Kev Walsh and Eric Tudor were the main men behind the largest scooter parts fairs in the UK for many years. Since their deaths, there’s been a gap in the scootering world and its calendar.
Or there was until last October when the East Midlands Scooter Alliance and Scooternova Magazine joined forces to put on their own event at the Ukrainian Youth Camp in Derbyshire. That inaugural event went well on a beautiful autumn day and last weekend they were back for their Mammoth Parts Fair, at a new venue.
Melton Mowbray is famed for its pork pies and is also well-known for its farming history. Tipped off by Melton Scooter Club about a farmer’s market that would be perfect for an event in their home town, EMSA and ScooterNova gave it a bash.
All amenities
This venue really is perfect, with a series of open-ended covered sheds with pre-erected tables, all on hard standing. Plus lots of trading space outside, parking on-site (and close by), a pub, cocktail bar, cafe and various other businesses on site it was ideal. It even had a Premier Inn right opposite.
Garage clearance
We took a selection of our plastics and merchandise along to do our own ScooterLab stall but primarily I used the event to clear out some of my unwanted scooter treasure from the overcrowded garage.
The event was very well organised from the moment we arrived. With no queuing at the gate to get in for the 7:15 am trader set-up. We were waved through security by the familiar and friendly face of Shep. Then ushered down to our allotted trading space inside one of the halls where we could drive up to the tables to unload our goodies.
Even though the event had loads of traders setting up both inside and out there was still loads of room to spare. It’s a huge place, just the job for an indoor market… or scooter parts fair as it happened.
Before the gates opened I had a quick wander around to see a few people and take some photos but spent most of the day stuck to our pitch.
Eager punters
A steady stream of punters flocked in from 9:30 and some of the unwanted contents of my garage soon started to find new homes with other scooterists. The bric-a-brac accumulated over many years, bought for, taken off of, bought with scooters, or generally collected and saved ‘just in case’ items.
The car park was soon filling up with scooters and although still feeling a little fresh outside it was warm enough for people to sit out with a pint in the early spring sunshine.
Just two days earlier, heavy snow and freezing temperatures in many parts of the country made it look like this event maybe wouldn’t happen. Although the organisers were always confident, thanks to the venue being on hard standing and with much of it under cover. Thankfully there was a huge turnaround in temperatures and the snow melted in time for a dry and fairly mild day.
SLUKERS
Over the course of the day, it was good to put a few names to the faces of some SLUK readers I’d not met before. It was also handy to let people see a selection of our plastics up close. And to get the feedback of some very enthusiastic Nankang tyre customers. If you’ve not tried these yet, I urge you to give them a go. You won’t be disappointed.
Everybody I spoke to seemed to be having a good day, whether that be traders or the general public, daytrippers just out for a social or the scooterists who were running the event.
Once the crowds started to die down it was time to pack up the van and head home, still with enough treasure to take to the next ‘Mammoth Parts Fair.’ We’ll be back…
Well done to ScooterNova, EMSA and all the scooterists who helped the day to go so smoothly.
