[Closed] Petition to save The Hub Glentress

hasn't the horse already bolted?

doesn't the FC own the land they want to buy? how's that gonna work then?

Done

Another petition to save it and this one after the new Café owners have been announced, seems pointless.

I have nothing constructive to say.

Neither do I. But then that's what STW's for it seems. Anyone fancy starting a petition in favour of deafeated contenders accepting defeat with just a tiny bit of grace?

Anyone fancy starting a petition in favour of deafeated [[i]sic[/i]] contenders accepting defeat with just a tiny bit of grace?

It's their livelihood. They spent ten years of their lives building up a business and now they're looking at having it all taken away. We, well, you, can argue all day about the finer points, but, from Emma and Tracy's point of view, it all boils down to one very simple fact: their world is dissolving in front of them. If you don't understand that, fair enough; but don't tell them when they should stop fighting.

Done

done

If it is/was their livelihood at stake then maybe they should have went in with a better offer than the one they went in with.

Not signing. Business is business and I see no special reasons to keep the hub

Not signing. Business is business and I see no special reasons to keep the hub

Agree.

Were they not invited to tender for the job then ?

Or did they and in fact they lost it ?

Why did they not get to continue ?

Tell us more and if its unfair you may get more signatures.

No for me

You DIDN'T sign it TWICE! That's a new approach...

Anywhere that can run out of baked spuds on a bank holiday weekend doesn't deserve my help!

Oops didn't mean that but have to be honest I've never liked the bike shop and the cafe is ok at best so change is good in my book. You have to remember that just because you work somewhere doesnt me you have a job for life so all this save our hub crap is a bit boring all the best to the new people

In fact I think they should let top gear blow the hub up

Don't bother, it'll be privatised, closed, bulldozed and fenced off in a couple of years anyway.

err no.

I first went to Glentress 8 years ago and the cafe was a shack with some mouldy sofas and only about 12 seats inside which were all taken. 8 years later their investment is such that you still sit outside on the same mouldy sofas if the 12 chairs inside are taken. Bear in mind the usual weather conditions in Scotland, I think this is pretty poor.

When I was there with a group of 7, one of us was Celiac so brought his own food, but bought a coffee from them and we sat outside on one of the picnic tables. As soon as he had drunk his coffee, one of the girls came and kicked him off the table as he wasn't eating their food although the other six of us were.

I personally have no sympathy.

It's their livelihood. They spent ten years of their lives building up a business and now they're looking at having it all taken away. We, well, you, can argue all day about the finer points, but, from Emma and Tracy's point of view, it all boils down to one very simple fact: their world is dissolving in front of them. If you don't understand that, fair enough; but don't tell them when they should stop fighting.

They've known for years that they would have to tender for the new development. Any business which is properly run would not assume that they were a shoe-in and will make contingency plans, squirrel money away, etc. This should therefore not come as a shock to The Hub, and if it has and they are not prepared, then that shows arrogance and poor business acumen. So I would dispute that "their world is dissolving in front of them", as they can't have been so stupid as to not plan ahead.

I totally agree with Northwind (and in fact asked similar in another thread). The least they can do is to show publicly some respect for the FC and the new lease holders - any prospective business partners or landowners that they wish to court may not appreciate their surly attitude. And it does their image to the biking community in general no favours either.

North wind, legend & trimix +1

Kit - could not have put it better.. There staff have also been aware of this for a long time, they have all had ample opportunity to find alternative solutions. Time they let go and move on, its tragic to watch them cling to a sinking ship and claim in the public domain that they were the driving force behind making GT a success. I've had a good laugh at all the stuff on the net, forum chat, newspaper reports and the sharp honest response from FC head honcho but it's now a cow with very sore udders.

What ever happens with the hub happens, if I can help them I will, simply because they have done a lot to help out bikers.

That said, a £9,000,000 visitors centre? How many of us who actually use glentress or inners, where asked what we think, the money should be spent on?

I for one, can think of a lot better ways to spend that money, like developing the forest. How much is being spent on that? or are we going to drive over, simply to visit the visitors centre 😯

As for losing passionate mountain bikers and having them be replaced.

Maybe that will work, time will tell.

I do feel really sorry for Emma and Tracy and hope they can work out something to move on to next.

GT has been expanding (trails & number of people) at a fantastic rate and the hub has to as well. There was a tender process and they never won, that's the the way I see it. Like someone else said uf ut was an unfair process I'd sign the petition.

Personally, I'm looking forward to see how things are going to develop there with the new businesses.

Kaesae I think the visitor centre will be aimed at more than just bikers, you may be surprised that there are other users of the forest.

"The Hub at Innerleithen" sounds OK to me. One of those big helicopters could shift the cafe there in minutes 🙂

No doubt the selling of the forests is a good idea as well, surely a similar process will occur ❓

There is no reason to shut the hub and have only one company doing business at the site, yet again individuals choices are being limited by out of touch government bodies.

If there are 300,000 visitors a year, as is being claimed, then there is enough space for more than one company to trade.

Having only one company doing business there, is not only discriminatory to all other companies. It also means we have less choice on the options available to us at glentress, you see this is a good thing ❓

We are gaining some resources yes, but we are also losing resources, why is that ❓

BenjiM - Member
Kaesae I think the visitor centre will be aimed at more than just bikers, you may be surprised that there are other users of the forest.

You seem to be missing the point, if the facility is for those that use the forest, my point is why where they not cosulted and involved in the decision ❓

tough call. As Kit et al say it's business...but was it not the UK's 1st trail centre. which through the efforts of E and T and of course others became the most highly regarded?

I doubt I'll spend much time in the replacement. if I want comfy surroundings etc I'll go for a coffee in town. The rough edge is a good thing imo.

But I am clearly not the target market and I guess if the whole thing gets more folk off their arses that has to be a good thing.

Having only one company doing business there, is not only discriminatory to all other companies. It also means we have less choice on the options available to us at glentress, you see this is a good thing

So you started a petition years ago to back a second (or third!) business at Glentress did you? You weren't happy to just let Emma and Tracey rake in the cash when there were other businesses clamouring at the FC's door to set up shop and cash in on the popularity of the forest?

Oh...clearly you were!

it's funny to see how their petition mentions that they want to invest in and improve their facilities now. perhaps they could have thought of that one sooner, and already had a cafe that couldn't be replaced so easily

Kit - Member

Having only one company doing business there, is not only discriminatory to all other companies. It also means we have less choice on the options available to us at glentress, you see this is a good thing
So you started a petition years ago to back a second (or third!) business at Glentress did you? You weren't happy to just let Emma and Tracey rake in the cash when there were other businesses clamouring at the FC's door to set up shop and cash in on the popularity of the forest?
Oh...clearly you were!

Blah blah and blah!

winstonsmith - Member
it's funny to see how their petition mentions that they want to invest in and improve their facilities now. perhaps they could have thought of that one sooner, and already had a cafe that couldn't be replaced so easily

They should invest money when their tenure is coming to an end and they don't know if it will be renewed ❓ 😯

How many forests in this country could be developed and have had that development detrimentally affected by the FC. The main driving force behind glentress was the hub, their presence at glentress has been a significant contributory factor, to it's success.

Not only the facitlities they have provided, but also in raising awareness for the forest and the possibilities and potential it has.

I have nothing constructive to say.

have you read the petition kaesae? they're talking about investing now, which seems even sillier

anyway, i feel more sorry for all the staff. i hope some/all off them get jobs in the new places. quite a few of them have been working there for years and there can't be that many jobs in the area

it is water under the bridge now! Roll on the newbies

winstonsmith - Member
have you read the petition kaesae? they're talking about investing now, which seems even sillier

anyway, i feel more sorry for all the staff. i hope some/all off them get jobs in the new places. quite a few of them have been working there for years and there can't be that many jobs in the area

Not now Boy! I'm busy!!!

winstonsmith - Member
have you read the petition kaesae? they're talking about investing now, which seems even sillier

anyway, i feel more sorry for all the staff. i hope some/all off them get jobs in the new places. quite a few of them have been working there for years and there can't be that many jobs in the area

Would you renovate a house you could be leaving soon ❓

What about putting a new engine in a car, you might not own soon ❓

Here's another one, would you upgrade the facilities you currently manage, when you might not get to manage them for much longer ❓

I'm not sure what The Hubs annual turn over is but I'm sure they weren't doing it for free, that's not to say they are not passionate about what they do! I do feel they could have invested in the cafe/facilities a bit more in previous years.

Maybe if there business plan was better prepared they would have got the tender, who knows? At the end of the day if the best business got the lease and it was done fairly then I don't see a problem. Just because someone/thing has been there for a while it doesn't automatically mean they should stay there. Other people deserve a chance as well.

but was it not the UK's 1st trail centre. which through the efforts of E and T and of course others became the most highly regarded?

Well, how about Coed-y-Brenin? There were waymarked trails and a cafe there in 1996 IIRC. Pretty sure the Hub wasn't there in 2001 when I 1st went to GT. There were great trails at GT before the Hub opened. (I could say better, as they weren't as sanitised and 'sustainable'.

kaesae, are you saying that they should never update and invest in their business and product that they are selling to the paying public? I'm not saying they should be investing when there lease is due to expire but they could have done in years gone by. They leased the land from the FC for X amount of years and I'm pretty sure made fairly good profit margins along the way unless they wouldn't have continued. I think in hindsight they may have got a little complacent and that's why going to tender can be a good thing for competing potential businesses. The product they are providing is continually being evolved for the customer.

Having only one company doing business there, is not only discriminatory to all other companies. It also means we have less choice on the options available to us at glentress, you see this is a good thing

We are gaining some resources yes, but we are also losing resources, why is that

cynic-al - Member
tough call. As Kit et al say it's business...but was it not the UK's 1st trail centre

on the history bit, i never remember any scottish trail centre going back as far as CyB, first reference i can find is,
[url= http://www.bikemagic.com/trail-news/offroad-party-at-mabie-forest/1132.html ]bike magic 2000.[/url]

whereas red bull at Coed y Brenin, [url= http://www.singletrackworld.com/trailguide/uk/wales/coed-y-brenin/ ]1997[/url]

Although i do remember racing at Afan in 1993.

Here's another one, would you upgrade the facilities you currently manage, when you might not get to manage them for much longer

I might if whether I got to manage them much longer depended on just that.