Thursday 23rd August 2012

How to start a motor show

Enterprising Wilmslow car nut sees potential for local motor show ... and makes it happen!

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Geneva, New York, Paris ... Wilmslow. The Cheshire town isn't generally associated with the motor shows and salons of the world, but a local print shop owner has other ideas and is planning a luxury and supercar show in the town centre for next month.

Steve Kennedy was taking a look at the town centre at the end of a market day when he was struck by an idea. "Back in February I took a good long look at our town's pedestrianised street, Grove Street, and realised ... cars would work, literally a linear open air motor show," he says.

F1 display car made available for show

Cheshire is full of supercars and footballers, after all - why not put the various local high-end car dealers to good use? The non-profit show's objective would be to generate footfall into the town, get people into local shops and cafes and give local car dealers a combined showcase for their cars. Mary Portas would be proud.

Kennedy put together a small project team comprising himself and a few friends involved in Wilmslow's market and local businesses.

"I spent a couple of months working on it, got our first sponsor on board and realised this was possible," he says.

With the Etihad airline recruited as a title sponsor and an offer of its F1 showcar as a centrepiece things were falling into place. Following some careful maths, funding has been taken care of and the inaugural Wilmslow Motor Show will take place on Saturday September 22.

Around 30 cars will be positioned along and around Grove Street and the day before 20 supercar owners will attend a track day and, with luck, all 20 will make it unscathed to the show too. A Lamborghini Aventador and Aston Martin have been made available for passenger rides around the town for charity. Marques to be included in the show include Aston Martin, Lamborghini, Rolls Royce, McLaren and Ferrari/Maserati.

Kennedy tells us that if this year is received well there are plans to make it an annual event. Whilst Wilmslow is unlikely to become the new Geneva, it hopefully goes to show that a few enthusiastic people saying "why not...?" can grow into something significant.

[Anubis]

Fantastic and well done.

[Ryvita]

Feel good grass roots story of the month? Enthusiast led - check. Not for profit - check. Involving local businesses and people - check. Absolutely top marks, well done for getting out there and making it happen!

[Coldfuse]

Nice story, will be great for the town, this is what the UK as a whole needs! More interesting people to do more interesting things!

[DanDC5]

Might have a journey up there to be honest and I'm guessing the track day before hand is at Oulton so might pop up there aswell sounds like it'll be pretty good.

[HorneyMX5]

Wilmslow is expensive car nirvana. I went up to visit my brother in law a couple of weeks ago and in a 1 hour walk through the town centre I spotted:

1 x Lambo
1 x Aston DB4
Lots x Astons (Dealership)
3 x Caymans
2 x 911s
1 x Bentley
2 x RR Phantoms
2 x Ferraris
1 X R8
Plus a large number of high end Audis, mecrs, bmws etc.

[fatboy18]

Where's Wilmslow? Is that north of the River Thames?












On a serious note, Good luck with the show

[sunsurfer]

HorneyMX5 said:

Wilmslow is expensive car nirvana. I went up to visit my brother in law a couple of weeks ago and in a 1 hour walk through the town centre I spotted:

1 x Lambo
1 x Aston DB4
Lots x Astons (Dealership)
3 x Caymans
2 x 911s
1 x Bentley
2 x RR Phantoms
2 x Ferraris
1 X R8
Plus a large number of high end Audis, mecrs, bmws etc.

You missed the McLaren dealership ;-) I wonder if we get to see the convertible on September 22nd?

[Flat6]

Great, and on my doorstep! Looking forward to it

[tobiah]

Ah this is a great idea!

I am working on the 22nd though It's so close to me too Rubbish!

[Paul O]

I co-ran a similar event last month in Sheffield City Centre, called Supercars in the City. It was a big success and raised nearly £3,000 for charity.

I personally think that events like this are great news and help to bring people back to our town and city centres. Good luck to these guys - it is a lot of effort, but hugely worthwhile.

Edited by Paul O on Thursday 23 August 10:12

[j911]

sunsurfer said:

HorneyMX5 said:

Wilmslow is expensive car nirvana. I went up to visit my brother in law a couple of weeks ago and in a 1 hour walk through the town centre I spotted:

1 x Lambo
1 x Aston DB4
Lots x Astons (Dealership)
3 x Caymans
2 x 911s
1 x Bentley
2 x RR Phantoms
2 x Ferraris
1 X R8
Plus a large number of high end Audis, mecrs, bmws etc.

You missed the McLaren dealership ;-) I wonder if we get to see the convertible on September 22nd?

McLaren is in Knutsford not Wilmslow

[pagani1]

Well Done for cheering up the town. Anyone fancy trying it in Chichester as we have Jaguar, Aston Martin and lots of classic car dealers in the area?

[Fartgalen]

"generate footfall"....
lovely marketing, business blurb.

[chrisironside]

Sounds great, and seems like because it's low-key it would be better suited to car enthusiasts than press etc.
The supercar passenger rides and track day are also a nice touch.

I'd like to see one of these in Aberdeen where we seem to have examples of most supercars (e.g. Veyron, Zonda F, Koenigsegg CCX, Ferrari F40, Ferrari F50, Enzo, McLaren F1 GTR etc).

[ARAF]

Who needs Mary Portas, when you have a Steve Kennedy?

Cracking idea, and credit should also go to the local council for letting it happen.

[ewenm]

pagani1 said:

Well Done for cheering up the town. Anyone fancy trying it in Chichester as we have Jaguar, Aston Martin and lots of classic car dealers in the area?

You could...

chrisironside said:

Sounds great, and seems like because it's low-key it would be better suited to car enthusiasts than press etc.
The supercar passenger rides and track day are also a nice touch.

I'd like to see one of these in Aberdeen where we seem to have examples of most supercars (e.g. Veyron, Zonda F, Koenigsegg CCX, Ferrari F40, Ferrari F50, Enzo, McLaren F1 GTR etc).

You could...

[dandarez]

Have to go a long way to catch the 'Witney Motor Show' (yes, that's Cameron Town).
Been going annually since 1966!
(organised by the Witney Motor Club, their magazine was called 'Slipstream', still is I think?)

In the 70s and 80s it was a really superb evening show, held in the large playing fields of Wood Green School in Witney (wonders... if they still have any playing fields now?), then for some reason it ended and was moved to another large grassed area in another part of Witney. It still attracts but is imo nothing like it used to be.

Attracted cars and vehicles from all over Oxfordshire and beyond in those bygone years. You could see everything from the run-of-the-mill daily to modifieds, all sorts of marques from Astons to Ginettas to VWs, to the exotic even to F1 cars.

[JJ 170]

sorry mate, don't go norf of a river.

fatboy18 said:

Where's Wilmslow? Is that north of the River Thames?












On a serious note, Good luck with the show

[V8 FOU]

Steve Kennedy, the new Wilmslow Boy. brilliant!










You have to be cultured/old to appreciate that one

[chris_crossley]

Mines been going for nearly 10years; everything done by me. Not forgetting all the people who help park the cars. Run just to cover costs and attracts 350+ sports cars
Can I have a front page story on pistonheads

www.carsinthepark.org.uk