Vehicle crashes into Velorution store, the second in less than six weeks

Velorution, the urban, folding and electric bike specialist, was forced to close after a car crashed into its Marylebone store on Wednesday, May 10.

It comes just six weeks after a separate incident in which a bus crashed into another Velorution store, this time in Chelsea.

Velorution Marylebone is located on Great Portland Street, not far from the BBC’s base in the capital, and is part of Velorution’s chain of four shops.

It’s unclear why the driver of the car crashed into the shop after turning right onto Riding House Street shortly after 6am on Wednesday morning.

Video footage from inside the shop shows the driver taking the turn normally, before speeding up and becoming lodged in the scaffolding of the building. 

Are we being targeted?! First, we had a bus come through our window at Chelsea and this morning, a car has parked in our Marylebone shop! The store will be closed until at least midday today.#carcrash #cycling #londonparking #ebike #londonnews pic.twitter.com/QoaYVX3qHq

— Velorution (@_velorution) May 10, 2023

Riding House Street remains closed as the scaffolding of the building is assessed for damage.

Jonathan Cole, the owner of Velorution, joked: “I’m starting to think one of our competitors is to blame.”

“On a serious note, I’m glad the shop was closed and no one was in it at the time of the event.

“We’re assisting emergency services and property management with their enquiries. It’s obviously extremely disappointing to have to close, at least for this morning. We’re entering our busiest time of the year and our unique café trike outside the shop does excellent business throughout the day.

“We’re doing everything we can to be open as soon as possible.”

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The shop is managed by Sean Hayhow, who was also in the Chelsea store at the time of that incident. “I’m starting to think I’m cursed,” said Hayhow.

For now, the Velorution store in Marylebone remains closed.

In the meantime, customers can visit Velorution’s two other open sites in Hackney and Islington.

Cole added: “We will of course let everyone know when we are back up and running after today’s incident.”