FreeTown Sports in Hull: Bust?

[FluffyChicken]

Pratt's they have a place in the local museum.

They are also expanding and moving from their site... across the road to a bigger place.
http://www.cpcycles.com/

Them along with Minster Cycles (in Beverley) http://www.minstercycles.co.uk/, who now own Winstanleys as well in Hull far as I know are doing well for themselves.

Jobes http://www.jobescyclesltd.co.uk/ I assume is ticking along as is Kingston Cycles http://kingstoncycles.co.uk/ . Ellekers http://www.kenellerkercycles.co.uk/ where crap when I went in some time back but are still there.
Bobs bikes http://bobs-bikes.co.uk/ seems to be doing well with rides and selling any old decent retrobikes that the Avenues Charity http://www.avenuesbicycleproject.org/ can make more use of the money rather than send them abroad.
A new one opened up in Ferriby too.

Anything targeting the roadies seems to be fine. (as does the bmx shop around here).

 

[Midlife]

Thanks for the info, if Cliff Pratt are moving I'll ask them if they come across any stuff from the 70's when I worked to put it aside rather than bin it.

Isn't there now a bike shop in Cottingham?

Shaun

 

[FluffyChicken]

Cottingham Cycle Centre aka CottCycles mainly BMX I think.
http://www.cottinghamcyclecentre.co.uk/

 

[FluffyChicken]

There is also East Coast Cycles on Prinny Ave for people after the Retro/Vintage look
http://www.eastcoastbicycles.co.uk/

 

[marc two tone]

Re:

Aye, as longy mentions, the big city overheads and stuff, kills any business' profits. also........

I mouch round everywhere i travel to and i have yet to find a bike shop that i enjoyed looking round. ferensway included, used to be a bike shop behind the big jobcentre building too, years since i was there though, occasionally has some retro bits and bobs in.
Seriously, i come out of today's bike shops and think "is there anything affordable in there" for shite though! BITD you could drop on flexstems, last seasons shimano, irc tyres for pocket money, bike jumble prices!

Now...it's no wonder they cannot compete with 2nd hand shops and on-line outlets. too bloody expensive. And if you have any questions, the person you asked has to go and ask somebody else.
Also parking! some bike shops(free town included) are in real shitty spots for either walking to or having to dodge the wardens. bad start for any business. the councils care not for that situation. you can either carry a flat-pack bike on the bus or try get parked, either way the fun gets taken out of the experience of shopping for bikes and accessories.

 

[FluffyChicken]

Re:

Marc, there was a great big multistory above Freetown sports ;-)
But no place for bikes in the shop or the path in front of it, like its old original place.

No idea which bike shop behind a jobcentre (where was the big job centre?)

 

[shed]

Re:

to be honest jobes and kingston keep going by selling run of the mill bikes at prices people can afford

 

[marc two tone]

Re:

Try this link, shows as a pc shop but 2 wheels cycles on street map. it's been 4 years or so since i was there.

the jobcentre is on junction of ferensway and springbank.


https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Hul ... 9d82f130ff

 

[FluffyChicken]

Re:

Ah the 'DSS' building, it's more than just a job centre, know it well as my mum worked in the building.
Don't remember any bike shop being there really, can't have been there for too long.

That's spring street (had hull tuck theatre on it before the are was redeveloped).

Anyways nowt like a bike jumble, you off to YorkRally?

Edit shop 2 wheels) has certainly gone, quick search and looks like it was run buy hulls serial debt collector fraudster. Anyway was dissolved 2009ish

 

[shed]

Re:

used to be a bike shop down hawthorn avenue called spetch,s
i use the bloke who used to run to do my wheels etc