Thirty tourism businesses, social enterprises and community groups have been supported to help the South of Scotland become one of the leading cycling destinations in the world.
The £300,000 South of Scotland Cycling Infrastructure Fund provided capital grants of £3,000 to £25,000 to the organisations who own visitor facing assets to invest in their cycling facilities.
The Fund aims to improve facilities for visiting cyclists taking part in the Kirkpatrick C2C, South of Scotland’s Coast to Coast cycling route, or riding the 7Stanes trail centres.
Investments included bike storage, bike racks, power charging sockets for cycle tourers, bike locks, bike washes, drying equipment and repair stations amongst others.
One of the Fund’s recipients, Tweed Valley Pods near Innerleithen, was visited by Business Minister Richard Lochhead today (Tuesday 29 October) to hear more about the difference the £10,700 investment they received has made.
The glamping retreat, owned by local couple Erik Smolenski and Margot Smolenska, opened in 2023, and used their capital grant to upgrade their bike wash, introduce heated lockers to allow cyclists to dry their clothing overnight, a tool station, and a coin-fed washing machine and tumble drier.
The company has since gone on to be named 2023 Scottish Mountain Biking Accommodation provider of the year by Developing Mountain Biking in Scotland.
The Fund was offered by South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE), and is supported by the South of Scotland Cycling Partnership.
The Partnership – made up of local and national organisations representing thousands of people across the region – has a ten year strategy in place, which aims to capitalise on the South of Scotland hosting the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships and UCI Bike Region Label title to create further economic, social and environmental benefits for local people.
Margot Smolenska of Tweed Valley Pods said:
“The grant from the Cycling Infrastructure Fund has had a very positive impact on our business and the facilities that we now offer guests.
“We’ve had such great feedback from guests, all leaving five star reviews, with many of them commenting on how much they appreciated the provision for cyclists.
“We are finding that people are booking longer stays with us in the knowledge they can wash and dry their muddy kit, wash their bikes and importantly store them securely.”
Russel Griggs OBE, Chair of SOSE, said:
“The aim of the South of Scotland Cycling Partnership is to create one of the leading cycling destinations in the world.
“Through the Cycling Infrastructure Fund, we are supporting this aim, by helping 30 local tourism organisations to adapt their business models to capitalise on the increasing number of cycling visitors from the Kirkpatrick C2C and 7stanes trail centres.”
Business Minister Richard Lochhead said:
“This is a welcome initiative, supporting the development of infrastructure to help cycling play a greater role in the local economy and giving a valuable boost to local businesses.
“The Fund is clearly already having a positive impact on a range of organisations, as was highlighted during my visit to Tweed Valley Pods, where I was pleased to congratulate them on their recent award and to see the positive impact their funding has had.
“Scotland’s tourism sector is an encouraging example of how businesses can lean into innovation, driving local environmental benefits, all while creating jobs and boosting the economy.”
David Hope Jones OBE, Chief Executive of the South of Scotland Destination Alliance said:
“Following the launch of the 250-mile Kirkpatrick Coast 2 Coast cycling route earlier this year, we’ve seen a huge influx of visitors arriving on two wheels. With the region’s rolling landscapes, colourful local history and high-quality hospitality, and the South of Scotland being made a prestigious UCI Bike Region, it’s not hard to see why cycling enthusiasts are flocking to the area!
“Cycle tourism is becoming increasingly vital to the local visitor economy and has a key role to play in the delivery of the South of Scotland Responsible Tourism Strategy, which will increase our visitor economy by £1bn and support a further 6,000 jobs by 2034.
“The South of Scotland is the home of the pedal bicycle: it was literally invented here! By investing in the fantastic local businesses in the region through funds like this, we are on track to become one of the top cycling destinations worldwide.”
Gordon Smith, Destination Development Director at VisitScotland said:
“Cycling is a popular part of the visitor experience for the South of Scotland and plays an important role in the regional responsible tourism strategy.
“We know from our own research that it is our stunning landscapes and access to outdoor activities that continue to drive visitors to the region.
“The fund will not only improve facilities but encourage the spread of visitors across the region, which will in turn spread the benefits of tourism far and wide.
“It is by working with partners, businesses, and community groups, that we can raise the profile of South of Scotland as a visitor and events destination on the global stage and support the sustainable growth of tourism.”
