West Basin bike hire business to close making way for development

The bike hire was sold to the ACT government in December 2015 after an agreement was reached with the then owners of the business, formerly Mr Spokes. It was then leased to another operator.

Regular patron of the business Bryan Guest, of Harrison, was sad to hear of the closure. On Saturday, he was taking his grandson and granddaughter-in-law on the hired bikes around the lake.

"I am really, really disappointed," Mr Guest said.

"Whenever we have any visitors, we ride a bike and have a look at the lake. It's a beautiful bike ride."

Mr Guest said he hadn't heard the bike hire was closing.

"I couldn't believe it. I don't know the economics of it all but I will say it was a tourist thing, it was nice and handy. You park the car and go for a bike ride, do the Parliamentary Triangle on a bike. It's a great way to see that part of Canberra."

Mr Guest's grandson Nathan Rowley said his 76-year-old grandfather takes "pretty much everyone" on the hired bikes when they come to visit Canberra.

"It's a nice place to visit, and a good, active way to see around the lake," Mr Rowley said.

The bike hire is managed by the owner of Damn Fine Roasters at Westside Village, which also has its last day of trading this weekend.

The coffee shop is the final container business to shut its doors at the controversial site.

The manager said out of pride he wanted to be the last business left at Westside, despite there being far fewer people visiting over the past few months.

But it was the opposite for the bike hire business, which was still thriving.

"We've had a lot of letters complaining to say why this is closing down," he said.

"The community reaction is they're all up in arms, all disappointed."

He said would like the opportunity to run the bike hire, and his coffee shop, from another area on the lake, but he doubted that would happen.