The Belfast party bike business eyeing expansion across the UK

Almost a decade on the business, the company – founded by Jennifer and Ron Kenna – now welcomes some 2,000 customers to the city each week, with eyes on expanding elsewhere in the UK as well as investing in a major new base here. “The core of the business model has always been digital ticketing, a customer focused organisation which would evolve into something where the data we would own would be our most valuable asset,” Jennifer says. Customers can book a tour on the company’s website – taking seats or a whole bike for a larger party.

Wee Toast Tours now has a team of around 35 across Belfast and London – with six bikes in Belfast and four in London. “There’s a huge commitment to keeping our headquarters here, and our back end. We have continued to invest everything we have over and over again,” Jennifer says.

She says the company has invested some £600,000 in the bikes and ticketing system, along with at least £250,000 in the firm’s new larger base on Royal Avenue. “We do about 2,000 (customers) a week. In the summer things increase,” Jennifer says.

Following that demand and success Jennifer says the company grew “bike on bike” and increased its capacity. “The average customer is in the 35-46 range, not as young as you would think and 60/40 women to men. “Within that there would be visitors, local and corporate.

But we’ve had 95th birthdays… young people who want to have birthdays. ” The company has now expanded and taken on a large unit at Royal Avenue which includes a coffee and snack bar while also selling a range of local products with plans for a large outdoor seating area. “We are [also] doing hampers and housewares [online]… this would be targeting someone who is a business customer.

“We have always dreamt of a rounder customer experience – much fuller,” Jennifer says. “We want to be able to check people in properly. We do online health and safety waivers, which come in our ticketing, but we also check them in through our reception and concierge desk.

“The idea is to launch this to the public, to get the word out about it, to get the model down so it can be scaled to other cities. ” Customers are able to pre-order drinks, such as a hamper, pre-order a keg or bring their own. “It’s pre-order.

In Belfast you can pre-order a hamper with drink, or pre-order a keg, or bring your own,” Jennifer says. “In London, it’s a different customer base. We have four taps going… it’s [also] Bollinger all day long.

” Jennifer says the company is eyeing expansion into cities including Manchester and Liverpool. “In London we are scaling up the bike operation, we are on the look out for a home there, meanwhile we are engaging and ready within the back-end system in the works for both Manchester and Liverpool. We will do the same model.

” The company offers two tours around Belfast, including one in the city centre and one in the Cathedral Quarter. “We take one and two hours… you can go to a landmark or a local pub and stretch your legs and keep on rolling. It’s quite bespoke and flexible.

In London we go to a chocolatier and bakery. ” The bikes are popular with tourists and local visitors, but what’s the city’s response to the tours in general? “The general sense is you are a public service and you cheer people up,” Jennifer says. “You are part of this community.

” She says part of what the firm is doing is investing in, and improving, the area around Royal Avenue and Lower Garfield Street. “When we started this product a year and a half ago it was a public service – it was about toilets. This whole area there was a scene – drugs, public urination and defecation.

Between us and the Deer’s Head we were on it [helping tackle the issues]. “We are focused on regeneration and it’s a huge part of our effort. “We have a permit for outdoor seating down to the end of our space, that’s for 180 people.

We would like to see this becoming a little commercial court. ” And with the new Ulster University campus and a swathe of student accommodation schemes nearby, Jennifer says footfall in the area has quadrupled. “Yes, we have [seen a rise].

With footfall a year ago we started seeing an increase and now it’s quadrupled. ”.