Hi,
many thanks to MMMotors for promoting this event & for all members who supported us today. It's 6.40pm & I've just sat down for the first time since getting to the show site at 6.30am! Thank you to everyone that came & visited us. Anyone that did will know just how overwhelmed with vehicles we were! The number that turned out was just staggering. I’ve increased the site's footprint 3 years running & it looks like I’ll have to try to find yet more space for next year! By 9.45 all our spaces were filled. We did our very best to make spaces & accommodate all that we could, but short of parking cars on top of each other there was little else we could do! Apologies to anyone that we had to direct to public car parks. Most drivers were very understanding, but sadly there's always a few that are less so. Can I just say it’s not personal! The event has always been pre 1973 European cars, bikes & commercials plus all American cars & hotrods. We have nothing against any car, but space is limited so we sometimes have to stick to those rules -yes, some slip through the net & yes, when it’s early we can be more flexible, but when it gets busy we have to make decisions & if one of those decisions went against you, please try & understand our predicament. We sometimes direct some vehicles to somewhere we know they'll have more room, more maneuverability, or will be displayed better etc, etc, so, again it’s not personal, just us, ( just three guys!), trying to cram as many vehicles into a small town as possible!!
What a turn out! We estimated 500 cars. Certainly the goodie bags provided by our sponsors, "Adrian Flux insurance”, were gone in half an hour & there were over 250 of those! I’m proud to say that the Prostrate Cancer charity collection was up by 40% on last year -no mean feat in the current credit crunch. In all we raised £874.12! Anyone that knows me knows my feelings regarding the collection & that I won’t shake the cans under peoples’ noses. Christmas can be an expensive time & I don't feel it’s fair to do so. So we place as many tins as we can in as many strategic places as possible & leave it to the visitors as to whether they give or not -but give they did. So a huge & heartfelt thank you to everyone.
Finally, if anyone tried to talk to me or couldn't understand me when they did today my apologies -I was rushed to hospital last Sunday with a suspected stroke, which I'm pleased to say was not the case, but I’ve developed Bell’s Palsy, (part facial paralysis, among other things), which has left me feeling a little self conscious & at times unable to get my words out correctly! So please don't think me ignorant. It was particularly bad today & functioning was difficult, but I wasn't gonna miss it for anything!
To close, thanks to everyone for their support, their donations & at times patience. I’ll be making enquiries about an adjoining 90 space car park for next year & hopefully the council will be in agreement. This will no doubt affect anyone arriving in a non show car but there are many alternative car parks which we'll heavily signpost if we get the go ahead.
Wishing everyone reading this the very best for 2009 & hope to see you next Boxing Day.
Many thanks,

-Steve Biddlecombe, (“Mr B the barber”).