.THE ROUTE: Where to see Friday’s bus tour
Leaves Oaktree Arena at 2pm, heads to Highbridge’s Church Street.
Along Church Street and then left at roundabout by the town clock and then along Market Street into Railway Station before returning along Market Street and Church Street and into Burnham Road
Along Pepperall Road, across the roundabout to go down Frank Foley Parkway and then past Tesco
Left at the Tesco roundabout and along Love Lane to the Esso Garage
Left at the roundabout and along Princess Street and then left at the T-junction with Victoria Street and down to College Street
Right at College Street and then along Burnham High Street
At the end of the High Street turn right at the traffic lights and then along The Esplanade running along the seafront to Sea View Road
Along Berrow Road to Berrow and Brean, visiting three Holiday Parks – Unity Farm, Warren Farm and Northam Farm
The celebrating Somerset Rebels speedway team are to be given an open-deck bus tour through Burnham-On-Sea this afternoon (Friday, November 1st).
As reported here, the club made history when they became Premier League Champions on Monday night after beating Edinburgh Monarchs to clinch the title.
“The Oaktree is widely recognised as being one of the best speedway tracks in the country and now has the best speedway team in the country,” Mayor Martin Cox told Burnham-On-Sea.com.
“I wanted to formally acknowledge this week’s accomplishment and have arranged at an open-top bus tour of the area, leaving the Oaktree Arena on Friday at 2pm, to take the team around Highbridge, Burnham and Brean.”
The tour will end at The Princess Theatre and Arts Centre for a Civic Reception to congratulate and commend the riders, team manager and the Hancock family, who run the Oaktree.
The Mayor added: “I will present Outstanding Achievement Certificates in recognition of this triumph after 14 years of building up the Oaktree Arena and its Speedway team.”
Rebels co-promoter Bill Hancock said: “This is a great honour for the Rebels and we are extremely grateful for the recognition that the Mayor and his office have extended to the club for its achievements this year.”
“This will be a very proud moment for everyone associated with the Somerset Rebels and is a marvellous way to bring to an end what has been a tremendous year for the club.”
The Rebels had never won a League Championship title and needed to overcome a first-leg two-point deficit to claim their maiden Championship crown. The club has previously twice finished as runners-up, in 2008, when they were pipped to the title by Edinburgh, and most famously last season when they lost by a single race point to Scunthorpe in the final. The Rebels won 49-44 on Monday – and 92-89 on aggregate – to win the trophy.
“After coming so close to winning the title last year you wonder if you will ever get the chance again, but we have now laid that ghost to rest,” Debbie Hancock, the Somerset Rebels promoter, told Burnham-On-Sea.com. “The guys have been absolutely brilliant all year, and they did it again for once last time. Edinburgh really made us work hard for our win, as we knew they would, we have had some terrific battles in our matches with them this year.”
