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8 May 2025

ACT parent company Bira has welcomed the Bank of England's decision to reduce interest rates from 4.5% to 4.25%, calling it a "much-needed boost" for the retail sector, including for cycling...

8 May 2025

ACT parent company Bira has responded to the news that the 144-year-old Beales department store is staging a "Rachel Reeves Closing Down Sale" in its final weeks of trading, with giant yellow...

2 May 2025

Could the UK cycling industry be showing signs of renewed momentum? Following a challenging period marked by falling sales and overstocked inventories, overall trends and sales figures from...

2 May 2025

The Netherlands is set to legalise electric scooters and other light electric vehicles on public roads from July 2025, provided they are registered and display a license plate.

30 Apr 2025

The ACT has welcomed the announcement of a parliamentary inquiry into e-bike products not meeting safety regulations, which has been launched “in context of dangerous low-quality e-bike...

29 Apr 2025

Edinburgh has been named the UK’s top city for bike commuting, with 10.00% of its workforce choosing to cycle to work, according to new research.

28 Apr 2025

The Labour Government’s new Employment Rights Bill is set to be in force this year and the new regulations will impact high street retailers up and down the country.

25 Apr 2025

ACT parent company Bira welcomes the Chancellor's announcement of plans to create a level playing field for British businesses against unfair international trade practices.

15 Apr 2025

Retail Crime Remains Alarming - Bira's Latest Survey Reveals Urgent Need for Action

11 Apr 2025

Bira has cautiously welcomed the Prime Minister's announcement this week on plans to put 'thousands of Bobbies back on the Beat' with a new neighbourhood policing guarantee.

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COVID-19 Operational Advice for Mobile Mechanics

Posted on in Business News , Cycles News

Following the Prime Minister's announcement last night in which he stated non-essential businesses and premises must now close, further information regarding bicycle shops has now been published.

As bicycle shops are considered an exception to the measures and can remain open for business, it follows that mobile mechanics would also be included as an exception from our understanding.

You can read the Government guidance here.

The ACT has made the following recommendations for mobile mechanics staying open.

Adopt a contactless model

Following Government advice, you should eradicate all forms of contact between yourself and the customer and maintain a two metre distance at all times. Collections and deliveries should take place as follows:

Collections

  • When arriving at a customer's address maintain a two metre distance from the door and call them to alert them that you are outside. Failing this, ring the doorbell and then step back to the two metre distance.
  • The customer can then bring their bike outside the house and leave it in a suitable place before stepping back inside the house or to a two metre distance away.
  • You should then handle the bike wearing gloves and disinfect the entire bike- paying particular attention to contact points such as the handlebar, brakes, gears etc. - before loading it into your method of transport.
Deliveries
  • Again, call the customer when you are outside or ring the doorbell before stepping back to a two metre distance.
  • Disinfect the bike wearing gloves to make it as safe as possible for your customer to handle.
  • Leave the bike in a suitable place where the customer is able to collect it while maintaining the two metre distance.

Your workshop

  • All employees should be wearing disposable gloves in the workshop and whenever handling bikes.
  • You should remind all employees to wash their hands for 20 seconds more frequently and catch coughs and sneezes in tissues.
  • Frequently clean and disinfect objects and surfaces that are touched regularly, using your standard cleaning products.
 
For more guidance on operating your businesses during coronavirus visit the Government website.
 

Avoid card-not-present fraud 

A major security issue at present is scammers taking advantage of card-not-present (CNP) fraud. We advise all merchants to follow CNP rules down to the letter, and to obtain important information from the card owner during some or all CNP transactions. This can include:
  • cardholder's name as it appears on the card
  • card expiration date (month, year) as it appears on the card
  • billing address
  • card security code
  • phone number and/or email address
  • account number
More information on avoiding CNP fraud can be found here.


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