Project Cycle Heaven, York
The road to Cycle Heaven began in Copenhagen when in in the mid-1980s Cycle Heaven founder Andy Shrimpton visited the city and found people enjoying all the excitement of a capital from the saddle of a bicycle. His immediate response was “why can’t everywhere be like this.” He became an instant convert to the bicycle. Cycle Heaven now has three shops with different specialisms at Hospital Fields Road, Bishopthorpe Road and York Station.
The main store is set in a striking building off Fulford Road and close to the Millennium Bridge river crossing and the meeting point of cycle paths. The building was originally a Victorian military warehouse and had been used as a furniture store before it came available for its new use as Cycle Heaven, one of York and North Yorkshire’s largest cycle stores.
Our involvement was to assist Andy in completely re-planning the building to form a retail cycle store, cycle workshop for repairs and servicing, a bike fitting studio, café and a hub for other cycling activities. The building is used as a rendezvous for rides, a venue for cycle activism, lectures, book launches and even a theatre laid out over 1,000 sq meters. The new layout included WC’s, kitchen, and café on the ground floor adjacent to the shop.
Planning was also gained for the new exterior signage on the front elevation.
Cycle Heaven is an amazing bike shop fully committed to the diverse culture of cycling and getting people of all ages and abilities on to bikes. It appeals to roadies, mountain bikers, commuters, kids, and from the enthusiasts who might only want to buy the frame and self-build, to the rider who’s not interested in the bike – just the colour!