Guild Young Member Forum visits Aston Martin Works
In 2025 the Guild launched a Young Members’ Forum (YMF), a venture aiming to get Guild members under the age of 30 to talk all things motoring media (writes George Loveridge).
Thus far, there are 15 members who have so far met officially twice; once via Zoom and more recently in Buckinghamshire at the headquarters of the prestigious Aston Martin Works (AMW).
The aim of this gathering was to enable members of the YMF to meet in person, but it’s not always easy to get more than one motoring journalist in the same place at the same time! Thankfully, AMW was kind enough to host four YMF members for an exclusive tour of the facilities that are renowned worldwide. Moreover, a room was also provided for Guild Vice-Chair Richard Aucock to host a meeting with the members of the YMF.
AMW is much more than a posh classic car garage. The site in Newport Pagnell became the home of Aston Martin in 1955 when Sir David Brown (the ‘DB’ in Aston Martin’s model names – Ed) acquired it. Today Aston Martin’s UK HQ is in Gaydon, but AMW still provides some of the best automotive services in the world – much more than just an MOT and a service for their customers. Boasting unrivalled levels of quality, the craftsmen, mechanics, trimmers, painters, panel beaters and painters offer the best of the best.
During our visit three One-77s were in for work, and as our tour guide Scott Fisher remarked, that’s “just a regular Thursday here”. And the workshop was more like an operating theatre – every surface was gleaming, the idea being that the guys and girls working there have the best facilities. I wouldn’t have dared eat my lunch there, let alone complete an oil change.
AMW is also very proud to offer a Heritage division, completely restoring cars. The YMF were lucky enough to see three DB5s being rebuilt from scratch, one of which was a rather gorgeous shooting brake. The technicians at AMW use the same English Wheel to bend aluminium panels that was used traditionally.
We were told that it takes the team 2,000 hours to rebuild a DB5, which contrasts with the 20 hours Volkswagen takes to make a Polo. Guild snapper Jeff Bloxham joked that it takes less time to build the Polo because “it has a hole in the middle” – never change Jeff…
After the YMF attendees had finished drooling over every imaginable Aston Martin, from DB2s to V12 Zagatos and Lagonda Wedges, they were able to speak their minds on motoring matters. The general opinion was that the YMF wishes to meet more frequently, and hopefully encourage more members under 30 to get involved.
It was also emphasised that by no means does the YMF wish to isolate itself from the rest of the Guild, quite the opposite. But it was added; “The GOMW is great, but it can feel quite disconnected.”
Other takeaways included a view that it is becoming increasingly harder to attain press cars, and, if you can, getting insured on one. More relaxed social events with the Guild would be welcome and the YMF would like to find ways to get more young aspiring writers and creators into the world of motorsport media.
Finally a thank you to Aston Martin Works for hosting the YMF for a fascinating visit.
Photos: Jeff Bloxham
