THE coronavirus lockdown may have been a huge problem for many companies across Thurrock - but for one sector of the retail marketplace it's brought about a big boom in businesses.

With the ability to take exercise at a premium, many people have been digging out their old pushbikes and getting back on the road.

But not every machine is road-ready and that's meant a rush of visits to the region's cycle repair shops!

In the east of the borough Corringham Cycles - which has just joined the more than 120 local businesses to have signed up to Thurrock Nub News' free local listings service - is proving a boon to would-be cyclists by helping get their old machines back on the road.

Shop manager Ben Chamberlain says: "We have been really, really busy. To be honest to capacity. I think we have about 60 bikes still waiting to be worked on and we are working on them all in turn as fast as we can.

"I think a lot of people have returned to the thought of cycling, which can't be a bad thing."

And it's not just old bikes that are flying - the stocks at Corringham Cycles are down as new bikes have been selling well - though the supply is far from exhausted.

"For all the wrong reasons it's been a boon to our businesses but we hope in the long term it will prove beneficial."

You can check out Corringham Cycles [L]https://thurrock.nub.news/d/corringham-cycles [L+]here.