The Latest Bikers Paradise News
Winter Update
Hi everyone,
As we come towards the end of what must be the most depressing time of the year, its time for a quick update.
We’ve been busy, back up to six days a week, we’re well and truly on our turnaround for this iconic business. Not without its challenges!
January 2024
The worst trading conditions we’ve seen and, speaking to other retailers, we’re not alone – most have commented it’s the worst on record for many years.
We felt it – this “cost of living” crisis has been brutal for everyone. January is always grim in retail, but this year especially so.
Such is life, we live to fight another day. We’re past January and the lights are on.
Our New Products
The hardest part of our turnaround has been knowing what to keep, what to drop, and designing our new products. To that end I was over the moon to finally get my own new Douglas – the first new jacket I’ve had since I took this business on, complete with our new logo on the sidearm.
I picked up this jacket on Saturday, ran upstairs to the showroom to show one of our team to check I had the right size, fit etc (they know!), and low and behold a customer was in buying a leather jacket. Seeing me in the Douglas, he changed his mind and walked out of our building with a brand-new Douglas for himself!
I’ve been asked to just stand in the corner wearing it from now on, might have to give that some thought.
Showroom
Speaking of the lights being on, the new lights literally go on in our main showroom this week meaning we can say the refurbishment of that showroom is very nearly complete.
We’ve been getting feedback from you, our customers, and everyone likes the new look and the open plan space we’ve created, so if you’re happy, we’re happy.
Online
To grow this great brand we need to grow our internet presence – this is the world of social media and all the stuff that comes with it.
We’ve been doing just that, as we properly land in the 21st century we can begin to look forward to long-term survival and the growth that this company deserves.
Testing
I’m hoping to have some news in March about the results of our testing programme for the new UK regulations, more of that to follow.
As you can imagine it’s a lengthy business, but we’re on it.
Next Steps
We have our annual team meeting in late March and I’m looking forward to issuing a photo to show the team as it is starting to grow. It’s a far cry from where we were not that long ago with the business bidding its final farewells as the doors were getting ready to close for the last time – all of us get quite emotional about it, its hard not to be, it’s such a great company, it’s a privilege to be involved with it.
As always, more news to follow.
Remember This...
Winter is about to end, and the days are getting longer. Soon it will be just a distant memory, soon we’ll be on our bikes on sunny ride outs – ok I might be getting a bit optimistic here, but it can’t be as bad as last year, can it? If it is I’m off to Spain!
And on that note, Bikers Paradise has kept me away from home for a long time, soon I shall be boarding the ferry for Douglas for a long-overdue trip home, where everyone will be talking about the build up to the TT. We’re helping a sidecar crew this year, more to follow on that one.
I shall leave you with the sunny smiles of Perrie and Gill in our refurbished showroom.
Best wishes and ride safely!
Will & all the team @ Bikers Paradise
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Christmas 2023
A Christmas Message from Our Not-So-New Owner, Will
Hello everyone, I hope you are all doing well?
As we go into the holidays (at last), I just wanted to wish you all the best for Christmas and 2024.
Before I begin, I need to say how overwhelmed I have been with the support I’ve received from all of you, it puts me beyond words. I aim to reply to each and every one of you who have written to me, please bear with me.
We have had an incredible year. I cannot believe that this time one year ago, I was busy trying to persuade Nicola and Michelle to stop this business from closing and I was about to go into the most stressful Christmas ever because of it.
However, we are all still together and, so far, the family haven’t killed me (yet). So I must be doing something right.
In fact, Malc’s family are all over this company like a rash and that makes me so happy it’s hard to put into words. The passion from all of us will never end. Every time the whole team is together I know that keeping this company going was the right thing to do.
April 2023 was the start of our journey and we’ve had some very challenging times. The business partner I found to get this business back into opening sadly didn’t work out and, by June, we were back to square one without the assistance we had planned.
We struggled on, in what can only be described as the worst biking season weather I’ve ever known, set against the worst economic challenges we’ve seen in a long time.
Just to compound matters, I was dragged away by an emergency that had me out of the West Midlands for 10 long weeks - all ended well, I’m pleased to say, but it was a rollercoaster.
Yet, despite all of this, Bikers Paradise kept going. Without a clue what the new ownership meant, the team just held it all together and that was a more remarkable feat than anyone could appreciate without being here.
As word slowly spread that we hadn’t closed down after all, more and more people started returning through our doors. The team even hid the fact that the renovations in place had come to a total stop in my absence by hanging clothes all over the partially painted walls!
To say that without them, our reopening wouldn’t have lasted very long, is an understatement beyond all comprehension.
Now that I have all the time in the world to continue our revival, with massively needed input from a couple of very likeminded and talented people who have been known to us for years and share our passion, along with our legendary BP team, we’re in a good place and I’m excited about the future.
And, on that note, it’s worth reflecting on what we’ve achieved so far:
- We have revised our stock lines, focusing on the things that our customers do want and bringing in some very nice new products which we’re being told are hitting the spot.
- We’ve developed a new process for managing manufacturing and ordering that gives us more efficiency whilst keeping a lid on prices in a time of ever-rising costs.
- We’ve almost got rid of the dark green walls - I’m painting every wall myself until it’s all covered over - I'm sorry Malc, it’s personal for me but I’m getting counselling for it.
To top off the year, we again hosted a massive collection of bikers for the Coventry Riders Action Group Toy Run 2023. We made a lot of coffee! Next year we’re going to get bacon sandwiches on the go as well.
Our focus for 2024:
- Increasing marketing - we know our worth, now we’re going to really spread the word.
- Returning to opening 6 days a week (Monday to Saturday), starting earlier too: 9:30am.
- Growing the team, including our machining capacity for repairs and alterations.
- Starting our testing programme for the UK safety ratings in January. We already passed all previous EU ratings - for us this is a formality, albeit a timely and rather expensive one! But all in our stride now that we’ve got ourselves back onto a good, solid footing for the next 50 years.
- Finishing our refurbishment - the downstairs foyer is planned to be a place you’ll want to hang out for the sake of it, watch this space! All practice for the target of a Bikers Paradise meeting pub/cafe in the future.
So it just remains for me to say two things:
Firstly, on behalf of all of us at Bikers Paradise, Happy Christmas and a happy and successful New Year.
Secondly, we couldn’t do all this without you, our customers. You’ve supported us with enduring tenacity and for that we are eternally grateful. Thank you.
Best wishes,
Will & all the team @ Bikers Paradise
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July 2023
Introducing Will Norman
Dear Customers,
This is the first time you’re hearing from me directly – I’m the guy who saved this wonderful business.
Some questions and answers:
Who am I?
I am Will Norman, a biker since I was 13 years old (a very long time ago…I remember Agostini!).
I’ve been a customer of Bikers Paradise for over 20 years and I love this place. When I heard it was going to close down I just couldn’t see how that should even be possible, and so I stepped in to help.
I was raised in the Isle of Man by motorbike racers, and in due course I became one myself.
I restore motorbikes, it’s a hobby. Everything from Triumph Bonnevilles to the 2 strokes from the late eighties.
I live, sleep and breathe motorbikes.
I’m also from the world of big industry – I’ve supported some of the biggest companies in the world.
I will continue that work so I can pump in the money this wonderful business needs in these difficult times.
Taking over Bikers Paradise
It’s been a difficult time in so many ways, there was more behind the scenes that anyone could comprehend.
However I’m here, and I’m moving forward.
But not on my own, the Bikers Paradise team, including the former owners, are all still here – and their families. I’m stuck with all of them, and they are stuck with me!
My job is 3 fold – bank, business consultant and chief floor sweeper.
We are a team, and we will keep it that way. We all want the same thing, to see this fine business survive and prosper.
How are we doing?
We are in unprecedented times – record taxes, record interest rates and record inflation. Times are tough, really tough.
However this isn’t forever.
Swap rates on the international markets have just started to fall, this means we are about to reach peak interest rates. Inflation is starting to fall in some commodities.
Taxes are forecast to reduce as the government balances its books.
All of this means that in the long term life will start to recover. In the short term however we are in survival mode like every other business is in these times.
What are we doing to deal with the current times?
We want to keep our customers on the road. We want our customers to help us to keep on the road too!
There has not been a single redundancy since I took over, the wonderful team are our biggest asset, and you can count on it, they’re staying.
We’ve introduced a payment plan called “Pay in 3” with PayPal where our customers can pay for any items over £30 in instalments to help to spread the costs.
Just choose PayPal as your payment option during checkout and you can select to “Pay in 3” through PayPal.
If it helps you it helps us. Every sale is one more chance that we can cover our bills – such is the times we’re in at the moment.
We’re also going to be introducing more products into our range, please keep an eye out for some exciting new lines.
More to follow
That’s all from me for now. But you will be hearing from me regularly.
Remember I’m from the Isle of Man, so if I get enough interest I might be persuaded to organise a trip to the Manx Grand Prix – you’ll never get a better tour guide, or a free one for that matter, but it might cost you a few beer tokens!
From September I’m moving close to the factory so I can start to spend more time there and meet our customers.
That means Saturdays will be my main day, but the staff can reach out to me at any time.
I want Bikers Paradise to grow its social activities – we’re all bikers, and that’s what we like to do.
So I look forward to getting to meeting all of you in due course.
In the meantime I want to say thank you from all of us at Bikers Paradise for all your loyal custom, Malc and Alec would be so grateful and so proud. Our job is to make sure their legacy survives.
Safe Biking.
Will - Owner, Bikers Paradise
