CyB and Nant Yr Arian closing ...

[Dave Barter]

How busy is CYB these days? Not been there for years and fancy a rematch

[riderdown]

Indeed, I was told something in the region of 250k and 300k a year loss at CyB.

As with anything in the public sector it will be interesting to see why that loss is generated. I suspect a large chunk is overhead and capital costs for works being lumped on it

If they shut it they'll still need to look after the building otherwise it will end up as an urbex YouTube video

How busy is CYB these days? Not been there for years and fancy a rematch

Like one of those American films with a fully staffed but empty diner in the middle of nowhere I deduce from the "losses"

A local entrepreneur should ask the council for a burger van licence at the access point when they close the cafe

[Bearbonesnorm]

If they shut it they'll still need to look after the building otherwise it will end up as an urbex YouTube video

Probably cheaper longterm to demolish it.

[Taylor]

How busy is CYB these days? Not been there for years and fancy a rematch

Billy and I went midweek last month and there was around 20 cars in the carpark. On the trail we saw, maybe half a dozen riders, most of those in the last 2k.
The day before at Betws-y-Coed we saw a group of 6 e-bikes close to the start then nobody until the end.
It would appear, Mid week they’re dead.

[fatbikephil]

Boom and bust? Early days of glentress was a load of trails, a rough car park and a cafe in a portacabin. Likewise places like lagan and Mabie. They become mega popular, fcs ne fls invests heavily in car parks and fancy cafe buildings and suddenly they need a 6 figure annual income to keep them going....

The scottish ski centres tried the same thing - lesson? Keep the facilities simple and a bit scuzzy as that's what we like

[psling]

I seem to remember when NRW was formed out of the Countryside Council for Wales, Forestry Commission Wales and Environment Agancy in Wales there were some misgivings about the likely conflicts of interest between the agendas of each body.
Forestry, tourism and protecting the environment are awkward bedfellows especially when there are greater pressures on funding and the need to operate in a commercial marketplace.

[Bearbonesnorm]

I read today that NRW are going to be investing in Bike Park Wales ... as a publicly owned body, that strikes me as somewhat unusual?

[psling]

More info here Stu. NRW are the landowners at BPW.

https://www.bikeparkwales.com/rewilding

[In Reverse]

CyB just isn't quite good enough to justify the drive for people coming from England imo, esecially when you consider everything else that you'd drive past on the way. Feels like a "do it once and done" type of trip. The visitor centre always seemed too big, and hence more expensive than it needed to be. Did it really need a conference centre and a sculpture park?

[Taylor]

https://www.mbr.co.uk/news/after-a-year ... 6DzcZHmWSQ

[riderdown]

Keep the facilities simple and a bit scuzzy as that's what we like

I thought the lesson was that the target audience would do anything to avoid paying for parking and dislike overpriced cafes.......

Just because they drive an Audi or campervan doesn't make them keen to money into facilities

[johnnystorm]

Did it really need a conference centre and a sculpture park?

I'd argue that it did, I imagine the conference space would get used for event sign ons (antifreeze, beast, Welsh Ultra, etc.) And the sculpture park gives non-riders something to do while half the family is off on the bike ride for a few hours. In theory it makes sense to me.

I've not seen the sculptures at CyB but we've enjoyed tracking others down on rides around other forest parks. CyB also has a fun Forest garden/Arboretum by Bont Llam Yr Ewig. Although tree people might have a giggle at the layout.

[faustus]

That MBR article annoyed me. The outcome of the now confirmed budget cuts is nuanced, and while some things like trail maintenance are not known yet, NRW will still provide parking, toilets, and facilities. The VC functions will stop, but catering is going to continue after a hiatus while they get external providers in. MTBing at CyB and other places isn't suddenly stopping, and it seems like there's enough groundswell of support, that I can see volunteer groups taking over maintenance - even if that's not happening or is very difficult to do at the moment. To a degree I can see people taking things into their own hands (for better or worse), in the absence of NRW management.

Anyway, I think these articles, while delivering bad news, could have still encouraged people to continue visiting. CyB still has a a bike shop, and other local businesses needing continued custom.

[Bearbonesnorm]

Anyway, I think these articles, while delivering bad news, could have still encouraged people to continue visiting. CyB still has a a bike shop, and other local businesses needing continued custom.

I said similar to Dee this afternoon. Seems to be a mixed message out there, something which could easily put people off from visiting. Should visitor numbers fall, NRW will feel justified in making further cut-backs should they feel it suits.

[RIP]

I said similar to Dee this afternoon. Seems to be a mixed message out there, something which could easily put people off from visiting. Should visitor numbers fall, NRW will feel justified in making further cut-backs should the feel it suits.

Classic tried and tested method of closing something of course. Bastard Beeching did it to useful and profitable railways in the 60s, and it continues with useful and profitable (not necessarily monetarily) things to this day such as libraries. Reduce the service, make it inconvenient, oh look nobody's using it so we have to close it.

[johnnystorm]

For one reason or another the MBR article appears to have been tweaked to be less misleading.