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FROM NORTH DEVON JOURNAL
Grand Mini Tour changes its route for traffic reasons

By laura churchill

A CONVOY of minis heading through the streets of North Devon have been forced to change its route because of traffic issues.

Every August bank holiday the Grand Mini Tour, which includes around 250 cars, drives through North Devon to raise money for the Children's Hospice South West.

Organisers feared a lack of parking in Westward Ho! and the minis having to stop at Heywood roundabout, leading to other cars breaking up the convoy, could mean the end to the event in the village.

Mpw organisers have made changes to some of the routes to ensure the event will still go ahead this year.

Terry Baker, 56, from the North Devon Mini Register, founded the convoy, which has raised around £350,000 for charity, 15 years ago.

It has traditionally drawn in thousands of spectators to Westward Ho! on the bank holiday Monday to see the start of the final mini run. But this year the Monday event will begin in Victoria Park, Bideford.

Westward Ho! will still play host to the mini run on the Sunday.

Mr Baker said: "Last year nearly 4,000 people turned out to Westward Ho! on the bank holiday to see the minis off and many stayed the whole day. I hope it will be the same for the village on Sunday.

"It has been estimated the run has brought in more than £1 million to the economy over the last 15 years.

"We did not want to stop going from Westward Ho! on the main day, but we have to be practical."

Mr Baker hopes crowds will gather across the route, as in past years, for the cause.

He said: "It is not just raising money. When we go into the hospice and see all the kids it is fantastic.

"It is a fantastic event for North Devon and it has been quite an achievement for a group of car owners to have raised so much money."

On Sunday, August 28, the convoy will start at Westward Ho! before going along the back routes to Abbotsham, Hartland and Woolsery on to Stibb Cross, Langtree, Taddiport and finishing at Torrington's Dartington Crystal.

While on Monday, August 29 the convoy will start at Bideford Park before going along the Quay and Bideford Long Bridge to Fremington and the Children's Hospice's Little Bridge House.

It will move on to Sticklepath, Bishops Tawton, Landkey, then to Snapper, Bratton Fleming, Blackmore Gate, Barbrook, Lynton, Combe Martin and finish in Ilfracombe.

For more information visit the website http://www.smallcarsbighearts.co.uk.

Surprised this thread as not been more active.

Breakfast in Morrisons could be fun in fancy dress
Bring it on.....

We have already been there dressed as hippies, not the same I know but we do raise a smile.

Quoted from Terry

We have already been there dressed as hippies, not the same I know but we do raise a smile.

Potentially a larger more diverse group than the hippies.....

Well done Terry & The Journal. Looking forward to it already - wonder how many cars will try to get into Victoria Park on the Sunday?!


R.

Have the tickets been sent out yet now that the new venue has been confirmed?

Phil

Hi Phil

Normally Terry doesn't send the tickets out too early as people loose them!

i lost my booking form last year !!!!!!!!

Quoted from mini59

Hi Phil

Normally Terry doesn't send the tickets out too early as people loose them!

Thanks for letting me know!!!  Last year (or it may be the year before) I got the tickets really early, so I just wanted to make sure they hadn't gone missing in the post, like what happened the 1st year I did the LGT!!