Vintage motorbikes kick-start efforts to bring Alnwick Market Place to life on Sundays

Nearly 50 members of the Ashington-based VMCC (Vintage Motor Cycle Club) Reivers gathered in the Market Place on Sunday.

There was little pre-publicity for the event to adhere to the requirements of a Covid-19 risk assessment and ensure large crowds did not turn up.

Cllr Gordon Castle, member for Alnwick on Northumberland County Council, said: “The gathering was very well attended and blessed with excellent weather.

"I counted 47 machines at 1pm and both riders and visitors seemed to have enjoyed the occasion.

"As one rider said, ‘at last, a real event with real people to talk to instead of a virtual event on screen’.”

He hopes it will be part of a longer term plan to bring Sundays in the Marketplace to life with events, rallies and reasons to visit.

"This event was to see if and how it actually worked and by all accounts it has been very well received,” he said.

“We’d like to see everyone benefit including local businesses - cafes with outdoor seating seemed to do especially well.”

Volunteer stewards were in attendance to help manage the event and ensure it ran smoothly. They asked visitors not to congregate around the owners and their motorbikes.

VMCC Reivers, on its website, posted: ‘A big thank you to all those who exhibited their bikes and who helped out at the Alnwick show, you made it a great successful day.’

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