:: [  S V V S Summer Saunter to Gatton Park Summer Fair,Surrey  -  July 2016 ] ::

The following photos are by Malcolm Bailey. Please click on any thumbnail picture below to see the full size picture. To return to the thumbnails please click the Explorer "Back" arrow, top left of screen. 









The 2016 SVVS Summer Saunter 

Our Hon Sec Malcolm Bailey who organises the Summer Saunters advised that Gatton Park is a truly superb location which is National Trust administered and has the Gatton Hall (grade 2 listed) and 13th Century Church of St Andrew, all set in 250 acres of estate that was laid out by Capability Brown; so there is plenty to see apart from the Fair. We were invited to display our vehicles adjacent to the Hall which is a prime location under the majestic trees. Normal procedure for the Summer Saunter is to met at a central point elsewhere and do a gentle drive through the countryside to the Venue, and to bring your own picnic.

Somehow we had managed to mess up the entry of the Summer Saunter details into the June Magazine which would have been plenty of time to take into account the change of Date and Venue decided a few months ago. As the visit had been arranged to coincide with the Gatton Park Country Fair, the date was moved from the 17th to the 3rd, which meant the event was over before the July Mag was delivered. Email shot was instigated  but the turnout was unsurprisingly poor. 

We ended up with nine cars at the  Park : Brian Rice in 1980 Triumph Spitfire, Malcolm Ward in 1989 Mercedes Benz  500SEC, Malcolm Bailey in 1934 Morris Minor Tourer,  Roger and Pam Bishop in 1913 Berliet,  Alan Rothwell in a 1971 MGB Roadster, Chris Geary in a 1953 Alvis TA21, Mike Gorman in a 1934 Morris 10 Tourer,  David Smart in a 1931 Rolls 20/25, and Tony and Julie Tester in 1936 Chrysler Wimbledon.

The driving Saunter bit didn't really materialise. Organiser Malcolm Bailey was joined in Reigate car park by Roger and Pam Bishop, accompanied by Stephen and Madeleine Brooks, and Alan Rothwell and friend Mike. Afterwaiting and chatting for a while, we made our way by a fairly direct route to Gatton Park.

It was a really good venue and all agreed it would be worth visiting again next year. The Fair was interesting in it's family-orientated variety, the only notable lack being beer! It was suggested it might be a worthwhile addition to our programme of events.

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