Guild Classic memories last 24 years…

Earlier this year I set about planning a road trip to Mallorca (writes Vice-President Peter Burgess), the final objective being a classic car tour for several days around the island. 

The plan was to avoid the autoroutes as much as possible by allowing four days to drive down eastern France to our ferry from Toulon. Via Michelin proved a great help, highlighting scenic routes with a green band alongside the most interesting roads. 

Our first night was spent just south of Laon in northern France, in the Hotel du Golf de l’Ailette. On arrival we realised we’d been there before, back in 2002 when it was the Hotel Mercure Laon-Chamouille. That was on the third or fourth Guild Classic, ably organised by Guild member Clive Jacobs alongside his mentor Steve Brown from European Routes for Leisure.

That had been a major event for the Guild – 37 cars plus a back-up crew in case of breakdowns, big-time sponsorship from BMW and P&O Ferries, a bevy of historic cars from Ford and Vauxhall and even a couple of Ferraris from the press office!

Great memories were recalled, especially as I was now in the same Porsche that Lynne and I had driven 24 years ago. But the bigger surprise came the next morning when I was packing the Porsche before breakfast. I spotted the number plate S4 ERL, which surely could only be Steve Brown? It was! The coincidence was magnified as we chatted over breakfast. Like me, this was the first time he had revisited the hotel in 24 years! What are the odds?

Steve was nominated a Friend of the Guild for all the work he very generously put in over the years staging Guild Classic events. He’s still doing it – his overnight stay was yet another recce for a group of classic car owners. 

Me? Well, we covered 1,500 miles in total, broke through the somewhat dreaded 100,000-mile barrier and used hardly any oil. The Porsche is currently locked up in a glass cube in Motorworld in Palma while I work out when I can get over to drive it home…

The photo shows Steve Brown from ERL with Peter and Lynne Burgess – Peter adds that they only parked in the disabled spot for five minutes!