The owner of one of Britain’s finest off-road cycling centres is looking for a new buyer to keep it in business after vandals have driven him to despair.
Mike Westphal said vandalism is causing havoc at the site, and he is now in negotiations with British Cycling to help pay for security cameras which should act as a deterrent.
He has run Penshurst Off-Road Cycling, known as PORC, for nearly 20 years pouring in all his own money, savings and investments to get the business up and running.
Now the facility is renowned as world class, but he failed to get backing to have it used in the Olympics.
Mr Westphal said: “We have done all the hard work here – we have a fabulous track and facilities, yet the Olympic people didn’t even bother to come and see us.
“Now we are being hit hard by vandals because there is no camera system as a deterrent.”
On site are dirt jumps, downhill and cross-country mountain bike trails. There is planning permission for a road riding circuit.
Mr Westphal said: “The situation has become impossible with vandals breaking into the site on a regular basis, stealing equipment, driving the club’s diggers and causing thousands of pounds of damage.
“I don’t want to sell it but I have no choice.
“We’ve been to Kent County Council but we’re privately owned and therefore not eligible for any funding.
“We have asked the banks, but in the current climate they don’t want to know either.”
Mr Westphal said he has paid for all the work himself. He said: “They say ‘how do you make a small fortune from cycling?’ The answer is start with a large one.
“It costs so much to run, yet we only charge members £1 a week to ride here.
“It is hardly a commercial enterprise – we do this for the love of the sport, and have created one of the finest clubs in the country.
“Now I have finally been forced to look for a buyer for at least part of the site in order to keep going. We have been to KCC, Seeda, and Sport England, looking for help with funding they but they tell us we are not eligible.
“This is a wonderful place to ride, and I want to make it even better.”
He said: “If someone fits the bill and can help, PORC would welcome either purchases of equity or secured loans at a rate the banks can't match.”
For more information phone the office on 01892 870136 or write to PORC, Grove Road, Penshurst, TN11 8DU or email Mike on porcmike@aol.com.
POSTED: 14/06/2009 14:00:00
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