An Inverness bike shop and cafe will survive the coronavirus lockdown thanks to an upturn in business as locals opt to take to two wheels to beat the isolation blues.
The boost in business at Velocity Bike Repair Shop and Cafe, on Stephens Brae in the city, has been welcomed by bosses after the business experienced a quiet winter.
The boom has been compared to its usual busy period during the height of summer and comes after the doors to its cafe were forced to close amid tight government restrictions.
Dan Howes, Velocity’s workshop manager, said: “It has been flat out.
“It feels like it is busier than the middle of the summer at the moment.
“Everyone has just kind of heard the news that you can get out and exercise and have grabbed the bikes out of the shed, but they have found they are in need of a little tune-up before they get out and about.”
The social enterprise, which opened in 2012, is working to promote healthy, happy lifestyles through cycling, healthy eating and socialising.
Mr Howes welcomed the upturn in business at a time where so many face uncertainty over their future at the end of the lockdown.
He added: “The busy nature means we are probably going to be able to open again in the future. It was a tough, long, wet winter with not a lot happening.
“I know a lot of bike shops were in the same boat, it was a quiet winter for everybody but being able to stay open and capitalise on this means that the cafe and bike shop will be able to open again after all this, with all the staff as well.”
