One person stops motor cycle event being held.

[Rob Harknett]

For the last 25 years a Motor Cycle drag race / Jumble event has been held at North Weald Airfield, nr. Harlow Essex. This is the site that hosted a Jampot and Alternative rally organised by the East London & Essex Section. Owners of the site Epping Forest District Council have refused permission to hold the one day event. Using the freedom of information act, the organisers discovered just one person had made a complaint which led to the ban. The organisers made contact with the person in an effort to agree a ban on motor cycles taking part, that caused the complaint to be made. The person refused to consider this, on the basis his complaint covered all motor cycles. Large or small, fast or slow.
This smells of objection's against motor cycles again in the area. The airfield has been there over 100 years. Flats and houses close by no more than a decade. Will this soon exclude motor cycles visiting the airfield. As groups do gather there, enjoying a chat, the aircraft and refreshment's at the café's. It was not so long ago, nearby Harlow put a ban on motor cycles riding together in the town. Although this was withdrawn when it became national news. What next??? using roads and M11 motorway that run along side the airfield 24/7 full of traffic ?

[spookefoote1956]

Mr Spock always said that "the needs of the many far out-weigh the needs of the few". Surely Spock can't be wrong?

[rex.webb]

ROB
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
SO
CRAZYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
THAT IS WHAT MAKES THIS WORLD " NOT WORTH LIVING IN "
ANY MORE
RIDE WIRH CARE AND LIVE LONG
TO WNJOY YOUR MOTORCYCLING
AND #
SCOOTERING

[Rob Harknett]

There has been aircraft there for 101 years, the airfield is still active. Huge market / car boot sale every Saturday blocking roads for miles. HGV's at ware houses. Base for Essex fleet of Ambulances etc etc. but one person stops a one day a year motor cycle event. Nothing gained, they will have very noisy Spitfires, MiG 15 jets helicopters flying on that day instead. As the motor cycle event used the runway, closing the airfield for aircraft on that day

[pkr87]

I have been competing in car sprints at North Weald for over 20 years, at the last event the whole organising team were working extra hard to make sure that nobody made too much noise or strayed from the competition area because " there have been complaints from the locals". The only nearby houses were not there when I first competed there. It sounds like somebody buying a house in the countryside and complaining about the sound of cockerels. I bet the complainer would have objected to the noise of Hurricanes taking off in 1940

[Rob Harknett]

They have probably complained about the full size model of a Hurricane at the main entrance. I has the Red White & Blue British insignia.

[Tommy RE]

The same thing has happened in Ludlow. For well over 60 years +, motorcyclist have been visiting the square outside the castle parking their bikes on the square to be admired by passers by and holiday visitors alike. 8 months ago, a man moved into a house that fronts on to the square and has been constantly haranguing motorcyclists that stop there and has now got a ban on parking bikes on the square.

His complaint is that of noise pollution and unsocial behaviour. In all the years I have been going there, I have never heard or seen a biker behaving in an unsocial manner. He even came out and had a go at the North Birmingham section of the VMCC who have used this as a meeting/starting point for one of their rides all of us on Vintage Post Vintage and 50's machines.

I agree with Rob They just don't want us and never did.

[Andy51]

Sadly, this is the norm these days. I used to live in Wilts and went to Weds bike nights and Sun bike days at the Red Lion at Avebury. Someone moved in nearby and complained and these events were cut back. I would have thought that if you were buying a house you would check out things like this (and church bells and town hall clocks) and if you don't like the noise, don't buy a house near a long-standing source! Local authorities should apply a simple test - if the noise has been there longer than the house, hard luck and learn to live with it! Andy

[spookefoote1956]

Such is the life of the outlaw motorcyclist!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Let's face it we're all dirty no-good motorcycle scum; attacking villagers wherever me meet in our 100+ gangs. The world would be much better off if we just all bought a pipe and slippers and joined the "Not In My Back Yard Party". What really worries me is how long is the list if things and people types that they don't like!

These people make me sick. They're not happy about anything and if they have nothing to moan about they're even less happy.

[Rob Harknett]

In the beginning " The Colliers were not popular with the locals, with their dirty smelly motor cycles "