Denizens of Brixton in South-West London are familiar with the benefits of gentrification (the conversion of a grotty market into one of the capital’s best food halls) and its pitfalls (spiralling housing costs, deletion of local variety in favour of Pret and Costa), but now bikes have been drawn into the fray.
Brixton Cycles, a 32 years-established cooperative bike shop, is under threat after its premises were acquired and are now set to be redeveloped into flats. Today, it’s launching a crowdfunding campaign to help it cover the cost of moving to a new location.
This isn’t the first time Brixton Cycles has been forced to move. In 2001 rising rents priced it out of its Coldharbour Lane address and it jumped to its current premises in Stockwell Road at a cost of £80,000,. The next move is expected to cost more still. It’s betting that £40,000 of funding will be sufficient to see it continue business.
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Brixton Cycles is recognized as one of London’s best bike shops, having won the London Cycling Campaign’s ‘Best Small Bike Retailer’ award in 2014.
Lincoln Romain, who has worked at the shop for 26 years, said: “We’re disappointed to be leaving our current premises. Brixton Cycles has played a key role in the development of this community over the last 32 years.
“However, with change comes opportunity and we are hopeful that, with the support of our community, we can make the new Brixton Cycles even bigger and better. Our jobs are on the line, so we’re going to give this campaign everything we’ve got!”
You can read more at BikeRadar.com
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