A CYCLING business is due to close after more than 30 years trading and influencing the biking scene in Tavistock.

Lorna and Martin Legg are retiring from Tavistock Cycles having helped create Tavistock Wheelers cycle club and supported the formation of Drake’s Trail cycle route, part of SUSTRANS national network Route 27.

The pair are looking forward to not working six days a week in the shop and will be exploring their local area during their retirement.

Both came to Tavistock to live from London, where they were both discouraged from cycling when they were young by their parents because of the dangers of being hit by traffic. Despite this sanction, Martin decided to buy his first bike when he was a teenager although Lorna did not begin enjoying life on two wheels until they settled in Tavistock.

They moved from London together to set up home and begin a family in Tavistock, having met in the peace movement in London and deciding they wanted to move to somewhere more rural.

Lorna said: ‘It will be a bit sad closing after 33 years in business. But it is the next step in our lives and feels the natural thing to do. We won’t be planning anything big. We’ll just enjoy not working the usual retail six days a week and will make the most of our local area.’

Martin said: ‘We will also miss the social aspect of seeing the same people over the years and their children and grandchildren. One person told me that they’d bought 14 bikes over the years for them and their three children. It’s a nice feeling to know so many people personally who we’ve been providing bikes and gear for over the years. We will be coming into town weekly and are bound to see people we know — Tavistock is like that. A small community.’ He added: ‘I have always been keen on improving the accessibility of cycling and a major acheievement was working with SUSTRANS.’