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Ellie Whitehead admits some people shared their doubts about her choice of Brechin as a place to start a business.

She was warned the Angus town was “quite a poor area with its share of issues”.

But Ellie and partner Gordon Carr were undeterred, saying they just had a “real feel” for the area.

In April 2022, they started Rewaco Trikes Scotland – the only dealership in Scotland selling trikes – best described as a motorbike with three wheels.

When they looked to buy their own, they had to purchase it from a shop in Derbyshire.

They thought there was a gap in the market and a business idea started to rev up inside their heads.

The couple, both in their early sixties, found immediate success when their shop opened on Montrose Road almost three years ago.

Since then, they have sold more than 30 trikes each year, which have an average price of around £20,000.

Ellie said: “The trike sales have been really good – we even sold one to a gentleman who is 91.

“We really feel like we’ve been embraced by the community in Brechin.  We’re on the organising committee for Brechin Bike and Trike Fest, which started in 2024.

“I think compared to two or three years ago, people are now looking at lower-cost trikes but that’s OK, we fill that gap in the market.”

Gordon said trike customers tended to fall into three categories.

He added: “A lot of customers are elderly people who have been motorcyclists all their life but can no longer handle a heavy bike – they still want the feeling of the open air.

“Then we have motorcyclists who aren’t too keen to take a passenger on the back.  Having a trike means they both can enjoy it without the passenger holding on for grim death.

“The third category is people who don’t have a motorcycle licence – you can ride a trike with a car licence.”

Setting up the trike dealership was just the start of their investment.

The couple, who lived in Kirriemuir, converted the offices above the shop into a flat so they could live on site.

They then developed part of the ground into an area for campervans to stop over – this involved putting down 200 tonnes of road metal.

They also have 10 storage containers on site which are all rented out.

The couple estimate they have invested around £500,000 into the project.

Ellie said: “It’s been three to four years of continual investment and a lot of learning – 2026 is all about increasing our number of trike sales and the business making good.”

This article appeared in The Courier on 20 January 2026