In the course of our work, like many retailers, we see all sides of human nature. Some good, some bad and some that defies any logic but captivates you.

I truly do not understand the individuals at Billing and Peterborough who wreck the toilets and steal the toilet seats. I can see no purpose in this but it appears to be their life’s mission.

I make no apology but I would like to vet everyone who attends Land Rover Shows. I am not going to give you a list of those I would not let in but in a more positive vein list those I would like to invite.

Diversity is vital so I would like to see visitors from all nations, men and women, that share a passion for adventure and 4x4 travels. Most importantly I would invite people who want to learn and those with something to share - stories of trips, past and future and people met on the journey. It is often forgotten that the names and expeditions of the past that are revered today were never about the tyres, the modifications or the engine upgrades.

They were all about people, places and the shared experience. From the Oxford and Cambridge students that made the first land crossing from London to Singapore and Tom Sheppard’s Sahara Crossing to the Darien Gap Expedition - all are stories in the telling.
We have become a society of conspicuous consumption and to a degree we traders meet this need. It would however be great to see a balanced return within the show circuit to a more communal and inclusive event. If we all ate, drank, sang and talked together then perhaps we might share responsibility and accountability; and just maybe drive out the rogue element that has blighted so many shows over the past few years. Respect and tolerance for one another is the bedrock of all good society. Maybe I am living a dream but I have not given up hope.

So, based on these thoughts, good outdoor cooks, makers of fine wine, ale and cider, acoustic guitar players and hearty singers would all get invites. Any one who has owned the same 4x4 for more than twenty years would also get an 'All Areas Pass'.

After much deliberation, I would invite the extreme Land Rover experts who immediately point out that my rivets are incorrect. This is only an act of charity as I think they can be saved. Given exposure to human contact we will rehabilitate them into understanding that it is the journey and the people you meet that is important. As an aside, I am determined to pass from this world, when my time is up, having met wonderful people, shared my journey, made new friends and used the wrong rivets.

I would insist that some guests should not speak English. In my experience I have learnt much from others when there is a language barrier. It makes you think outside the box. Talking loudly has no effect! I have successfully traded parts for brandy in Croatia, got my Range Rover repaired in France and dealt with the Carabineri in Italy - without any of them speaking a word of English.






We put up a small sign at many events that simply reads 'Dogs welcome but children must be kept on a lead'.

This is a joke shared with our customers as most have exceptionally well behaved dogs.

Dogs and Land Rovers seem to go together, especially due to the juxtaposition of field sports and Land Rovers.









We love to see dogs as generally they have a complete understanding of family and commitment.

For this reason dogs are firmly on our invite list.

Who could possibly turn away this little chap photographed at Billing?

There is a big lesson Land Rover Shows could learn from the Bushcraft world where they are still close to nature and understand that the journey and the world around you, is everything.



I have probably missed several people off my list but this is work in progress.


Let me know who is on your list.