Run as a partnership between Craig and Caroline Grieve and John Grant, Spokes is one of Scotland's leading retailers of bicycles and cycling equipment.

Offering fantastic deals on bikes, accessories, clothing and parts - as well as providing a high quality repair service - the group recently opened a third store in Kirkcaldy to add to established sites in St Andrews and Dundee, as Craig Grieve's explains.

Q. Were you worried about expanding Spokes in the current economic climate?

A. We actually made the decision to open the new store just before the recession hit. We had originally hoped to do it without borrowing any money but the economic situation quickly changed all that. Fortunately the Bank agreed to increase our overdraft.

Q. How important was that new facility?

A. It really helped a lot in terms of getting the new store off the ground. The boost in working capital gave us an extra cushion and eased the pressure. We knew what we needed and when we sat down with our Relationship Manager, Marc Gilmour, he asked us what we wanted and then arranged it. We had faith in the Bank's confidence in us - we've been customers for a long time and Marc understands our business well. The store is now standing on its own two feet in terms of profitability, proving that was the right decision.

Q. What do you think differentiates Bank of Scotland from other banks?

A. Our previous bank never seemed to have much interest in what we were doing. That changed when we moved to Bank of Scotland. There was a time in the early years when things weren't going well and we thought the business would go under. We couldn't see any way out, but the Bank helped us through it.

It also has a strong local presence. Marc visits our premises regularly. That makes a big difference as he can get a better feel for the business and how we are doing. In fact, I think he is planning on buying a bike soon!

Q. What other products and services do you use?

A. We use online banking a lot. We have quite a few accounts as we keep separate ones for different branches, so I can easily monitor the cash flow and transfer money from each branch into the main account. I pay direct debits and wages this way too, which saves a lot of hassle. Marc also recently introduced myself and my wife, Caroline, to Private Banking and that's been really great for us too.

Q. How is the business faring in the tougher trading conditions?

A. We seem to be somewhat recession-proof. Because people have got less money, a lot of them are leaving the car at home and cycling instead. We've also had a huge upsurge in people bringing bikes in to be serviced or buying new ones. The Government's Cycle to Work scheme has also been massive for us. We have around £50-60,000 worth of bikes waiting to be collected at the moment.

Q. What's next for Spokes?

A. We would like to open another branch at some point. We've somewhere in mind and, although we don't want to do it too quickly, I can certainly see the Bank helping us out in that regard.

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