We’ve just received some very exciting news from a crew called Dirt Factory, who are set to open the UK’s very first indoor bike park – right in the heart of Manchester city centre!
The Dirt Factory Indoor Bike Park will be built inside a disused warehouse, which is located on a 24-acre site at Mayfield, right next to Manchester Piccadilly train station. Launching in February 2019, the indoor bike park will be a temporary pop-up, though the founders hope to find a more permanent site to move to after the 2-year tenure at Mayfield.
If you’re as excited as we are about the prospect of indoor mountain bike trails right in the centre of the city, then read on for the full press release from the Dirt Factory Team;
A NEW indoor bike park, bringing family-friendly fitness and fun to Manchester city centre, is opening at Mayfield in February.
The Dirt Factory Pop-Up is being created inside a disused 25,000 sq ft warehouse off the Mancunian Way.
The brainchild of five passionate cyclists who have raised more than £400,000 through a crowd-funding website, Dirt Factory aims to bring high quality bike trails to the heart of Manchester.
Around 2,000 tonnes of reclaimed soil will be used to create the bike park at Mayfield, which will create up to 10 full and part-time jobs. The team will be supported by more than 50 volunteers who have signed up to support the venture.
The Dirt Factory Pop-Up will house a range of exciting bike trails and features, designed for riders of all ages and abilities. It will be an evolving creative space where individuals, friends and groups can ride together, have fun and take their bike skills to the next level.
The Dirt Factory Pop-Up will be open for up to two years ahead of the business moving to a permanent home at a larger facility in Greater Manchester.
In the long term, the 24-acre Mayfield site will be transformed into a world-class urban quarter, delivering new office and leisure space, the first city centre park in more than 100 years, as well as 1,300 homes and a hotel.
James Heather, Development Director for the Mayfield Partnership, which comprises Manchester City Council, LCR, Transport for Greater Manchester and regeneration specialist U+I, said: “We are really pleased and excited to be supporting the launch of Dirt Factory, it’s a fantastic initiative and one that fits perfectly with our own values in terms of community and well-being.
“Since the formation of the Partnership nearly two years ago we have focused on learning about the heritage of this site and listening to a wide range of people about what they would like to see here. This has been invaluable in helping shape our long term vision for Mayfield.
“While doing this we have brought part of the site back to life by working with GRUB, hosting headline events for Manchester International Festival and CityCo, the pop-up Christmas cinema and most recently Manchester Pride. The Dirt Factory Pop-Up continues this worthwhile work and we look forward to welcoming cyclists of all ages coming to Mayfield.”
Dirt Factory co-founder and Managing Director Dan Makin, said: “We can’t wait to open at Mayfield. The Dirt Factory Pop-Up is an amazing opportunity to bring our dream alive and as a start-up it’s great to have such amazing support from the Mayfield Partnership, with whom we share so many common values around inclusivity, wellbeing and the environment.
“As well as the opportunity to ride a range of indoor bike trails and features, the Dirt Factory Pop-Up will offer bike hire including e-bikes and a host of exciting events.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BmQFzAIBoYE/
Welcoming the launch of the Pop-Up, Greater Manchester’s Cycling and Walking Commissioner, Chris Boardman, said: “Mountain biking and BMX are hugely popular activities and high quality, low-cost facilities in convenient city locations are a major factor in encouraging more people to give them a try. We hope to do our bit by enabling more people to make journeys to and from the city centre without cars.
“It’s great to hear that there will be a big community focus to the Dirt Factory project and I wish everyone involved all the best with this venture.”
In 2016, U+I were appointed as development partner to deliver a wholesale regeneration of the Station and its surrounding areas. The Mayfield Partnership have brought parts of the depot back into public use through a wide range of events including the weekly GRUB street-food fair and a host of one off events including everything from private functions, weddings and trailblazer events from the Manchester international Festival programme for 2018.
So what do you folks think about the proposed indoor bike park? Keen to check it out when it’s open?
If you want to stay up to date with the park’s progress, head to the Dirt Factory website here, and you can also check out the Dirt Factory Facebook page, Twitter feed, and Instagram feed.
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I thought Sheffield had one a few years ago?
Farmer John’s build crew have been working on it, so should be good fun!
Yep – Sheffield had one a few years ago. It was more of an indoor BMX track and was in Chapeltown.
From memory, Dialled Bikes used to sponsor some of the races as part of the UK indoor series
Fab news. Great location too with Grub round the corner. They also have parking and the advantage of Piccadilly Station, although Northern Fail might not be too accommodating with loads of bikes coming in via the trains.
Going to get booked into here when it opens, especially if they do skills training (as someone who doesn’t jump).