Black Isle Bicycles
Employees: Black Isle Bicycles is up and running. Lizbeth Collie is working half time as Destination
Development Officer and began working in March. Giles Makins, the Enterprise Manager, started on March
17. Although both have different roles they have worked together well to lay the foundations of the business.
The company is trading as Black Isle Bicycles as the current operating arm of Black Isle Ventures Ltd, a
company wholly-owned by TBI.
Capital spend: The company has insurance in place for its business activities and Giles’ car has a tow-bar
with business insurance, a three-bike trailer, while a larger 12-bike trailer has yet to be delivered. Eight of the
ten hybrid bikes are delivered and two electric bikes ordered. All capital purchases have resulted from
competitive tendering, and it is good news that local companies such as Square Wheels in Strathpeffer and
Dryburgh Cycles in Dingwall are our suppliers.
Premises: We have temporary premises near Muir of Ord for cycle storage and workshop. We expect to
have secured a redundant room in the Muir of Ord Community Centre as our operating premises, but the
final agreement followed by the necessary adaptations, such as for Fire Regulations, are not completed.
Publicity: The company has a logo and business cards and secured URLs for a website, Facebook and
Twitter pages. Our preferred website builder has been too busy, and Lizbeth offered to construct the website
using Plexus Spanglefish software, but the support she expected from Plexus has been unsatisfactory. I
gave Lizbeth permission to go for a basic website from Velocity Design that could be upgraded later to a
more interactive one. WorldPay Zinc has been chosen for card payments face-to-face. Lizbeth has written
articles for the Highland Cycling Campaign, Chatterbox and Muir Matters.
Press launch: Preparations are underway for the Press Launch of Black Isle Bicycles. The event takes
place on June 2 at 10:30 am at the Rosemarkie Beach Café with a cycle ride to Chanonry Point for photo
opportunities. Please show solidarity with BIB by cycling to Rosemarkie for 1030.
Responsibility of Hirers: Time has been spent finalizing the Hire Agreement Forms, the Checklist for
maintaining the bikes before each hire and the need for Risk Assessments. The critical area has been how
to word the responsibility of the hirer against the potential for loss or damage to the bicycle or its
accessories. We have been convinced by Steve Macdonald’s view that on paper you have to remind them
that they are responsible, but in practice goodwill is worth more, and BIB would not necessarily press the
case for recompense. We do not have insurance for the bikes when on hire.
Route cards: One aspect of the business is to develop Cycling Route Cards for suggested cycle trips based
on the developments of Million Miles mapping. A meeting between Giles, Elizabeth, Wendy Price and I with
Peter Elbourne examined the common ground between the Route Cards Million Miles were to create for
active travel on the Black Isle and that required for tourism. Giles showed a mock-up of a Route Card for a
cycle route around Mount Eagle. This appeared to satisfy the needs of Black Isle Bicycles and with the
same format but different colourway could be what Million Miles required. Subsequently Giles agreed in
principle to prepare five Route Cards to be ready for the official launch. The routes could include – Route
around Learnie, North Kessock to Chanonry Point, a trip to two breweries, a Mosaic Trail based on Groam
House, and an RSPB focused trail
Inaugural BIB Shoulder season event: Steve Macdonald, one of the Black Isle Bicycles directors, who
runs Square Wheels in Strathpeffer has been great help in our objective of creating a “shoulder season”
event to extend the tourist season on the Black Isle. Currently it has a working title of Biathlon, and should
involve on and off road stages involving the Red Learnie’s cycle trails. Date October 26 or November 2.
Banking: Black Isle Bicycles still has no active bank account. It has been a protracted process. Bank of
Scotland have given us a Sort code and Account Number but there is a need for the majority of TBI directors
to prove their identity at a local Bank of Scotland Branch. We will know for sure whom they are when
another round of paper arrives. All will need sign the Bank’s paperwork I believe.
Contacts in the Community: Lizbeth and Giles have built up an impressive range of contacts within the
region focused on cycling and tourism. Lizbeth’s Destination Development Plan is now an eleven-page
document. The Rosemarkie Beach Café and the Dolphin Watching Group have been particularly helpful.
Rosemarkie may also provide space for a few bicycles that could be lent from there. Other enterprises were
interested in having bicycle racks outside their premises. For enterprises that are already registered with
Visit Scotland it is only a small step to get the premises advertised as welcoming cyclists. However we are
considering whether we could introduce our own scheme, supported by our logo, for those unwilling to pay
the £300 Visit Scotland requires for registering their business.
Hire charges: We have discussed the hire charges. These have to be considered against the prices of our
competitors, who in general do not deliver to customers, our commitment to reimburse Giles at 30 p a mile
for use of his car, the need to check each bicycle before hire, and the need to be profitable. Our current
suggestions are for a sliding scale starting at £28 for first day, £20 subsequent day and £108 a week for
hybrid bike hire. £45 for first day, £35 subsequent day and £185 a week for an electric bike. Profitability is
crucially dependent on the required car travel per bike.
Reporting Procedures: Black Isle Bicycles has developed its plans for financial control. I have discussed
with Giles and Lizbeth the reporting procedures I envisage involving Black Isle Bicycles directors, TBI
directors, and Sinead, our officer at the Coastal Communities Fund. I propose that Directors of Black Isle
Bicycles meet at six-weekly intervals before TBI Directors meetings. I propose that every 12 weeks we
submit a written report to Coastal Communities Fund (they insist we report more often than six-monthly) that
would also be the input to alternate TBI Directors Meetings and be available as an article for the TBI
Newsletter. We would decide how full an account was provided at the other TBI directors meetings. If TBI
Directors want to feel more involved they can be given access to the Google Drive Folders where copies of
all the BIB documents are located.