National Cycling Centre

What National Cycling Centre does

The National Cycling Centre is a multi-discipline cycling and indoor sports facility located on Stuart Street in Manchester, UK (M11 4DQ), operated by Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL) under the "Better" brand on behalf of Manchester City Council. The site encompasses Britain's first indoor Olympic velodrome (opened 1994), a BMX Arena (opened 2011), and 12km of mountain bike trails at Clayton Vale, and is the long-standing home of British Cycling. It is a UK Sport Elite Training Centre (2026 accreditation) and the focal point of Manchester's 2024 designation as the first European Capital of Cycling.

The Centre serves a layered customer base: elite athletes and national teams (British Cycling, international training camps), club and competitive riders, adult beginners and families (Learn to Ride, balance bikes, Bike Library), adaptive riders via the Limitless programme, and corporate/event clients (meeting rooms, parties, holiday camps). Core revenue streams are session fees, holiday and experience programmes, venue hire, ancillary retail and events. Notable pricing includes the £50 Velodrome Experience (90-minute premium sessions), £16.30 track holiday sessions, £37 BMX camps, £8.20 learn-to-ride for Manchester residents, and meeting rooms at £41–£82/hour or £300–£600 per day.

The business model is a social-enterprise / public-private hybrid: the asset is owned by Manchester City Council, operated by GLL, and partially supported by Sport England / UK Sport elite funding alongside direct commercial revenue. Major recent capital works include a £27 million refurbishment in 2023 that made the velodrome the UK's first all-electric indoor cycling track, and a scheduled track resanding in October 2025. Strategic priorities are expanding premium experiential tourism, broadening the venue-hosting base (e.g., World Table Tennis, British Taekwondo partnerships), and reinforcing the site's national and international training credentials.

Name

National Cycling Centre

Legal name

Greenwich Leisure Limited (trading as Better)

Website

https://nationalcyclingcentre.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The National Cycling Centre is a Manchester-based cycling and indoor sports venue operated by GLL under the Better brand, comprising Britain's first indoor Olympic velodrome, a BMX Arena, and 12km of MTB trails. It serves elite athletes, club riders, community participants, and corporate event clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Facility / Cycling Venue

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940), Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Bike Fit, Performance & Training Retail/Studios (CRAMAHAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cycling, Mountain Biking & E-bike Adventures (THAJABAF), Bicycle Programs & Bike Share (Parking, Repair, Rentals) (EDALAKAE)

Keywords

• Indoor cycling venue
• Velodrome track sessions
• BMX arena programmes
• Adaptive cycling services
• Sports venue hire

Headquarters

HQ city

Manchester

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Cycling Session Fees: Pay-per-session fees for velodrome track sessions, BMX sessions, and MTB trail access. Includes intro sessions, accredited rider sessions, sprint & pursuits, and youth development sessions.
2. Membership Subscriptions: FREE Pay As You Go membership enabling bookings 28 days in advance with up to 30% discount for Manchester residents. Premium membership tiers available.
3. Track Experiences & Gift Vouchers: Premium 90-minute velodrome experiences priced at £50 including coaching, equipment hire, and flying lap. Digital gift vouchers available in £25, £50, £75, £100 denominations.
4. Venue Hire & Corporate Events: Meeting rooms, hospitality suites, and event spaces available for corporate functions, conferences, and team events. Multiple suites with varying capacities and equipment.
5. Birthday Parties & Holiday Camps: BMX birthday party packages and school holiday activity camps for children ages 2+ including BMX camps, velodrome sessions, and learn-to-ride programs.
6. Sports Facility Booking: Track Centre court bookings for badminton, basketball, futsal, netball, korfball, and pickleball on the 40m x 38m sprung wooden floor.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The National Cycling Centre operates a multi-discipline indoor and outdoor cycling facility in Manchester comprising an Olympic-standard Velodrome Track, an indoor BMX Arena, and 12km of urban MTB trails at Clayton Vale. It sells coached cycling sessions, accreditation programmes, holiday activity camps, birthday parties, and premium track experiences to consumers and clubs, alongside inclusive cycling through the Limitless programme for riders with disabilities. The venue also operates meeting rooms, sports courts, and event spaces for corporate hire and non-cycling sports bookings.

Product overview

The National Cycling Centre is a multi-facility sports venue in Manchester offering a comprehensive cycling portfolio built around its core products: the Velodrome Track (Britain's first indoor Olympic cycling track since 1994), the BMX Arena (opened 2011), and MTB Trails at Clayton Vale. Supporting programmes include Limitless inclusive cycling for disabled riders, Velodrome Experiences for visitors, Corporate Days for team building, and Holiday Activities for children. Additional services encompass Meeting Rooms and Event Spaces for venue hire, Sports Courts for badminton/pickleball/netball, Birthday Parties, Gift Vouchers, and a Bike Library of adaptive cycles. The centre operates a membership programme with advance booking privileges and Manchester resident discounts. The portfolio functions as a unified platform offering cycling experiences from grassroots beginner sessions through to elite athlete training.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Velodrome Track Sessions World-class indoor Olympic-standard cycling track offering intro sessions, accreditation Stages 1-4, accredited rider sessions with SQTs, sprint and pursuit sessions, and junior track sessions for riders progressing from beginner to elite. Equipment hire (bike, helmet, cleated shoes) included for most sessions.
• BMX Arena Sessions Indoor and outdoor BMX racing facility offering intro sessions, BMX for Kids, progression sessions, women and girls' sessions, and lessons & courses for amateur to elite riders.
• MTB Trails (Clayton Vale)

Quantifiable outcome

• 805 entries for National Youth and Junior Track Championships 2025 - record-breaking
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• UK SportcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026UK Sport accredited the National Cycling Centre as an Elite Training Centre (ETC) in 2026, recognizing its role in supporting Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Part of UK Sport's national network of high-performance training environments.
• ACES (European Association of Cycle Sports)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Manchester was designated the first European Capital of Cycling in 2024 by ACES, bringing recognition to the city and the National Cycling Centre's role in cycling excellence.
• British CyclingcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1990British Cycling has been headquartered at the National Cycling Centre since the early 1990s. The venue serves as the home of British Cycling and the Great Britain Cycling Team, supporting Olympic and Paralympic preparation. British Cycling delivers coaching programmes including the Limitless inclusive cycling programme and talent identification initiatives.
• Manchester City CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1990Manchester City Council owns the National Cycling Centre and has invested £27 million in recent refurbishment (2023). The venue is part of the city's broader leisure estate strategy. Funded velodrome track resanding works (October 2025) to extend track lifespan beyond 2028.
• GLL (Greenwich Leisure Limited)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1990GLL operates the National Cycling Centre under the 'Better' brand. Provides integrated booking systems (Better UK app), staff, management, and access to 250+ leisure facilities across the UK. Supports the GLL Sport Foundation athlete funding programme.
• British Cycling LimitlesscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLimitless is British Cycling's flagship disability and para-cycling programme. The National Cycling Centre delivers Limitless sessions in both BMX and velodrome track cycling, providing inclusive cycling opportunities for riders with physical and learning disabilities.
• VICTA (Visually Impaired Children and Adults)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to deliver inclusive cycling engagement days for visually impaired children and adults. VICTA supports referrals and participant engagement for Limitless cycling sessions at the National Cycling Centre.
• Wheels for AllminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInclusive cycling network partner participating in the Greater Manchester Inclusive Cycling Network. Supports accessible cycling opportunities across the region.
• Access SportminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharitable organization supporting inclusive cycling delivery and coach involvement at Limitless Cycling Days.
• LimbPowerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCharity supporting amputees and limb different people in sport. Participates in inclusive cycling events and Limitless Cycling Days at the National Cycling Centre.
• Team EnglandminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Team England National Sports Weekend events, bringing Commonwealth Games-inspired sports activities to the National Cycling Centre for community engagement.
• AO Manchester ThunderminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNetball Super League team hosted at the National Cycling Centre for elite match against Loughborough Lightning, demonstrating venue versatility for non-cycling sporting events.
• World Table TennisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for World Table Tennis Feeder Manchester 2025 event, transforming the velodrome infield into elite table tennis facility for international competition.
• British TaekwondominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost venue for 2025 British Taekwondo International Open G1 event, showcasing versatile event capabilities beyond cycling.
• Bee Pedal ReadyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal cycling organization founded by Belinda Everett (GM Bicycle Mayor) delivering women's intro BMX sessions in partnership for International Women's Day 2025 events.
• Manchester Flava Netball ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner delivering Back to Netball sessions as part of International Women's Day 2025 activities at the National Cycling Centre.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Everyone Active: Large UK leisure trust operating 200+ leisure facilities including sports halls, gyms, and community programming. Comparable as a competing charitable leisure operator that NCC indirectly competes with for member share-of-wallet.

Others

• GLL (Better): Charitable social enterprise that operates NCC under the Better brand and runs 250+ leisure facilities across the UK. Comparable as a multi-site leisure operator with shared membership platform and pricing structures.
• British Cycling: National governing body for cycling in the UK, headquartered at NCC since the 1990s. Not a venue competitor but the strategic anchor partner for elite training, accreditation frameworks, and inclusive cycling (Limitless) programming that drives NCC's core proposition.
• Sport England: Public body funding grassroots and elite sport in England, including the £27M NCC refurbishment. Relevant as a peer funder, regulatory stakeholder, and shaper of participation policy that affects NCC's operating environment.

Direct peers

• Derby Arena: Indoor velodrome in Derby with adjacent sports facilities, community track sessions, and venue hire. Comparable mid-sized regional velodrome operator competing for accredited riders and grassroots cycling participation in the UK.
• Herne Hill Velodrome: Historic outdoor velodrome in South London hosting regular track sessions, club racing, and community cycling. Relevant peer for accredited rider programming, club sessions, and grassroots track cycling supply, although smaller scale and outdoor.
• Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome (Emirates Arena): Indoor velodrome in Glasgow that shares the model of an indoor Olympic-standard track attached to a multi-purpose arena. Hosts national and international cycling events and offers community programming comparable to NCC's velodrome + arena model.
• Lee Valley VeloPark: London Olympic Park velodrome opened for London 2012, offering track cycling, BMX and mountain biking on a single site. Most direct UK peer to NCC with Olympic-standard track, multi-discipline programming, and similar elite/grassroots mix.

Regional players

• Trafford Leisure / AnyTime Leisure: Greater Manchester-area leisure operator providing sport and cycling facilities in adjacent boroughs. Indirectly comparable as a regional peer competing for the same Manchester-resident customer base that NCC subsidizes via its 30% discount scheme.
• Manchester Active (MCRactive): Manchester City Council's sport and physical activity brand that partners with NCC on community engagement and regional sport development. Comparable as a regional sport participation organizer, although MCRactive focuses on outreach rather than facility operation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/N_CyclingCentre
• Facebookfacebook.com/nationalcyclingcentre
• Instagraminstagram.com/nationalcyclingcentre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-cycling-centre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about National Cycling Centre