In recent months outdoor pursuits have soared in popularity from countryside walks, running and Munro bagging to paddle boarding and cycling – and businesses have been reaping the benefits.
Halfords for example recorded an online sales increase of 160 per cent compared to last year and its bikes and cycling equipment were big contributors. Cycling like-for-like revenue was up 59.1 per cent and in its dedicated Tredz cycling business, revenue was up 76 per cent. Sales of electric bikes and scooters also increased by an impressive 230 per cent year-on-year.
The Government’s ‘Fix Your Bike Voucher’ scheme – which allows members of the public to receive a voucher worth up to £50 towards the cost of repairing a bike – also encouraged more consumers to visit Halfords stores in July and August.
Another lockdown business success story was running equipment and fitness apps. Sports Direct recorded that brits bought 243 per cent more running clothing and spent 268 per cent more on running accessories and equipment online than the same spring/summer months last year.
Running app Strava said its user count tripled and Garmin had a 14 per cent sales growth with more people tracking their exercise outside and taking part in challenges like Run for Heroes: Run 5k, donate £5, and nominate five others.
While gyms were closed engagement with Instagram fitness influencers skyrocketed and a few UK names have launched their own subscription apps or paid private members clubs to monetise their popularity and strengthen their community. Examples include Courtney Black App and Club V from Talilla.
A very smart entrepreneurial move in my opinion. If consumers can get a service free on social media why pay? By building a loyal community following, restricting free content and moving to a subscription model, your business can grow.
Now as gyms and leisure clubs have reopened, and winter weather months are fast approaching – will these outdoor pursuits be as popular and is there a way for businesses to adapt to support and benefit from consumers’ new interests?
Statistics revealed more than 70 per cent of UK gym-goers ditched their memberships post lockdown meaning leisure clubs really need to up their game shouting about their USPs and home workout businesses have a huge audience to keep a hold of.
As a result of more people flooding to beauty spots for these types of adventures, are the parks and idyllic locations losing their appeal to a wider audience and is there a safety element to consider?
Tweed Valley in the Scottish Borders, thinks it has the answer. The park has mapped out zones in the forests so they can be enjoyed by everyone in a safe and responsible way.
Forestry and Land Scotland said the forests are wonderful places but are increasingly busy which impacts user safety. By creating these separate zones, it promotes greater mutual understanding and consideration of other forest users’ needs.
These cleverly mapped out zones indicate which areas are better suited to horse riding, advanced mountain bike trails or a more leisurely stroll.
For those looking to tread the road less travelled, walking charity Ramblers Scotland has launched a new project called ‘Mapping Scotland’s Paths’.
They believe there are hundreds of walking, cycling and horse trekking trails that are not documented and therefore unknown. By documenting and mapping out countryside trails in one place, more accessible and digestible than an ordnance survey map, Ramblers Scotland hopes to unlock some of ‘Secret Scotland’ giving people more options and more confidence when exploring our dear green place.
I’m sure there are many people that were unaware of the many open spaces, beauty spots and quaint attractions that were on their doorstep, until they were given no other option to explore their neighbourhoods due to lockdown restrictions.
People can be complacent and creatures of habit so this project aims to broaden our horizons and build on the popularity of outdoor pursuits in recent months. A great opportunity for an app developer to get on board and really give this project some legs.
Regardless if you’re a gym junkie, home workout hero or casual Sunday stroller, a healthy active lifestyle is something we should all be striving towards and the business and investment opportunities in the fitness world are endless.
Next-Gen Rail Travel
Innovative new ways of doing the things we do everything more efficiently and effectively is something I know that the whole of Scotland can get on board with. That’s why I found it fascinating news to hear that the country’s greener ambitions are full steam ahead with a new project for a hydrogen-powered train, which is set to be the centre of attention at the upcoming global COP 26 conference in Glasgow next year.
The Zero Emission Train Project is being led by Scottish Enterprise and Transport Scotland as part of Scottish Minister plans to diminish the use of diesel in passenger rail services, drastically reducing Scotland’s carbon emissions. The project will make use of some of our older fleet, recycling a retired Scotrail train to run on hydrogen, a much more environmentally friendly solution.
Some of the brightest minds from universities across the country, namely University of St Andrews and University of Strathclyde will team up to carry out the second phase of the project developing the full system design and installation, after the first concept designs were completed by Brodie Engineering in Kilmarnock.
The project is also expected to provide a real opportunity for innovation within the rail industry, creating new, quality jobs and a chance to generate a new branch of business for the sector as whole.
It’s always fantastic to hear Scottish minds taking any and every opportunity they can to excel and here’s hoping that this project is yet another bold and creative step in the right direction. This will hopefully not only create jobs and support the country’s economy, but also put Scotland on the right track to create a better and brighter future in general.
It Made Me Laugh
Fantasy
Scotland has always been a country steeped in legends and mythology. From the magical Munros in the highlands to the epic castles and architecture nationwide, there’s an element of fantasy everywhere. So that’s why, it’s amazing to hear that academics at the University of Glasgow have officially launched the first research centre in the world to focus entirely on fantasy.
The University, which has always had a Hogwarts vibe to me, unveiled the Centre for Fantasy and The Fantastic which will invite academics a space for an in depth look at all things fantasy – from literature, art, film, TV and gaming.
So any fans of Lord of The Rings, Game of Thrones and many other fantasy franchises, there’s never been a better opportunity to get the geeky degree of your D&D dreams right here in Scotland.
It Made Me Weep
Slow Recovery
As we continue the rigmarole of the lockdown hokey-cokey, it’s been an obviously challenging time for businesses looking to get a step back closer to normality. However, while recovery is certainly beginning to take place for the retail sector, this past week an industry body has warned that for businesses weathering the storm, this is far from over.
Figures published by the Scottish Retail Consortium showed that the Scottish retail sales value last month was down by 7.5 per cent when compared to 2019. While this isn’t as dire as expected, it does show that the revival of the sector is, as the survey puts it, ‘proving painfully slow and protracted’.
Obviously the pandemic has meant that any comparison with previous years is going to fall short, however it’s yet a challenge to say whether or not things will improve in the short term. This uncertainty will be the biggest challenge for a lot of Scottish retail businesses but if we keep supporting them as consumers, things can only get better.
