It goes without saying, since raising start-up funds last year, finding a space suitable for an indoor mountain bike facility has been challenging. Who would have thought that finding an empty warehouse building in Greater Manchester would be so difficult?
From the outset we have set our goal on finding the right building that will deliver a great riding experience alongside a sustainable enterprise. We are currently pursuing two sites in Greater Manchester that will be suitable for a permanent Dirt Factory facility. Not only that, we are also working with a number of local partners to secure a smaller temporary facility.
Securing a home for Dirt Factory has been challenging for a whole range of reasons. We’re not the only business that has found it difficult to secure a building in the current climate. The recession of a few years back, coupled with uncertainty over Brexit has contributed to a lack of available spaces meaning that demand has outstripped supply for the type of unit we require.
What we do know is that the mountain bike, BMX, e-bike and action sport markets are currently very strong and show no signs of slowing down. Accompany this with unique indoor activities, café, retail and education services – you get an unforgettable user experience that oozes inspiration and innovation. All we need now is a suitable building.
So when is Dirt Factory opening? We can’t set an opening date until we have secured a building and obtained planning permission. Rest assured we are working as fast and as hard as possible to open our doors in 2018.
Our search, due diligence and negotiation on suitable available premises remains our main focus each week. Behind the scenes we are working on a variety of exciting projects that will help us achieve our end goal. Dirt Factory’s school and community services have gathered momentum this year and we have more sessions in the pipeline. These have proved very successful with both the partners we’ve worked with and the people they support. Getting all ages enthused about riding bikes is something we’re passionate about and it’s great that we’re able to make an impact now.
We recently held a shareholder meeting open to all who invested in the Dirt Factory crowdfund. We give a personal update on work to date, our future development plans and answered a range of questions. The feedback gained from those at the meeting and those unable to attend was very positive. Having our own network of close supporters who bring with them a wealth of skills, knowledge and experience is extremely useful as we look to grow and establish a permanent Dirt Factory facility.
Many thanks to all the people who’ve got in touch with leads to potential buildings and offers of assistance. As ever, please do get in touch if you have any questions or would like to join our volunteers list.
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Thanks for all the support.
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