A PROFESSIONAL cyclist is trying to help people get their bikes back after a sports shop unexpectedly closed.
Ben Moore, from Poole, has called out on social media to help customers of Primera Sports.
On Friday, August 28, Primera Sports did not open, and its website and social media had been removed and the phone lines disconnected.
Several customers had been in contact with them but from Friday, when they went to pick up their bikes, there was no communication and they could not collect their items.
Mr Moore, a previous customer of Primera Sports, is using his platforms on Instagram and Facebook asking for the community's help.
On a Facebook post he said: "Primera Sports has unexpectedly ceased trading. While my thoughts are with the owners and team during a tough time, dozens of customers currently have bikes locked inside the shop with no way to retrieve them.
"We are urgently trying to reach anyone with keys or administrative access (landlords, management, or keyholders) to arrange a safe, coordinated pickup."
One of the owners responded to multiple comments on Ben's Facebooks, on the evening of Monday 31 August, stating that they got several bikes back to the customers.
The next morning the comments had been deleted.
The 36-year-old said: "I don't understand what is going on, it seems cloak and dagger which is why it is a good job that people like myself talk about it in our media platforms.
"Applying a bit of pressure to this enforces people to do the right thing and it is proving that they are actually drip feeding the bikes back."
A father of a 11-year-old boy reached out to Ben and explained that his son had "saved up all summer" and bought a bike last week.
When he went to collect it on Friday, the shop was shut and no bike.
Ben called out on social media and said: "Tag anyone in the local community or cycling scene who might have contacts to help the young lad that lost his bike."
He said: " I was that 11-year-old boy one upon a time, when I hear stuff like that, I know exactly how that would feel."
Matt Banks, owner of Giant, a bike shop in Poole, said: "I read about what had happened, it is not fair for the young boy and I thought I could help.
"He is coming to my store next week and I will hopefully be giving him a bike.
"I feel bad for the boy, the cycling community are helping out and fortunately for us we are in the position to help him. "
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