Top News 25-3-07
BUCKINGHAM BIKES TAKE OVER
ASTON HILL CLICK HERE
 

The following article is a press release written by Ian Warby, the founder (and owner til the end of the month) of Aston Hill::

"Quoted from astonhill.com":

Aston Hill – The Future
    The news you have/haven’t been waiting for!

First up I’d like to apologise for a lack of news on what’s happening on and with Aston Hill. Over the last 10yrs I have taken pride in keeping everyone up to speed with developments. From the very first printed newsletter, through to the website and to the last instalment of the weekly e-mail updates back in April 06. I’ve done my best to make sure everyone knows what’s happening on Aston Hill and how they can get involved. 

I’m aware that for the last 10 months or so, news has been a little light.  Well, things have come to the point where I can’t hold off with this news any longer, you need to know what’s happening, the clock is ticking and time is running out for you to make the most of Aston Hill as it’s been run for the past few years. 

So that you can get up to speed and make the most of the remaining time that we are running the Aston Hill we all know and love. Here’s what I hope you’ll see as a very honest account of where things stand and what’s been going on behind the scenes over the last 12 months.

I met with the Forestry Commission a year ago to discuss the options on renewing the lease for Aston Hill and with a year left on the contract I felt confident that there had to be plenty of time to make any changes and to decide the direction of the project for the future. 

The Forestry Commission offered me the option of renewing a 10-year lease. The Forestry Commission and I also discussed the options around developing a cycle hire franchise in Wendover Woods. We agreed to meet a few weeks later to discuss the way forward. 

In the interim I looked at my options with regard to Aston Hill and where I could take the project over the next 10yrs. At the same time I saw a job advertised with CTC the UK’s national cyclists’ organisation, in a brand new role developing the organisations off-road portfolio. I decided the job on offer was too good a career opportunity to miss. With the lease up for renewal it seemed like an ideal time to make a career change. I applied for the job and successfully made it through the interview process starting my new role back in May 2006. 

I was assured at the next meeting when I announced that I would not be renewing my lease that the Forestry Commission would continue to operate Aston Hill as a mountain bike area. Although the new management might ring some changes it would be business as usual for one of the most successful commercial mountain bike areas in the UK.

The original timescale was for the Forestry Commission to tender the project along with the hire franchise in Wendover Woods and to be in a position for us to hand over management of Aston Hill in September 2006. It soon became clear that timescales were tight and an October 2006 target hand over date was agreed. Tenders in, interviews carried out and believe it or not I was kept in the dark as to the future of Aston Hill, hence the lack of news from me. Through October, November, December I was given snippets of news but nothing that I felt confident enough to go on general release. 

The official line was “the new lease for Aston Hill is being drawn up by the Forestry Commissions land agent. We have to wait for that before we can progress”. Believe it or that’s been the official line through January, February and now into March. Now, with the clock ticking and the 5th April rapidly approaching I’m still waiting and it’s still the official line from the Forestry Commission. 

        So where does that leave you? The riders? 
                Well I’m sorry to say that I have no idea long term. 

Now, you might be thinking why am I making it my problem, haven’t I moved on? Whilst it may be true that from the 6th April Firecrest Mountain Biking and I will no longer have anything to do with Aston Hill I have spent the last 10yrs building a project that I’m very proud of and one that I have put in a huge amount of effort often against all the odds to develop the opportunities for mountain bikers across the disciplines of cross-country (XC), Downhill (DH) and 4X in the South. Aston Hill has played a big role in shaping the UK MTB scene with many ground breaking ideas and initiatives that have gone on to become recognized as best practice when it comes to the management of permanent mountain bike facilities. 

Riders for riders, is a term that’s often used and I’d like to think this ethos has shaped everything I have done on Aston Hill. For me it was my passion for mountain biking that got me started on Aston Hill and that passion and enthusiasm enabled the project to continue and develop. I, like you, want to be able to continue to ride on Aston Hill after the 5th April. I get the same buzz from carving the corners on the Black Run to making the top of the climb on the XC to sailing over the road jump on the 4X as any other rider on the hill. So when I spoke to the Forestry Commission today and was told that come the 6th April the gates on Aston Hill might have to stay closed I couldn’t believe it. In meetings last year that was the last thought on my mind and a scenario I never dreamed of. 

Whist I am ready to move on (despite what some people think) I wanted to hand over a project that I knew would continue to develop and to bring on another generation of mountain bikers. I also hoped that Forestry Commission would see the benefits of ensuring continuity and that the project would receive the support that we have welcomed in the past and that Aston Hill could continue to innovate and shape the mountain bike scene in the South. 

This isn’t the story that I wanted to be telling but it is the unfortunate situation that’s way beyond my control. 

I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone that’s supported Aston Hill over the years. It’s been a blast! There are so many of you, but you all know who you are. As always I couldn’t have done it without you. 

I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank Michele and my family without their love and support over the years nothing would have happened. Last but not least I’d like to thank my Dad. Without Mike in the car park Aston Hill just wouldn’t have been the same. Year after year come rain, wind, frost, snow or sunshine Mike and his car park team have welcomed everyone to Aston Hill and ensured that you’re parked in the right place ridden on the right track and having them in the car park means that you can have a safe and enjoyable time out on the trails. Thank You.

If you have a story from Aston Hill that you’d like to share I’d like to put together a 10 year retrospective. It doesn’t have to be more than a paragraph but I’d love to hear from you. Whether it was your first ride where like thousands of others you missed the signs and ended up on the Black Run or a memorable event that I’ve put on over the last 10 years. I’ll hopefully find some time to write up some of my favourites too and it would great to have your stories before we lose too many of the memories. Send us your stories through the contact us page of the site.

I’ll update this page with news as I get it and I have everything crossed that it will be sorted, but with such a tight time scale I can’t see the paper work being in place and it remains to be seen what the Forest Commission will do come the 6th April. 

As they say watch this space… 16 days to ride and counting

(Press release by Ian Warby, founder and current owner of Aston Hill Mountain bike area)

Here’s a quick run down on our opening hours into the final week….

Wednesday 21st March – Friday 23rd March - 11am – 5pm

Penultimate Weekend:

Saturday 24th March – 9am – 5.30pm
Sunday 25th March – 9am – 5.30pm

Penultimate Week

Monday 26th March – Friday 30th March – 11am – 5pm

Final Weekend 

Saturday 31st March – 9am – 5.30pm
Sunday 1st April – 9am – 5.30pm

Easter Holidays - last 4 days on Aston Hill

Monday 2nd April – Thursday 5th April – 11am – 5pm


Unless otherwise advised Aston Hill will be closed from Friday 6th April...