THE Romsey area is set to lose its only remaining bike shop unless new owners can be found in the next six weeks.

The Bike Centre in North Baddesley is set to close at the end of August due to its owners retiring.

The news comes just a week after Cycle World in Romsey closed.

Chris Bailey and Tony Edwards established the business in 2012 at Abbey Park Industrial Estate, before moving to their present premises in Botley Road a year later.

Tony said the shop was profitable but at the age of 64 both he and Chris were looking to retire.

He said they had been trying to sell the business for a year without any success.

"We would love to the business continue it has become a real part of the community and is still growing," said Tony.

He said that both he and Chris would be willing to retain a minority share in the business and act as advisers to a new owner who could eventually buy them out.

The lease on the shop runs out on August 21.

"The landlord would also love it if someone could take the shop on," said Tony.

The old friends, both keen cyclists, opened the shop after careers in technology – Tony in scientific instruments and Chris in telecoms.

"We knew each other in the Scouts and we both grew up in Highfield," said Tony.

The Bike Centre was the first shop in the area to embrace what is now a huge trend toward electric bikes, and have got hundreds of people cycling that may not otherwise have been able to do so.

Anyone interested in taking on the management of the shop should drop in for a chat with Chris or Tony or call 02380 740079.