Family-run business to open first Barnsley store amid ‘impressive’ town regeneration

JE James Cycles, one of the largest independent cycle retailers in Europe, will be opening a brand-new shop in Barnsley town centre this May. The 7,874 sq ft store will be located at 12-18 Eldon Street.

The three-story shop will offer a variety of bikes and cycling goods from both JE James Cycles, a Yorkshire and Derbyshire based family-run business that has been operating for over 60 years, and Giant Bikes, one of the biggest bike brands in the world, to offer a wide range of high-quality cycling products.

The shop is just a few minutes’ walk from Barnsley Interchange and The Glass Works, the latter of which saw a 22 per cent increase in footfall in 2023 compared to 2022. The origins of 12-18 Eldon Street can be traced back to 1907, when it was created as a purpose-built YMCA headquarters.

This building is part of the Eldon Street High Street Heritage Action Zone (HAZ), a four-year £4m project between Barnsley Council and Historic England, which aims to bring life back to historic buildings through restoration work and cultural activity on the street.

The Eldon Street High Street HAZ awarded a grant to support the renovation works, including works to the shop front, renovating the windows and historic stonework, along with integral repairs to the roof.

This work has assisted JE James Cycles in “sensitively refurbishing the tired building” and bringing it back into everyday use. As an organisation, they employ a number of contractors who have also helped with the conversion of the interior of the property for its upcoming commercial use.

Chris James, Business Partner at JE James Cycles, commented: “We’re really excited about bringing JE James Cycles and Giant Bikes to Barnsley. We’ve been impressed with the regeneration that’s happened so far in the town centre, it’s such a buoyant place right now. There are not many places attracting footfall like Barnsley town centre now is.

“When we took on 12-18 Eldon Street, it was in a poor state to say the least. An awful lot of effort has been put into its renovation from all sides and we’re passionate about bringing a new lease of life to a building that was very nearly too far gone to save. We couldn’t have done this without the help of the HAZ scheme.”

Cllr Robin Franklin, cabinet spokesperson for regeneration and culture, added: “JE James Cycles is an extremely popular Yorkshire brand, and we are delighted to welcome them to Barnsley town centre this year. 

“Their store will provide another fantastic reason to come and visit the town centre. I’d encourage people to pay them a visit, and then use your new bike to explore Barnsley’s stunning countryside and abundance of Trans Pennine Trail routes.”