When it comes to nostalgia, a lot of us can often remember the very first bikes we had as children. In Nottingham, there is a strong possibility the first bike you owned was a Raleigh.
The historic Nottingham brand has been a staple of people's childhoods since 1887. Now, Raleigh has made its triumphant return to the city centre after establishing a brand new hub on Maid Marian Way in the former Pure Electrics building.
The store is less of the bike shops of the past but offers a new experience for Raleigh fans, bike enthusiasts or bike beginners. The hub launched quietly this week but will officially open to the public on Saturday, December 3.
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Customers will be able to get a glimpse of some of Raleigh's most famous models, such as the chopper. They will also be able to get more information on the newer electric models, which are now a big seller for the business.
Lee Kidger, managing director of Raleigh, explained that retail has changed in recent years and customers are now looking for more engagement and a better experience when it comes to browsing bikes. Raleigh has developed the hub to be a one-stop shop for repairs, purchases and displays.
He said: "We wanted to re-engage with the city again as Raleigh is part of Nottingham. That's been the most important part of coming back as we had a unique opportunity to take on this retail store and ultimately turn it into a Raleigh experience.
"It's an experience where you can come into the store to see some of the most nostalgic historic bikes which will change every month. You may have some choppers, burners or grifters and other iconic Raleigh bikes that have been made throughout the ages along with cool events which will help us to connect with people in the city."
The displays are elegantly paired back from the cluttered bike shops of the past where fans will be able to get a proper glimpse of some of the most sought-after cycles including a gold chopper estimated to be worth about £5,000 on eBay. However, it's not all about the past as Raleigh is very focused on the future, which they see as the electric bike.
"Our range is very electric-focused as it's starting to really gain momentum and it's the biggest part of our business now. We didn't want to put 150 bikes in here as we wanted to be able to showcase our bikes," Lee explained.
The new hub also hosts the Raleigh offices, which are upstairs on the second floor, although the warehouse location in Eastwood will stay where it is currently located. Some of the staff members are former Pure Electrics employees who joined the team after the electric scooter and bike company announced it was closing its UK stores earlier this year. Their expertise has made a strong eight-person team who will be able to advise customers and offer repairs.
The enthusiasm of the staff is already paying off as one customer left with the most expensive bike in the store which was worth about £3,000, despite only popping in to see the more historic models. Lee said: "We had a customer come in a few days ago to share their stories about their old bikes that they had. From talking to our staff in the store and sharing that experience, they actually left with one of our most expensive electric bikes which shows there is such a passion for the brand."
He added: "We can share knowledge of what a bicycle can give you now, especially an electric bike. That customer saw that and made the investment. I think we will continue to see people migrating from their historic Raleigh bikes into electric ones."
When it comes to future plans for the city, Lee explained that Raleigh is keen to re-engage with Nottingham and the local community. Although chopper fans hoping for a re-release might be left guessing as Lee gave nothing away - saying simply "never say never".
He said: "We will continue to re-engage with the city which is super important as it's where we came from. We have a rich history here and we want to keep continuing to engage with Nottingham whether that is through working with different organisations or broadening out even further. We never say never to anything.
"We wanted to make this a local hub as there is a lot of history here including really good times and some challenging times but one of the key bits is that we are a Nottingham-based brand and we want to continue to keep our roots here given who owned it and all of the changes over the past."
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