History | GreatYarmouthScooterRally.co.uk
If you've ever been to a Great Yarmouth Scooter Rally, chances are you've got stories and memories from years gone by. We'd love to hear them. Whether you have old photographs, snapshots of scooters and friends, rally flyers, patches or other memorabilia, please send them to us and help preserve the history of one of the UK's most iconic scooter rally destinations.
Disclaimer: Some of the photographs featured below have been sourced from publicly available websites and online archives. If you own the copyright to any of these images, or know who does, please get in touch. We'll be happy to add a credit or, if requested, remove the image.
1964
The famous Mod/Rocker disturbances affected several resorts...
Great Yarmouth did experience Mod gatherings during 1964 and subsequent years, although nowhere near the scale of Clacton, Margate or Brighton.
1970s
Scooter Rallies start to become popular...
During the 1970s: weekend scooter runs, custom shows, club camping weekends were beginning to appear across the UK.
1980-1992
1980
Scooter gatherings started to grow in costal towns around the UK...
Great Yarmouth was already attracting major numbers of Mods, scooterists, skins and rockers..
29-31 May
1981
Scooter Patches...
Many companies produced commemorative patches to sow onto coats.
Paddy Smith Patches: This particular year is heavily tied to the origin of the legendary "Paddy Smith" scooter patches. 1981 marked the very first year Paddy Smith produced hand-printed cloth patches to commemorate national rallies, a tradition that continued for many years, although many other brands produced patches too.
National Rally – approx. 2,000 attended
St Nicholas seafront campsite
St Nicholas seafront campsite. Approx. 2,000 attended. This was the rally commemorated by Paddy Smith's first rally patch.
1981 PATCHES
If anyone has any info on these patches please let us know...
26-28 MAY
1982
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Great Yarmouth / St Nicholas.
1982 PATCHES
If anyone has any info on these patches please let us know...
27-30
1983
SEND US YOUR STORIES AND PHOTOS | Great Yarmouth Scooter Rally
Great Yarmouth was chosen as the destination for the spring bank holiday scooter rally
Great Yarmouth / Spring Bank Holiday. Great Yarmouth was the Spring Bank Holiday National that year
26-28 May
1984
Margate was the new Spring Bank Hol destination
However Great Yarmouth was moved to May Great Yarmouth / St Nicholas.
24-27 May
1985
SEND US YOUR STORIES AND PHOTOS | Great Yarmouth Scooter Rally
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1986
SEND US YOUR STORIES AND PHOTOS | Great Yarmouth Scooter Rally
Although no longer chosen for the spring bank holiday, Great Yarmouth continues to be a popular rally destination. Popular venues included the long bar,
The National calendar moved the Spring Bank Holiday rally to Margate. However, a genuine 1986 Great Yarmouth Scooter Rally patch survives, so there was apparently another Great Yarmouth event that year.
29-31 May/1-4 May???
1987
SEND US YOUR STORIES AND PHOTOS | Great Yarmouth Scooter Rally
Photo's by Debby Besford of Great Yarmouth Scooter Rally >
www.BritishCultureArchive.co.uk/Debby-Besford-Great-Yarmouth-Scooter-Rally
29 April - 1 May
1989
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Great Yarmouth – May Day weekend. It was subsequently voted Best Rally of 1989
Great Yarmouth voted Best Rally of the Year
3-6 May
1990
SEND US YOUR STORIES AND PHOTOS | Great Yarmouth Scooter Rally
Major National Rally - St Nicolas Seafront - also photos on the archive page (see 1987
4-7 May
1991
SEND US YOUR STORIES AND PHOTOS | Great Yarmouth Scooter Rally
Great Yarmouth – May Day weekend. This appears to have been the final rally in the continuous 1980s/early-90s sequence before the 1992 change.
4-6 September
1992
SEND US YOUR STORIES AND PHOTOS | Great Yarmouth Scooter Rally
Originally scheduled for the August Bank Holiday, but moved to the following weekend because of police/council opposition.
Originally scheduled for August Bank Holiday, but postponed one week because of police/council opposition. St Nicholas car park/seafront campsite.
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1993
SEND US YOUR STORIES AND PHOTOS | Great Yarmouth Scooter Rally
Photographic evidence exists for a Great Yarmouth 1993 scooter event, but I haven't found a reliable source establishing its exact dates or whether it was a National.
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1994
SEND US YOUR STORIES AND PHOTOS | Great Yarmouth Scooter Rally
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1995
THE RALLY RETURNS
NSRA Trade & Custom Show
Great Yarmouth hosted the NSRA Trade & Custom Show. This is independently confirmed, and Dave Ormerod has a dedicated Great Yarmouth 1995 / Great Yarmouth Custom Show 1995 photographic archive.
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1992
SEND US YOUR STORIES AND PHOTOS | Great Yarmouth Scooter Rally
Planned August Bank Holiday National Rally delayed one week because of opposition from police/councillors
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2010
V.F.M presents Great Yarmouth Scooter Rally
The town hosted the Great Yarmouth National Scooter Rally, 18–20 June, with a giant parts fair, ride-out, custom show, live bands, DJs and two nights of entertainment. The surviving original flyer provides an excellent snapshot of the event.
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2013-19
Sidewinders SC Revive GYSR
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2013-19
Sidewinders SC Revive GYSR
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