Brinkster,

thought I'd drop you a line rather than post a comment as this is a news item rather than a response to a news item so its for you to post and expand or not as you think fit.

On the front window of the old M & S store next door to the Huntsman's has been posted an advert for staff vacancies for a new shop called Bikehut. I cant be certain but I presume from that that the M&S is going to be a bike shop called that.

I looked on the internet and Bikehut is a name for stores owned by Halfords but for bikes and bike stuff only and there are only a few select branches in very "smart" trendy places like Brighton and Putney. In fact from memory I think Brighton and Putney are the only ones.

Assuming the evidence leads to the above conclusion and I'm 99 % sure it does the questions are-

Almost directly opposite at what I think must be Ryan Gate now about 3 or 4 years ago a bike shop opened which was crammed with bikes and I went in there to have a browse as I was thinking of getting a one and the staff were incredibly friendly and highly professional/enthusiastic and really trying to make a go of the place. About a year to 18 months from opening the bikes were gone and a court order for reoccupation for non payment of rent was nailed to the front door, or in these days of glass frontages sellotaped to the glass.

So how will Bikehut do better, bearing in mind they have the added rental costs of an upper floor which will about double the rent compared with the old bike shop across the road plus the rent on the parking area to the front which will presumably be used by hard-core biking enthusiasts who have come to buy their supplies by ....er ....car!

If Halfords are planning to get the customers in by a marketing campaign which brings in people from all over London and the South East, why not attract them to the existing Putney outlet?

We wait and see.

cheers

The_Parkerilla

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