report British Vespa Days
Stan reports from a controversial British Vespa Days event in Dunbar
The controversial ‘Thistlegate’ event gets the verdict from Big Stan.
British Vespa Days (BVD) is the Vespa Club of Britain’s annual ‘flagship’ event and this year it headed north of the border to Dunbar. Ask anyone who attended what it was like and their answer will depend on whether they camped or stayed in a BnB. It’s fair to say that campers got the rough end of the stick and as a result BVD unintentionally distilled scootering into its raw elements.
For the record I like Dunbar. Situated on the Firth of Forth, it has a pretty harbour and some great pubs. Most impressively the town centre has escaped the attentions of big business, the Co-op is the most corporate it gets in Dunbar.
The event was based on the outskirts of town at Bellhaven Fruit Farm. As the name suggests it’s a farm but the owners have converted an industrial building into a perfect party venue. Unfortunately one facility Bellhaven doesn’t offer is camping but the owners had offered to clear an unused field and that’s where the controversy began. Some attendees took one look at the rough ground allocated for camping, turned around and went home. Each to their own. I found a piece of relatively flat land and settled in.
Friday night was probably the busiest of the weekend with most making the journey from town to join the fun. Entertainment was provided by The Run Arounds, one of the best rally bands I’ve heard in some time. Our Scottish hosts made us welcome with a hog roast and introduced many to the ‘Scottish Pirate’ which is Irn Bru and rum, if you want to try it at home!
Saturday morning brought rain and plenty of it. Unfortunately water to the shower block had been turned off during the night and this proved too much for some. I took a more pragmatic
approach and went back to sleep. When I awoke the showers were working and the sun was poking through the clouds. Unfortunately a good number of those on the campsite had disappeared.
The organised section of the rally then entered a downward spiral. The rideout was shortened due to weather and then set off early, leaving stragglers to find their own way. Other victims of the rain were the tug-of-war and riding competitions. Although the custom show went ahead, numbers on site were now very low. Some sought refuge in local pubs while others went sightseeing in Edinburgh. When the Scottish dancers failed to arrive, the organisers must have been exasperated. They need not have worried, Dunbar was a great venue with welcoming pubs and plenty of nearby attractions. Old friendships were strengthened and new ones formed. Don’t take my word for it, Gary Robertson used the rally as an excuse for an extended 1808-mile trip from Bournemouth around most of Scotland. His straightforward verdict? “It was great.”
Few would deny that as a flagship event BVD Dunbar wasn’t without problems but most would agree that as a club rally it excelled.