15th April, Pedalabikeaway, Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire.
Pedalabikeaway have been running the bike hire, uplift, shop, workshop & cafe at Dare Valley Gravity Bike Park on behalf of Rhonnda Cynon Taf County Borough Council since Summer 2021, but have made the decision to hand back the site as proposals to extend trail networks were unsuccessful.
Pedalabikeaway, who also operate bike hire, cafe & shop at the Forest of Dean Cycle Centre and Mallards Cafe in the Forest of Dean will cease to operate Dare Valley Gravity Bike Park in the Dare Valley Country Park, (Aberdare) from 9th May 2023 (8th May will be the last day trading at the site).
“We’ve loved running this site, it’s such a great location with so much potential and the feedback we’ve had from locals and visitors alike has been fantastic during our 2 year tenure. However in order to make the site commercially viable we needed to develop the trails to provide a bigger network to improve and grow the rider experience. We wanted to do this in line with the Family orientated feel of the centre, but unfortunately the Council are unable to support this so it is with a really heavy heart that we have to walk away,” Gareth Sheppard, Director at Pedalabikeaway.
“Whilst the development of additional trails may go some way in making the operation financially more viable for Pedalabikeaway, this would require significant levels of capital funding which is not currently available to the Council. There are also a range of stakeholders that use Dare Valley Country Park who we have to consider, and therefore offering a long term lease that would allow a Bike Park Operator to invest in the trails, sadly also isn’t an option for us.” Chris, RCT
In the last 2 years thousands of people have visited the family bike park and been introduced to the sport here. Indeed MBUK magazine called Dare Valley Gravity Bike Park, “the first dedicated family mountain bike park in the UK”. Facilities to date include: uplift, bike hire, small cafe, shop and workshop in addition to trails and pumptracks. Bike park events to date have featured kids coaching sessions and race events for all abilities, plus extremely popular women’s coaching days and guided rides into the Brecon Beacons.
“There’s no doubt that Mountain Biking is a growing sport and this Family Bike Park has been designed to cater for those who are either new to the sport or just finding their feet. It’s a super friendly place with flowing blue graded trails that are perfect for building confidence and technique in a very relaxed environment. ” Will Warren, Pedalabikeaway Manager at Dare Valley Gravity Bike Park.
The Council have appointed an outdoor pursuit operator to run the Dare Valley Gravity Bike Park and will maintain access to existing bike trails.
“We are in regular contact with the Council and will continue to offer our support during this transition process as they continue to deliver a service that the Gravity Bike Park users expect. We’ll leave Dare Valley on amicable terms and we wish the Council every success in the future.” Ian Officer, Pedalabikeaway
*********
For more Pedalabikeaway information: Contact Gareth Sheppard at gareth@pedalabikeaway.co.uk
Pedalabikeaway operates the bike hire, cafe, shop & workshop at the Forest of Dean Cycle Centre and continues to develop the family riding experience in the area. They have a wide array of top quality hire bikes for both the family cycle trail and the mountain bike trails, and are the only hire company based directly at the trailhead. The Pedalabikeaway team pride themselves on their excellent customer service, investing in staff, investing in the trails, offering coaching to the next generation of bikers, building the biggest youth MTB club in the country and sourcing products from as many local suppliers as possible for both the café and the shop. Pedalabikeaway also manage Mallards Cafe at Mallards Pike Lake, just a short distance off the family cycle trail also in the Forest of Dean.