Retirement party as Sprint Motorcycle Spares in Wakefield closes down
A retirement party is set to be held for Wakefield motorcycle spares shop "legend" Colwyn Mullinder.
Colwyn will close Sprint Motorcycle Spares for the final time at 5pm today (Sept 29) after 49 years behind the counter of the Belle Vue shop.
Hundreds of people have wished Colwyn a happy retirement after he announced his plans last month.
Customers are invited to the retirement party at The White Rose WF1 - formerly Cheers - on Newton Lane, Outwood, from 6pm on Saturday October 10.
Colwyn, who has been holding a closing down sale, said: "The sale has gone really well. I'm really grateful to all the people who have come down just to shake hands, even if they didn't want to buy anything.
"I'm overwhelmed. Since we put the signs up a couple of hundred people have come."
Colwyn, a lifelong motorcycle enthusiast, added: "It has been quite stressful the last couple of weeks working towards it. Now it's finally come it's a big weight off my shoulders."
Colwyn has lived above the shop on Clarion Street off Doncaster Road for more than 40 years.
The grandfather-of-five started out at Ruskin Motorcycles on Doncaster Road in March 1977.
Colwyn ran that shop for five years before he bought business partner Norman Mr Brown out in 1982.
He changed the name to Sprint Motorcycles and relocated the business to the current shop on Clarion Street off Doncaster Road in 1985.
He started off selling bikes before moving into repairs and then selling spares.
Bikers have shared their memories of Ruskin Motorcycles and Sprint Motorcyle Spares on the Wakefield Express Facebook page.
Chris Chalkley wrote: "Col was a legend in the motorbike spares and parts world. He played big part in my biking days 1980 onwards. Thanks for your services col over my younger biking days the holy grail of bike shops Rip Ruskins it will always be that to me."
Robert Underwood wrote: "Loved the shop! Colwyn is a true gent, and a wealth of knowledge. Gutted the sprints closing. A proper little gem of a shop.. enjoy your retirement col and thankyou for the service over the years."
Colwyn plans to spend his retirement travelling and rebuilding classic 1960s and 1970s bikes, including a 1967 Suzuki 80.