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I don't think we've done this. There's an article on the BBC about a proposed Innerleithen Mountain Bike Centre. Not my neck of the woods but seems to have a lot of potential.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/crmk9d7nmy8o
I wonder how much money has been spunked already on the countless consultations that have already taken place about this. THere's already a similar place at Glentress that's supposed to be some centre of mountain bike innovation and excellence. Not a clue if they've actually delivered anything innovative or excellent in the 10+ years it's been there?
I wonder how much money has been spunked already on the countless consultations that have already taken place about this.
There has been a lot of consultations but for good reason. The original plan was to renovate the listed mill building and, as it typical, the public were included in the planning for this with consultation throughout. When this was deemed unaffordable the project had to pivot to seek demolition. It is not easy to demolish a listed building so a lot of consultation was needed to get support to get through planning. That stage was approved in April, this new planning application is for the replacement building.Â
Has been mentioned on here a few times...when it was announced a few years ago it sounded great and then went silent. Has been asked about a few times since it was originally announced, but good to hear an update despite it not being the best news.
I say not the best news as demolishing the building is going to add to the cost of it.
It sounds like a good thing but has taken an absolute age to get to this, so I'm not holding my breath for this to happen any time soon (and cynically, the cost will rise several times still).
Not a clue if they've actually delivered anything innovative or excellent in the 10+ years it's been there?
Excellent queues for food
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Not a clue if they've actually delivered anything innovative or excellent in the 10+ years it's been there?
Excellent queues for food
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and the unforgettable vista of a muddy embankment.Â
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I can't help thinking it's pretty short sighted to open a mountain biking centre in an area that has really poor public transport access.
I can't help thinking it's pretty short sighted to open a mountain biking centre in an area that has really poor public transport access.
Aren't most, if not all, MTB destinations guilty of that?
From their brief, I understood the benefit being the local trails for testing. Not sure where manufacturers currently test products but unless something is made in the morning, fitted to a bike and tested before lunch then I dont see the benefit or the trails on the doorstep. I would think with things being made all over the globe, manufacturers could ship it to wherever the tester lives.
If the above was the plan and it worked, I am curious if they would get enough skilled workers in a reasonably remote part of the country.
Perhaps I am missing something?Â
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I can't help thinking it's pretty short sighted to open a mountain biking centre in an area that has really poor public transport access.
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It's not for the public, its just industry testing facilities and offices with the aim of attracting companies to the area. I'd be very surprised if it is anywhere remotely successful.
If the above was the plan and it worked, I am curious if they would get enough skilled workers in a reasonably remote part of the country.
Perhaps I am missing something?Â
If they're looking to get bike brands to locate/re-locate in Inners, the local trail network would be a massive plus for potential employees.
And there's no shortage of bike-mad young locals who would probably love to work in the industry.
I think it could be quite successful, but it all seems a lot of fanfare and publicity for what essentially appears to be an office building.
I can't help thinking it's pretty short sighted to open a mountain biking centre in an area that has really poor public transport access
I've just moved here, well a mile and a half away. This is all relative, the public transport in the Borders is infinitely better than where I grew up in rural Lincolnshire (ie. there is some)Â
Not Edinburgh levels of public transport admittedly but I'm surprised at how much there is for a rural area, even one on a main A road
I can't help thinking it's pretty short sighted to open a mountain biking centre in an area that has really poor public transport access.
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Tweed valley MTB stuff was built to bring money into a depressed area. Its no real issue to get there by public transport. Train to Gala, bike carrying buses IIRC
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I am curious if they would get enough skilled workers in a reasonably remote part of the country.
Its not remote. Several towns withing a few miles, not far from Edinburgh. Its a relatively densely populated part of the country with high unemplyment
I think it could be quite successful, but it all seems a lot of fanfare and publicity for what essentially appears to be an office building.
5G instrumented trail lab for real time testing and research, world class humans factors lab, maker and testing lab, teaching space for academic partners, event space for industry events, lettable space for brand experiences or other industry clients, enterprise and entrepreneurship support based in building, access to world class trails, collaboration space.
And an office building.Â
5G instrumented trail lab
A what?Â
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Had a look at the floorplans- there's offices and meeting rooms upstairs, down stairs has the human factors lab. The rest seems to be flexible space/brand experience rooms. no mention of trail lab or testing labs..
Maybe I misunderstood but I thought the lab stuff was all tie-in with Napier University rather than situated at innerleithen?Â
Maybe I misunderstood but I thought the lab stuff was all tie-in with Napier University rather than situated at innerleithen?Â
 correct, but with the Napier team being based in the Inners building.Â
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Comes with nanobots, maybe even Bluetooth.