Electric Cycle Company is being supercharged

The Electric Cycle Company, Scotland’s largest specialist e-bike shop, is on the move to a 4000 square foot, carbon neutral premises in Edinburgh. 

Boogie, host of Forth 1’s Breakfast Show, joined Neill Hope, MD of the Electric Cycle Company, to launch a crowdfunding campaign to renovate the building into a new state of the art store and workshop, the biggest e-bike shop in the UK.  

Following year on year growth in the last ten years, Edinburgh’s Electric Cycle Company (ECC), Scotland’s largest specialist e-bike retailer, is on the move to a new 4,000 square foot premises on Crewe Road North, four times the size of their current retail space and workshop on Granton Road.

Building work on the state-of-the-art electric bike store, a far cry from the traditional ‘stack’em high’ model of bike retail, is set to get underway next week and will take an estimated six weeks to complete.

When completed the new shop, scheduled to open in early September, will be the UK’s largest specialist e-bike shop, displaying a large selection of both new and established electric bike brands and quality accessories. 

The shop will have enough showroom space to display bikes to enable the hugely knowledgeable and experienced sales team to safely deliver both interactive and informative e-bike demonstrations and ‘talk throughs’, perfectly matching the best e-bike to a customer’s lifestyle.  With bookable sales appointments, there will be a welcome reception and a dedicated customer waiting and chill out area.

The new store will be one of the first carbon-neutral bike shops in the UK.  The renovation plans include solar panels on the roof and battery banks will take care of lighting and bike charging. Heating will be provided by a biomass boiler powered by the waste packaging the business creates.

The ECC has launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise the £70,000 for the renovation of the shop and workshop. 

They are targeting current e-bike customers, new and returning cyclists looking to buy their first e-bikes, and other e-bike owners looking for long term specialist bike maintenance and high end accessories, all of whom will be keen to ‘pay forward’ in order to receive excellent discounts on a wide range of e-bike products, accessories and services that will help them to save money.  Puncture repairs, clothing vouchers, free software updates and bike servicing and discount cards for life are amongst the fantastic rewards for investment.

Neill Hope, Managing Director of ECC, said: “We’ve always been the largest e-bike specialist in Scotland, continuously at the forefront of the industry. My Dad started the Electric Cycle Company in 2006. 

“I took over ten years ago and moved it into proper retail premises on Granton Road.  Since then we have seen our turnover increase year on year, by as much as 500% over this period.  Our staff numbers have increased from two to ten [today] and we now have the widest range of electric bikes in Scotland. 

“This is something I could never have imagined when my family started the business from the back of my Dad’s office, as an offshoot from his plastering company.  We also have the added benefit of being backed by the North Edinburgh community.

“We really hope that our customers, old and new, are keen to support us create the most progressive bike shop in Scotland and a more comfortable, spacious and safer environment for them and our staff.  The range of crowdfunding rewards will be beneficial to their e-bike lifestyles, both now and in the future.

“With their investment we will also be able to reward all of our customers with added value with things like extended guarantees, free security marking, and updates.  It’s a win win for all.”

ECC’s expansion comes at the perfect time as the City of Edinburgh Council plans to make big changes in the way people move around the city.  One of the goals is to create ‘a city where you don’t need to own a car to move around’, a clear shift towards cycling and walking. 

The proposals to shape the Scottish capital for the next decade, City Plan 2030, include expanding the network of cycle paths and linking the park and ride terminals to bike-friendly routes. They also set out potential new areas for park and ride terminals and ‘active travel routes’.

Neill Hope added: “Since the start of the Covid-19 Lockdown there has been a revolution in cycling and our sales have increased by more than 100%, as compared with the same period in 2019. 

“With such a high demand for e-bike sales and maintenance, the Granton Road bike shop and workshop are just too small to operate as safely and efficiently as we want.  Our move can’t come quick enough.

“Our new customers are not only getting to grips with the many health and financial benefits of cycling for both commuting and exercise but also quickly realising that e-bikes make the whole physical process even easier and more joyful than traditional cycling, despite the larger initial investment. 

“Edinburgh, with its many hills, substantial cycle path network, and ongoing council backing is the perfect city for an electric bike.  With the UK Government’s Cycle To Work Scheme and the Scottish Government backed Energy Saving Trust e-Bike Loan scheme to help with e-bike purchases, it is also the perfect time to invest in an e-bike.”

Mental Health and Wellbeing Support in North Edinburgh

Local organisations have put together a booklet listing mental health & wellbeing support services in North Edinburgh (see below).

If you need support call the new Community Wellbeing Helpline on 0131 332 8773.

North Edinburgh’s Food Share group updates city councillors

North Edinburgh’s Covid-19 Foodshare Group has written to city councillors to update them on the work of the local coalition:

Elected member,

Since the setting up of North Edinburgh Covid-19 Foodshare Group we have kept elected members informed of the work the community organisations, volunteers and funders have been carrying out in these very challenging times.

Attached is a newsletter which, by the end of this week, will be delivered, by volunteers, to 14,000 households in North Edinburgh. Please circulate this to any individuals or groups who will find the information helpful.

NEN_8pp_A4_MAY20_2

Over the past six weeks (20 April – 25 May 2020) North Edinburgh organisations have:

· Produced 58,258 Food Items/Packed Lunches/Packs

· Gifted 23,888 Food Items/Packed Lunches/Packs to other organisations

· Delivered 79,171 Food Items/Packed Lunches/Packs

· There have been specific deliveries for Milk, Butter, Vegetables,Toiletries and Fruit.

· Passion 4 Fusion are providing culturally specific foods for BAME communities in the area.

Of the 919 postcodes supplied by agencies, 582 residents lived in Deciles 1&2, which means we reaching some of the most vulnerable in North Edinburgh.

63.3% of Food Items delivered are reaching those who need it most.

Please get in touch if you want further information, regarding the work of North Edinburgh Covid-19 Foodshare Group.

Willie Black

Chair, North Edinburgh Covid 19 Food Share Group

Newsletter deliveries resume this morning

Volunteers will be hitting local streets once again today to deliver the NEN Coronavirus special edition newsletter across North Edinburgh.

An enthusiastic team of volunteers delivered thousands of newsletters across Drylaw and Telford, Muirhouse, Salvesen, West Pilton, Granton and Royston Wardieburn last week, and a final push will see the last of the newsletters delivered this week.

If you would like to lend a hand – full guidance and protective equipment will be issued – teams will be leaving from the following locations from Tuesday – Thursday this week:

Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre, Groathill Road North at 11am

Fresh Start, Ferry Road Drive at 11am

Pilton Community Health Project, Boswall Parkway at 11am

Ainslie Park Leisure Centre car park, Pilton Drive North at 2pm

The newsletter contains helpful information and key telephone numbers to help local people get through the pandemic.

The North Edinburgh Covid-19 Foodshare coalition would like to thank our magnicent volunteers who have done so much to support the community dring these most difficult of times.

Thanks also to the following organisations for their terrfic support:

Funders:

Cash for Kids,

Inspiring Scotland,

North Edinburgh Community Councils,

Muirhouse Housing Association,

Pilton Central Association (PCA),

SCVO,

STV Appeal,

The National Lottery for Communities,

West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre

Cairn Energy

Cramond FC

Edinburgh City Council

Lindsay’s Charitable Trust

Martin Lewis Foundation

Murray Foundation

National Emergencies Trust

Neighbourly Community Fund

Places for People Foundation

Port of Leith Housing Association

Queensberry House Trust

Richardson and Starling

Scottish Government

Stewart Investors.

Food, supplies and support have kindly been donated by:

Baillie Gifford, Chand & Co Group,

Edinburgh Academy,

Fettes College,

Mathieson’s the butchers,

Morrisons,

PrepTable Scotland,

Porto & Fi cafe,

Scottish Gas,

Social Bite,

Tesco,

TB McKay Energy Supplies

Investec

Neighbourly Community Fund.

We couldn’t do it without you – THANK YOU ALL !

 

Call for volunteers to support newsletter distribution

ONE OFF TASK from Wednesday 3 June to Sunday 7 June.

This will get you fit and help the residents of North West Edinburgh access services!

Newsletter Distribution in NW Edinburgh

This is a one off opportunity managed by NW Edinburgh Team who will take responsibility for managing all the volunteers to deliver a informative newsletter to Drylaw, Salvesan, Pilton, Royston Wardieburn, Boswall and Granton.

We envisage you distributing for about one hour in total.

There is a route map that you will follow and will be handed out at the distribution point along with hand sanitiser and gloves and a contact number of the person offering the instructions at the beginning so you can contact them if there are any incidents or you are not sure.

WEST PILTON / WEST GRANTON

Wednesday 3rd June – Sunday 7th June 11am

Meet at Fresh Start, 22-24 Ferry Rd Drive, EH4 4BR

Phone: Willie Black : 07515686421

 

DRYLAW / TELFORD

Wednesday 3rd June – Friday 5th June: 11am

Meet at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre, 67B Groathill Road North, EH4 2SA

Phone: Roy Douglas: 07801971892

 

WARDIEBURN / ROYSTON

Wednesday 3rd June – Friday 5th June: 11am:

Meet at Pilton Community Health Project, 73 Boswall Parkway, EH5 2PW

Phone: Helen Scammell: 07847476612

 

GRANTON / BOSWALL

Wednesday 3rd June – Sunday 7th June: 2pm:

Meet at Spartans, Address: Ainslie Park, 94 Pilton Drive, EH5 2HF

Phone: Willie Black: 07515686421

If you wish to deliver in your own time. Please make contact with Lesley or Willie to determine where to deliver to.

Phone: Lesley Hinds: 07778413792 or Willie Black: 07515686421

This will require a minimum of 6 volunteers for each session working in pairs on each side of the street to put newsletters through people’s letter boxes in stairs that are accessible.

At the end please report back to the contact detailed for your distribution point.

Please wear comfortable shoes and appropriate clothing and bring a bag that is suitable for holding 100-150 leaflets.

Thank you for your interest in this and your contribution is invaluable.

Please contact Lesley or Willie if you have any further questions.

Heather Yang

Core Services Manager, Volunteer Edinburgh

 

Obituary: Fet-Lor’s Jim Fisher

I have been asked to do this post by Mary but it is tinged with great sadess and regret. Jim Fisher, ex Fet-Lor Manager, British Table Tennis Coach & Steel Worker has passed away yesterday afternoon aged 86 (writes GEORGE REAVLEY).

Jim had been fighting recurring lung infections and was in hopital several times recently. He was Fet Lor Manager for many years and had a positive influence on thousands of children, young people and adults.

He had a vision for Fet and at one point, the club was open 7 days a week!

It was indeed a vocational job for Jim, who regularly worked longer hours than he should have. He developed Fet Lor into an important safe place for young people to go and enjoy themselves. A safe haven for children to develop.

Jim had a ‘my way or the highway’ approach to getting things done! However, he never believed you couldn’t teach an old dog new tricks! He often said “if you don’t use it, you lose it!” which resonates with me!

Jim will be sorely missed by his adoring wife Mary, who was a vital part of this dynamic duo who made Fet Lor such a successful centre.

Please remember Mary (doll) in your prayers at this trying time. Thanks for all the memories and opportunities that you gave to so many people, Jim.

You will be sorely missed.

George Reavley