BSRA #7: Woolacombe Scooter rally 2025 | RALLERY

The journey down to Woolacombe was spent in a very different climate from what we had witnessed over the last few weeks, with temperatures creeping up to the welcome mid-20s mark for the majority of it.

After a stop for breakfast in Amesbury and the obligatory rubbernecking at Stonehenge, we were very lucky to join the M5 at Tiverton, as earlier reports had said to avoid the area at all costs, which had meant a lot of people finding alternative routes for the final stretch. Upon arrival and with chalets found, it was time to engage in the age-old routine of catching up with mates and enjoying a few beers in the process.

Top Ranking

This then progressed to visiting the on-site pub for something to eat and the main room for more catching up. As usual, the place was rammed, and the first band of the weekend, The Beat, featuring Ranking Junior, had the place bouncing, and Junior even ended the night singing shirtless. After the band’s set, a large majority of people drifted off, either to the Northern Soul room or chalets, leaving the dance floor and bars a tad emptier.

Exercising rights

The main room disco finished at 2 am, which meant leaving and going to the Beach Bar till 3 am, and then on to a friend’s chalet. A drunken stumble back was broken up by scaring the daylights out of my immediate neighbour, who was ‘exercising’ at her doorway and was completely unaware people were still up and about, until I knocked that was. Sorry, Helen, but it was amusing to see you jump; luckily, Gary was also still up to witness it.

Early finish

Saturday morning, and after only a couple of hours’ sleep, it was down to the trader’s area for the BSRA signing on. Due to the weather, we decided to cut our losses at around 12-30, so if anyone missed us (and we know who was there), we’ll stamp your card at Llandudno.

Rained off

As mentioned, the weather was absolutely atrocious, the custom show was pretty much a wash-out with only about a dozen or so scooters on show, which I should imagine made the judging an easier job than usual. As such, the afternoon’s entertainment (the Rocker Covers), lined up to be at the Beach Bar area, was wisely held inside the main room, and the ride-out was cancelled.

Those who braved visiting the local towns themselves commented on how much quieter the pubs seemed, as usually there’s plenty of punters milling about outside them. One talking point, though, was those dressed up as morris dancers (or it’s assumed they were role-playing as such and not real ones) having a good old sing-song.

Company C

One bonus for the Saturday evening is always the Company C party, and this year’s theme was ‘Animals’. As usual, Heather and Carfy had decorated their chalet and picked party tunes accordingly, and a good majority of party goers were dressed to impress, with plenty of leopard print on show to make Bet Lynch/ Kat Slater jealous (delete according to age and TV soap preference).

Look carefully and one of these ladies is sporting a fake moustache…

No recognition

One who deserves a special mention is Colette; she always goes the extra mile with her fancy dress, but this year, she couldn’t understand why she couldn’t open her phone with facial recognition, obviously forgetting the face paint and moustache she was wearing!

One thing I probably shouldn’t have done, though, was to down the rum offered to me as if it were a shot, but you live and learn…

I eventually left to go to the main room, which was again packed out, eagerly awaiting the usual polished performance by Basket Case, a band that, due to their effort for mixing things up with differing stage costumes and putting their own spin on songs, you can never seem to get enough of.

Thinning out

Again, once finished, the crowd thinned out somewhat (metaphorically speaking), leaving us to get kicked out at 2 am to continue the drinking at the Beach Bar. Whilst there, it was nice to speak to several of the young bar staff who had finished their shifts and were hanging around, the consensus from them being it was a weekend they were excited to work, plus they get their own rally t-shirts, also they summed us lot up as being fcuking mental, which might have been because Colette was with us. High praise indeed.

Sunday session

Sunday came around far too quickly, although that may also have been due to a lack of sleep, and with it the sad departure of the rest of my chalet buddies. Luckily, the hot tub was safe in their absence.

Ilfracombe seems to be the Sunday destination of choice for the majority during the day; however, we maintained our usual Woolacombe Sunday vibes with the annual pilgrimage to the ten-pin bowling alley and a carvery at the pub, before chilling out and trying to finish off some of the alcohol left in the chalets.

Noddy, Stumpy and Smiler didn’t get the memo

Slady

The Sunday evening brought Slady to the stage, who, to the uninitiated, are an all-female Slade tribute act, and who are rather very good. The crowd took a while to get going, despite many being in Slade-themed attire; however, Kerry Stark seemed the most animated, trying to cover the whole of the dance floor single-handedly.

The sensible option

Kudos must go to George, Sara, and Zoe (and Neil Bradley), the trio of girls who were all dressed up as Noddy (the Enid Blyton kind), to show exactly what scooterists do best: always think outside the box. Top stuff.

By midnight, I thought that going back to my chalet was the sensible thing to do, due to the 250-mile ride home in the morning; however, I still didn’t manage to crawl into my pit until 1-30am, bugger to being sensible it seems.

Just some of the SWSC Dreamboys…

Homeward bound

Monday just left the last-minute panic of checking everywhere for stuff that may get left behind, several trips to the recycling bins and a return of keys before the off. Luckily, the weather was dry, but seemingly colder, and if it weren’t for the fact that the poxy M25 had been shut, we would have made good time home. Taking to A-roads and schools kicking out around Dorking and Reigate made sure that wasn’t to be the case, but never mind, it didn’t actually rain, so all’s good.

Woolacombe brings with it the satisfaction of knowing that the nights on rallies hereon in aren’t spent under canvas, except for those hardy souls who braved a tent. The freebie of an extra night on a rally is always a welcome bonus, as Sunday nights are always a blast. Combine that with an organisation that knows exactly what it’s doing (SWSC’s) and the onsite crew who actually love being there, and you’ve got the recipe for a much-respected event. Roll on next year.

Words: Scott, Medway SC

Main photos: Booga