The recent epidemic of bike showroom closures continues into the start of 2025, with the Blade Group announcing the shuttering of two stores. The Blade Motorcycles Swindon branch in Elgin Drive announced its closure on social media channels on 13 January, while the Oxford Harley-Davidson branch posted it had ceased operations on 15 January. “Ongoing financial challenges” were cited as a cause by the firm’s online statements in both cases.
Oxford Harley-DavidsonThe Blade Group, which was established in 1995, told customers of the closed stores that it would support them at its other branches: Abingdon for Ducati, Cheltenham for Harley-Davidson, Abingdon or Stratford-upon-Avon for Honda, and Cheltenham or Stratford-upon-Avon for Triumph.
Blade, which has franchises for Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Honda, KTM, LiveWire, Suzuki, Triumph and Yamaha, is owned by the Heritage Automotive Group, which also owns a chain of 18 car and van retailers in the South West of England.
British Dealer News contacted the Blade Group with questions about the closures, and the firm’s plans going forward. But there was no response to repeated enquiries.