Business Opportunity for Innerleithen Mountain Biking

Forestry Commission Scotland is on the hunt for entrepreneurs who can muster the necessary resources, business acumen and proper vehicles to run the passenger uplift service at its Downhill mountain bike venue, at Innerleithen, in the Scottish Borders. The new business will be responsible for operating a bus-based transport system to safely transport bikers and their bikes to the top of the downhill routes. If all goes to plan, it is hoped that the successful business would be up and running by early Summer. The downhill mountain bike course at Innerleithen is widely regarded as one of the most technically challenging courses in Britain. Around 6,000 downhillers per year visit Innerleithen and the venue often plays host to many national biking events. On busy weekends upwards of 250 users turn up each day with each requiring transport up the six mile forest road on four to six occasions per day. Christina Tracey from Forestry Commission Scotland said: "The Tweed Valley has a tremendous reputation for being a mecca for mountain bikers and this has positive spin offs with more visitors and extra money being pumped into the local economy. "We are currently looking for highly motivated entrepreneurs who have all the skills and resources to provide a high quality service which meets the needs set down by Forestry Commission Scotland. There is great potential for the venue at Innerleithen to grow and develop further and this will benefit not only mountain bikers but also the local business community." Candidates interested in the business opportunity should request a tender pack by 16 February. The pack can be obtained by emailing [email protected]. Tender details will then be sent out to interested parties, who will be asked to submit a business plan looking at areas including: how they would operate the service and contribute to taking forward Innerleithen for mountain bikers and the local area. The tenders will need to be returned by 13 March with interviews planned near 20 March. For more information on the Commission's mountain bike trails, visit: www.forestry.gov.uk www.7stanes.gov.uk