Fowlers’ bike nights return in centenary year

Top Bristol dealer Fowlers, has kicked off its events season for the year, with the return of its celebrated Bristol Bike Nights meetings. The biker gatherings take place on the first Friday of every month. They started in May and run until August, and feature the usual line-up of food, drink, music, bike club and charity displays, raffle prizes, and, of course, lots of bikes. Fowler’s judges will also be picking their favourite bike each month, with the winners going into a competition for the ‘Bike of the Season’ award.

It’s a big year for Fowlers. The legendary retailer is marking its 100th anniversary with special celebrations throughout the year. Founded in 1926 by Alice and Frank Fowler, who opened a bicycle shop in the St Paul’s district of Bristol, the firm is almost unique in still being run by the same family a century on.

Alice and Frank’s son, Harold, joined the business later that year and introduced motorcycles shortly after, starting a family dynasty which continues to this day. Harry, as he was known to his peers, set about expanding Fowlers, at various times adding Ariel, Matchless, James, Francis Barnett, Norton, Triumph and BSA, as well as Italjet scooters and Watsonian sidecars. During the 1960s, new premises were secured to accommodate the growing business, and, always with an eye to the future, Harry was awarded franchises from Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki in the late 1960s.

In 1982, the entire operation moved to purpose-built showrooms close to Temple Meads station in the centre of Bristol, where it has been a local landmark ever since. In addition to its massive retail operation, in the mid-1950s, Fowlers was granted the distributorship of BSA spare parts and expanded rapidly in the 1970s to become the UK’s largest supplier of many top-brand genuine motorcycle parts. Later that decade, aftermarket accessories were added to the distribution line-up, and a new clothing brand, Weise, was introduced in 1982.

Harry Fowler continued to work daily right up to a fortnight before his death in August 2006, aged 94. The dynasty is maintained by his daughter, Stephanie, who is MD, and several of his grandchildren also hold diverse roles in the company.

Stephanie Fowler said: “Although Fowlers is one of the longest-established businesses in motorcycling, it is far from rooted in the past. We recognise the need to keep abreast of the times and take advantage of the latest technologies and trends, including adopting a more eco-friendly approach. As a family business, we set great store by giving a warm welcome and treating customers with integrity. When your name is over the door, reputation really matters!”