REPORT: Bridlington Rally
The Bridington National’s brought another season to a close and Stan tried out a different rally experience.
The end of the season finale – Stan brings us his report from Brid seafront.
Bridlington’s always been one of my favourite rallies and not just because I can reach it on one tank of fuel. For me it’s a town full of memories. I spent many of my childhood holidays there and as an ‘adult’ I’ve consistently enjoyed the spectacle that is VFM and LCGB’s joint end of season National. One thing I’ve never done, at Bridlington or anywhere else for that matter, is enter a custom show and I decided this would be the year to have a go.
Wake up calls
One of the main reasons I’ve not entered a show is that I’ve never owned a decent enough scooter. I still don’t, but everyone seems to like my South African DL. When invitations to take part in the show were published at the end of July, I bit the bullet and sent off my application. A week or so before the rally a LCGB envelope landed on the doormat containing an entry sheet and two wristbands. There’s the first incentive – free admission for the owner and a helper. More worrying was the news that the doors opened at 8am and anyone not in place by 9.30am wouldn’t be admitted. The early start meant it wasn’t going to be the most drunken Friday I’ve had at a rally and having settled for fish and chips and a beer at the caravan site social club (think Phoenix Nights) had an early night.
When my fellow caravan dwellers stumbled in during the early hours they reported it being fairly quiet in town, a view shared by those at The Spa where The Northern Soul Elite had played. Digressing from my story slightly, this is a major problem. I don’t blame locals for trying to earn a living but while some areas work with rally organisers, avoiding entertainment clashes with the main event, others seem intent on ‘killing the goose that lays the golden egg’. The Spa is a large complex and needs to be filled day and night to pay for itself. Unfortunately publicans who drag trade from the Nationals shouldn’t be surprised if the rally moves elsewhere. Likewise scooterists who object to paying a pittance for what’s
an excellent evening of entertainment are missing the point of a National rally. In short, use it or lose it.
Showtime
Satuday morning found me feeling fresh as a daisy and quite smug alongside my hungover pals I made my way to The Spa. Even though I work for Scootering there’s still something special in arriving alongside ‘well known’ machines. Being among the first to see some of the debut customs was worth the early start on its own. Not being part of the custom circuit I was unsure as to what I’d find but everyone from those on reception to competitors couldn’t have been friendlier.
Seeing my woeful efforts with a tin of Pledge, one even offered use of his cleaning kit. When the crowds arrived I’d already spoken to many owners, got tips about displaying to the best advantage and had seen machines up close in a way that’s not possible as a ‘regular punter’. I was particularly intrigued by Peaky Blinders’ new saddle covers which had been laser cut using the same technology that produces 3D glass portraits. Illuminating in an entirely different way was the effect created when The Spa’s house lighting was switched on. It literally transformed the appearance of several machines; the effect on Midnight Oil was astounding.
The Spa was packed throughout the day. The Promenade seemed quieter than last year but was still very busy. My new found status of custom show entrant found me spotting machines that were only recently scooping trophies parked among the masses, Avatar being a notable example.