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Independent Retailers Association warns of difficult year ahead.

8 Jan 2024

The British Independent Retailers Association has said 2024 is anticipated to be a challenging period for shop keepers as economic challenges are still set to bite.
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Indie Retail Christmas Opening Hours

20 Dec 2023

The Indie Retail office will be open as usual (9am-5pm) for the majority of the Christmas period, with some exceptions.
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Bira CEO addresses surge in retail crime on the BBC

19 Dec 2023

Bira's CEO, Andrew Goodacre, took the spotlight on BBC Breakfast this week and later spoke with Nicky Campbell on BBC Radio 5 Live, shedding light on the rise in retail crime and shop theft,... Read more…

Dress shop crowned winner of Cambridge Christmas shop window competition.

18 Dec 2023

Dress shop Pocket Watch & Petticoats in Trinity Street has been crowned the winner in Cambridge BID’s Christmas window competition.
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Bira issues guide to protecting yourself against festive cyber scams

18 Dec 2023

In the age of online shopping, the pursuit of the best deals during the festive season is increasingly common. However, as consumers flock to virtual marketplaces, cybercriminals are seizing the... Read more…

Shoplifting now among the most common crime against small firms

18 Dec 2023

Fresh evidence about the increasing problem of thefts from shops has been revealed amid a warning that organised shoplifting is now among the most common type of crimes against small firms.
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Oldest record shop in Liverpool reopens with museum to celebrate city's musical heritage.

18 Dec 2023

One of the North West’s oldest record shops has reopened after 14 months, creating a small museum to pay tribute to its long-standing musical connections with the city.
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Indie jewellery retailer creates unique gold ‘Key Ring’ for new ITVX series

6 Dec 2023

Bristol and Cirencester-based bespoke fine jewellery retailer Titcombe Bespoke Jewellery, a member of the National Association of Jewellers, has received one of its most unusual commissions... Read more…

Family-owned butcher’s shop hopes 'Mary' will help Wigan families in need of food.

6 Dec 2023

Reynolds’ Butchers in Parbold, near Wigan, have set up a scheme called Mary’s Mince to help people living in the village.
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American Express Shop Small Highlights UK’s Top High Streets for Independent Shops

5 Dec 2023

Research commissioned by American Express Shop Small reveals the top 10 high streets for independent shops in the UK, shining a light on the nation’s small businesses that play... Read more…

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Retailer Profile: Spokes of Bagshot

Posted on in Business News, Cycles News

We are starting a series of Retailer Profiles, shining a light on some of our best and most interesting independent retailers. If you would like us to consider your shop for inclusion, please drop us a line telling us a little bit about yourselves. First up, Spokes of Bagshot.

Spokes team

MD James Thompson says:

“Spokes opened its doors in March 2015, after a few months of hard graft behind the scenes. I had worked for a well-known independent shop for 11 years and then had a “Dragons’ Den” style opportunity with a successful friend of mine, who became a great mentor and business partner and we formed Spokes!

My background is years of competitive downhill mountain bike racing as a younger and braver man, to eventually doing an Ironman triathlon when I was 30. I have a real passion for cycling and have got so much from it over the years, which is something I am keen to pass on to our customers, who have become our friends.

We have a great team at Spokes, we are a family! We are very community focused and love seeing people get hooked on cycling and progress, no matter what their ability, age or level, its just fantastic to see others get so much enjoyment and benefit from the activity that has given us so much.

We have grown into one of the UK’s top independent bike shops, and deal with some major brands, such as Giant & Liv, Wilier, Whyte, Mondraker and many more. We have gone on to win some industry and national business awards. “

How has your retail landscape changed over the last couple of years - what are you doing differently now?

The last two years have been a real rollercoaster ride. Covid was the biggest opportunity our industry has ever had and has made cycling a normal part of people’s lives. The demand on the industry created some huge challenges. At one point, we had people forming a socially distant queue down the street to come and buy bikes!

We took a lot of risk, expanded our brand portfolio and kept buying all the way through the pandemic. We took on a warehouse, we finally invested in our e-commerce site, and geared up.

The flip side of this has been cash flow challenges, bigger tax bills and a tightening market with the cost-of-living challenges now.

Have customer needs, wants and/or expectations changed - if so, how?

Customers have exercised a huge amount of patience during Covid, with some people waiting up to a year for some top end bikes! People’s shopping habits have changed, with an increased shift to online retail, so I’m very glad we have moved to this. It’s still early days for Spokes Online, and we have learned a lot about what works and what doesn’t, constantly trying to second guess the constantly shifting market.

With the more recent cost of living increases, trade has become more challenging, with people less willing to spend larger amounts on non-essential purchases. We have recognised a massive opportunity with both Finance and Cyclescheme, as a way for people to spread the cost (and save on the tax on the scheme), so this is something we are pushing hard.

What is most effective for you as a way of promoting the business?

In terms of marketing, the most effective way is word of mouth. Nothing beats a referral; the trust is already built, and it has been the best way to grow the business locally. As we target a slightly bigger regional audience, event sponsorship is a good way to go, especially when we can directly interact with potential new customers. We have sponsored a “Santa Dash”, where there were 1000 runners dressed as Santa and we were there to show them some bikes and promote Spokes!

If people want to find you online and on social media, how would they do so?

We have a good following on Facebook and Instagram. We are doing some new video marketing campaigns on YouTube, LinkedIn and TikTok, so watch this space!

https://www.facebook.com/spokesbagshot
https://www.instagram.com/spokesofbagshot/

 

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