Our love of local events continues this time in the Cotswolds at the 2015 Tetbury Classic Car Show where for a nominal fee you could stroll leisurely up and down rows of beautiful cars separated by hay bales all laid out on a grassy playing field.
Of course the weather always helps and on Sunday 6th September the sun was shining brightly, the skies blue and temperatures up in the 20s. For the organiser of any outdoor event this surely must be a massive bonus, especially when charging £5.00 per person to get in. Still you can’t beat a nice stroll between classics, what better way to spend a few hours of a sunny Sunday.
From its inception 3 years ago the 2015 Tetbury Classic Car Show has definitely grown in stature; also moving to a nearby school playing field which provided a larger facility able to absorb the increase in size. Cars were also now categorised and placed together in neat rows rather than being allowed to park where they wished.
For a local event the 2015 Tetbury Classic Car Show also seemed now to be on a scale where additional attractions could be included to provide wider family appeal. Maybe this year is a landmark year for the event with three years of continuous growth and a fairly decent turn out of both display cars and paying punters that can only help inform next year’s plans.
In terms of the cars on display there were some real gems. AC Cobra reps took up one area and all looked pretty good to me. Close by Williams Morgan led the charge on the Malvern brand with a fair number displayed either side of their centrally positioned event gazebo with on the other side again a good catch of Austin Healey 3000s, all very nice to see.
As well as the usual suspects when you come out to shows like this it’s always nice to be surprised and quite coincidentally after only crossing my mind the other day that I hadn’t seen many MK3 Ford Cortina’s recently the 2015 Tetbury Classic Car Show delivered with no less than three. Our cover shot for this review being the pick of the bunch. What a shame more haven’t survived because Ford had it spot on with the styling of this mainstream family saloon both inside and out, particularly with the sporty 2.0litre GXL model shown above.
Other rarities included an RS200 in its distinctive white and blue hue and an 18th off the production line 1961 flat floor Jaguar E-Type convertible, loaned to a local dealer by Jaguar themselves. Try putting a value on that car, you can’t really can you? There was also a Chevrolet Corvette C3 with a manual box, great car to own that one I’d have thought (ignoring the side pipes for one minute) and a number of potent 3.0litre Capris.
Triumphs were also very well represented, particularly the full TR range, and tucked away in a corner were a tidy trio of Austin A30/ A35s; cars that exist without any pretence at all. In terms of overall modesty though that prize has to go to a Sunbeam Tiger on display with only the badge on the sides and Minilite alloys suggesting this was anything more than the still good but far humbler Alpine sports car. There is something about a Tiger that really appeals, and yet I couldn’t tell you exactly what it is. Maybe it is the understatement of what lurks within, a tiger without any stripes.
Elsewhere we came across probably the best Morris Minor I think I’ve ever seen, a car we also followed out on our departure as it carried a family of four back through Tetbury, which has its own old world charm, to give the overall impression of travelling back in time. At the other end of the size scale and from across the pond was an extremely large Cadillac that really highlighted the
difference in ethos between American and European car design from around the same time.
The 2015 Tetbury Classic Car Show has matured nicely and we look forwards to seeing more, much more, in the future. Also as members of the public do have to pay to get it might be worth preventing display cars leaving too early because some were on their way not long after 1:00pm which with the gaps they left behind was a little bit of a shame.
How does this event make you feel?
In one word: Hopeful.
As a favourite meal: We settled for an ice cream but there was hog roast and burgers available.
Anything else: Another top quality local event that’s grown quickly but with the potential to offer so much more.
Key ingredients: The weather undoubtedly helped, but the well laid out grassy field with hay bales available to sit on was a particularly nice way to enjoy some very fine cars indeed.
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Thanks for a very nice review, enhanced by the inclusion of one of the organiser’s cars – Tim’s Tiger! You missed nothing – except perhaps that the main charity, Allsorts, will once again be in receipt of money they desperately need, this year.
I disagreed with nothing (I’m another of the organising committee) you said, except perhaps the notion of trying to compel exhibitors to stay… They are kind enough to bring their cars and we’re very very glad to have them attend for however long, so there.
Please do remain hopeful! We’re certainly hoping to continue to get bigger and better.
Thanks again,
Richard Smith
Richard – Thanks for your feedback and good luck with future events. Matt.