A long-running classic car rally which starts each year from Burnham-On-Sea has this week been forced to start from a Brent Knoll pub car park because Sedgemooor District Council was not prepared to forgo an hour’s income for thirty car parking spaces.
Furious Burnham-On-Sea Motor Club members have hit out at the decision and received strong backing from Burnham’s Mayor, Cllr Peter Burridge-Clayton.
Sunday’s eleventh annual classic car tour, which is held in memory of Andy Simm, a club member who died in an accident, had to start from the car park at the rear of the Fox and Goose pub in Brent Knoll with just a handful of spectators watching.
While the thirty club members taking part in Sunday’s event put a brave face on the matter, they were bitterly disappointed by the decision.
The club’s events secretary, Maggie Tustian, told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “The event has always begun from Burnham-On-Sea because it’s the club’s home town and we like to have a good number of spectators to see the cars off on the day-long tour around Somerset.”
“This year, though, we were told by the district council that we couldn’t start from Pier Street car park unless each person paid for car parking. We were very disappointed by this short-sighted decision, and as a matter of principle decided to start from Brent Knoll instead even though very few people saw us off.”
Burnham’s Mayor, Cllr Peter Burridge-Clayton, who was invited to officially start Sunday morning’s event, said he was angry that the Motor Club had been treated so poorly.
He told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “It was very disappointing that Burnham Motor Club were forced out of their own town.”
“They have been coming to Burnham for many years and this is the first time they have been expected to pay to park in Pier Street car park. I find it astonishing that SDC could think they would lose revenue by letting the vehicles park free of charge.”
“It was 9am on a Sunday morning in late September and there were very few cars in the car park and I don’t see why if the space is available they shouldn’t be allowed to park free.”
“At the end of the day this is a charity event and it also brings in tourists to the town.
I thoroughly enjoyed the event and it is a great shame many other people in Burnham didn’t get to see it.”
“The members of the club showed me great hospitality and I think it’s a tragedy that SDC couldn’t reciprocate and welcome them to the town. It was very short-sighted to say the least.”
“I will be informing the leader of the District council with my views at the earliest opportunity. The town’s traders are having a hard enough time as it is without this kind of madness.”
Burnham-On-Sea.com invited Sedgemoor District Council to give us a response to the matter on Tuesday, but received no reply.
Pictured is Burnham-On-Sea’s Mayor, Cllr Peter Burridge-Clayton, at the start of Sunday’s event in Brent Knoll with (beneath) Dave Pearce, the motor club’s Vice-Chairman, Dave Warren, the club’s President, Maggie Tustian, the club’s Events Secretary, and Chris House, the club’s Competition Secretary
