VMR spring 2021 pub meet at the Old Bull, Inkberrow

[Ian Grace]

Since we had to cancel our New Year's Day lunch meet at the Old Bull at Inkberrow, Worcestershire, we're going to try for Sunday 25th April, which is the FBHVC's Drive-it-Day. (The VMR is a subscribing member club of the FBHVC - some of your annual Register subs go to the Federation - which works so hard on our behalf to protect our rights to drive our cars on the road.)

Of course this all depends on the lockdown situation in April, so watch this space and the Newsletters for any updates.

Assuming we can go ahead -who is up for it?

[SV_Minor]

A quick correction to the newsletter email just received (Going to enjoy reading the PDFs) Worcestershire is currently in Tier Two and will enter Tier Three at midnight tonight, not Tier Four (yet! Thankfully). Still means we can't meet up, but not quite as restricted as Tier Four.

[Ian Grace]

My mistake - Gloucestershire is in 4. Thanks for pointing that out.

[SV_Minor]

Yes, only a matter of time before the rest of England slips into Tier Four and there is effectively another lockdown. Worcestershire is almost entirely surrounded by Tier Four counties now. Anyway, I'm really looking forward to the April meeting, it just seems so far off in the future right now.

Stay Safe Everyone.

[Ian Grace]

Quick update. I'm planning to CHANGE the date of this inaugural meet, since if we hold it on Drive-it-Day, there will be a host of established and competing gatherings on the day, including MGCC Brands Hatch.

I'll have a think and post the updated date here soon.

Any suggestions?

[SV_Minor]

Well, England, along with the rest of the Uk, is heading back into full lockdown tomorrow which is expected to last until March! Hopefully, by then, we'll be able to safely and legally be allowed to meet up and enjoy some good company with our cars. So how about somewhere around the end of March?

[Ian Grace]

Yup, saw Boris today with the expected announcement.

I was thinking after Drive-it-Day, not before - just to err on the more likely side? First Sunday in May might work?

We have time to think about it - there's not that much planning needed to turn u sat a pub!

[SV_Minor]

Yeah, I think that's probably for the best. I'm just feeling pretty low that I've finally got the Minor running beautifully, and just before the New Year meeting, the opportunity to meet fellow owners was taken away. Let's keep our fingers crossed for Drive it Day and the First Sunday in May

[Ian Grace]

With the new guidelines, it is clear that we cannot hold a gathering - even outside - of more that six people, so we will hold off on organizing this meet until at least 17th May. By the 17th May we can have a group of 30 outside.

[SV_Minor]

Great to see this meeting finally taking place on the 23rd of May. Even better that I'll be able to attend as I'll arrive home from a week's holiday on the north Norfolk coast the day before! It couldn't be timed any better.

[Ian Grace]

Perfect! And thanks for posting it here - I put it in the newsletter but forgot we had a thread here for it as well.

[SV_Minor]

The weather isn't looking too promising for tomorrow, sadly. I'll just have to keep my fingers crossed for dry conditions.

[Ian Grace]

Yes, looks a little mixed, but hopefully it won't be too damp. Most of the rain after 5 p.m.

https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/weather/fo ... 2021-05-23

[SV_Minor]

Spent a few hours at the meeting earlier. Here are some images from the pub car park. I appear to have missed taking a shot of a very pretty 4-seat OHC Tourer that turned up after I had taken these photos. C minus. Must do better. I could have stayed longer but the weather was starting to turn so I made a bolt for home earlier than I wished. Should do these meetings more often.

[Ian Grace]

Excellent Jonathan - thanks. The tourer was Clive Hamilton-Gould's, who drove across from Weston-on-the Green, Oxfordshire.

Tom Swain was driving his fabric saloon up from Horsham in West Sussex but the car lost all its engine oil in Henley-on-Thames. A great shame and a very brave effort that would certainly have won him a long distance award. And particularly so as he only bought the car recently, and this is his first pre-war car. And the landlord Joe Reed's Minor was not back from its engine overhaul.

Roger Wasley has sent me some photos and I'm expecting more, which I will post here later today. A good mix of non-Minors including Lea-Francis, British Salmson, M.G. SA saloon and a Swift tourer. And luckily the rain held off for the lunch.

All in all a very pleasing first meet at the Old Bull and so nice to see after the dreaded lockdown. We'll definitely be holding regular meets here now, with the next this autumn.