Evans Cycles is urgently seeking a buyer

[oyster]

Evans Cycles seeks buyer after failing to mount rescue bid
Problems come amid a shake out across the high street due to tough trading conditions

The bike shop chain Evans Cycles is urgently seeking a buyer as the retailer battles to survive amid tough high street trading conditions, including the rise of online competition and the cost of running stores.

The retailer’s management team needs to find £20m to fund a rescue plan, but its backers and bankers were understood to be unwilling to provide the extra cash. Advisers to the group have now asked would-be buyers to table an offer within days.

Evans operates about 60 stores and traces its roots back nearly 100 years. It also sells online but has been battered by rising costs and fierce price competition.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2018/sep/20/evans-cycles-seeks-buyer-after-failing-to-mount-rescue-bid

 

[soundwave]

shut 95% of the stores now and copy chain reaction

 

[Zlatan]

I, d guess most bike shops are seeking buyers.

 

[flecc]

I'm not surprised, they've already been quietly closing stores, I found out recently that the Croydon Evans branch had shut down.

In the same long road, "roadies" shop Geoffrey Butler Cycles have closed their single shop and moved in with their much larger BikePlus that is a branch of theirs further down the road for the general bike market.

Online shops are doing real harm to LBS's, but online shops can't do bike repairs. Ultimately it will be the customer who suffers and there'll be an increase in the number of bikes prematurely scrapped when faulty.
.

 

[georgehenry]

I have a huge Evans local to me in Guildford but choose to use a small independent bike shop run by two grumpy old men like me called Pedal Pushers which I love for its old school charm.

I will be sorry if the Evans store shuts though, but the floor area of their store is huge and must cost a fortune in rent and rates.

 

[Woosh]

Online shops are doing real harm to LBS's, but online shops can't do bike repairs. Ultimately it will be the customer who suffers and there'll be an increase in the number of bikes prematurely scrapped when faulty.
.

Evans' situation is similar to the HoF and Debenhams - having to cope with ever increasing costs and decreasing margin.
The trend is toward less impulse purchase.
Customers come into their shops to look at interesting models then shop on the internet. Blaming customers' behaviour is not the answer. The real issue is many shops only fulfill the role of a showroom and are not imaginative or technical enough to add value to the merchandise such as offering electric bike repairs and conversion service. They pay for luxurious premises, employ salesmen who are busy only a couple of hours a day, two days a week, and the rest of the time, hang around without much to do.

 

[Nealh]

My last two visits, on both occasions I was ignored by staff when looking at prospective bikes and other merchandise.
Appearance of too many staff doing not a lot and not really bothered about interacting with potential customers tis why in the whole I use internet stores for 99.9% of my consumable/parts purchases.
Poor attention to service is one reason for punters walking out of the door and go elsewhere probably to Halfords.

 

[flecc]

Evans' situation is similar to the HoF and Debenhams - having to cope with ever increasing costs and decreasing margin.
The trend is toward less impulse purchase.
Customers come into their shops to look at interesting models then shop on the internet. Blaming customers' behaviour is not the answer. The real issue is many shops only fulfill the role of a showroom and are not imaginative or technical enough to add value to the merchandise such as offering electric bike repairs and conversion service. They pay for luxurious premises, employ salesmen who are busy only a couple of hours a day, two days a week, and the rest of the time, hang around without much to do.

Fully agree. Our successful BikePlus does have large well appointed premises and good stocks but just one knowledgeable person in the showroom who's happy to leave people to browse or willingly help when required. At the rear is a large well equipped workshop usually with two skilled men working in there who customers have access to when necessary. And they can handle e-bikes as well, both those they've sold and others, including building hub motors into rims.

They've survived where others like Evans in the same long road have failed. But they have condensed from their former two premises, their very long established "roadie" one closed and moved in with the large mass market one. Given how big the roadie market is now, especially in my North Downs area, that isn't a good sign, indicative of something making trading more difficult.
.

 

[Fat Rat]

I have a huge Evans local to me in Guildford but choose to use a small independent bike shop

I will be sorry if the Evans store shuts though.

I’m not stirring but your comments sum it up really
You will be sorry they close but never use them .

 

[georgehenry]

I’m not stirring but your comments sum it up really
You will be sorry they close but never use them .

I do use them on occasion to buy odd parts off them online where I can choose which store to pick up from and find that facility can be useful. I bought the pair of Tyres that I have on my Haibike from them.

I did in fact buy my first electric bike from them as my company ride to work scheme only had Evans as the choice, but the Bionx Trek bike was the only choice and I ended up getting my money back when it repeatedly failed and then used that money to buy an Oxygen Emate City (much better) from 50 cycles in Richmond which I still own and use, the Oxygen, not 50 cycles who turned out to be very disappointing (very poor customer service) and I would now not consider using (50 cycles) which is a shame as they stock Reise and Muller bikes that I like.

I also bought my first Ortlieb Panniers from Evans as well as my D Lock + cable etc and various other bits and probably still will while they are still around.

But for mechanical servicing etc my independent bike shop is the place I choose to go for their expertise and reliability.

I also use the dealer (ebikeshop Farnham) where I bought my bike who have proved to be truly excellent.

I do not think Evans are going out of business potentially because of my own lack of patronage but for sticking with a business model that has drifted out of date.

Still a shame as it removes an element of choice and competition.

 

[Fat Rat]

I do use them on occasion to buy odd parts off them online where I can choose which store to pick up from and find that facility can be useful. I bought the pair of Tyres that I have on my Haibike from them.

I did in fact buy my first electric bike from them as my company ride to work scheme only had Evans as the choice, but the Bionx Trek bike was the only choice and I ended up getting my money back when it repeatedly failed and then used that money to buy an Oxygen Emate City (much better) from 50 cycles in Richmond which I still own and use, the Oxygen, not 50 cycles who turned out to be very disappointing (very poor customer service) and I would now not consider using (50 cycles) which is a shame as they stock Reise and Muller bikes that I like.

I also bought my first Ortlieb Panniers from Evans as well as my D Lock + cable etc and various other bits and probably still will while they are still around.

But for mechanical servicing etc my independent bike shop is the place I choose to go for their expertise and reliability.

I also use the dealer (ebikeshop Farnham) where I bought my bike who have proved to be truly excellent.

I do not think Evans are going out of business potentially because of my own lack of patronage but for sticking with a business model that has drifted out of date.

Still a shame as it removes an element of choice and competition.

So you do use them then lol

Seriously thou it wasn’t a dig at you specifically it was more of an example of a growing trend
Just like a conversation my wife had the other day (we own a small local shop)
The lady came in and said “I love walking through town and having a look in all the shops at Christmas, I then go home and buy what I need off amazon “
To which my wife replied “one day you will walk through town and all the shops will be boarded up because you don’t support local businesses “ the lady had nothing to say but did buy something.

 

[georgehenry]

I know you were using my comment to make a point rather than single me out as the Evans nemesis.

When the Evans super store appeared in Guildford I was more worried about my small independent cycle shop "Pedal Pushers" disappearing than Evans as their shop is probably a lot more like your own shop than Evans.

I think they do sell the odd bike but really survive on their bike servicing and repair side, and it is that side that I would really miss if it were to go.

 

[Fat Rat]

I think they do sell the odd bike but really survive on their bike servicing and repair side, and it is that side that I would really miss if it were to go.

I always try and use my LBS as much as possible
As you say we will all miss them if they go .

 

[Nefarious]

I really like several of their FWE product line, which I've bought at a few of their stores as well as online. So if they fold, I will miss them. They were also very good when I bought my first 'serious' bike

 

[flecc]

Evans failing is partly my fault I suppose. In a lifetime of cycling I've never even entered one of their stores or ever bought from them, despite having a local Evans for most of my last 52 years.

However, that must also mean they are doing something wrong, since on a small number of occasions I've entered and bought from a Halfords and even browsed a Cycle King, neither of which I have a high regard for.

Thinking about the reasons why I've never considered Evans, the first is that they never seem to have occurred as an option, so their publicity hasn't been working as it should. Second is that even if they had occurred to me, they were in a busy, congested, even chaotic yob-ridden poorer part of a very long high street. With no handy car or bike parking, very narrow choked pavements and road making it the last place on earth anyone would cycle, and a very slow public transport route to there, not an inviting prospect.
.

 

[Woosh]

Evans shop in Chesterton Road used to be my favourite bike shop in Cambridge although I seldomly bought anything from them. The showroom was suberb, lots of very nice kits on display including a whole section devoted to Brompton. It was clearly elitist and successful
I also frequented their shop in The Cut, Lamberth. Smaller, not so elitist and not successful. There may be a clue somewhere: either big or niche but not in the middle of the road.