Mods and rockers, teddy boys, dolly birds and country ladies and gentlemen all had a thoroughly good time at Goodwood Revival last weekend!
Ominous skies overlooked the three day motoring festival attracting 130,000 visitors to West Sussex and subsequently making it the world’s most popular historic race meeting, not to mention the only event of its kind to be staged in the time capsule of the 50s and 60s. The annual affair relives the glory days of the Goodwood Motor Circuit which, along with Silverstone, was Britain’s leading racing venue during its active years between 1948 and 1966. Restored to its former glory exactly fifty years to the day that it opened, the circuit retains the authentic period look right down to the very last detail. Encouraging visitors to dress up from that very era, the result is almost theatrical, with stoles, hats and stockings for the ladies and mechanic overalls and tweeds for the gents.
With over £500m worth of vehicles participating this year it was an absolute dream for the vintage car lover with Jaguars, Maserati’s and Ferrari’s at every turn. Other entertainment came in the form of tea dances, vintage shopping at the market stands, a quick pop around an authentic rebuild of a 1960s style Tesco, fish and chips wrapped in reprints of 1950s newspapers and after the entertainment on the track, watching Spitfires, Hurricanes and Mustangs take to the skies performing swoops and dives over the circuit.
As the dark clouds opened and cars queued to leave the grounds on which the festival took place, I don’t think anyone minded being stuck in perhaps the best looking traffic jam ever.
Text: Dominique Fenn
