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Well first of all I have to apologise and hold my hands up for being a
bit too quick to call it The
AFSC
Pre season Bash, more than one believed that it was a do organised by
The AFSC,
it wasn’t. Mental note to self, “be carefully what you call things”. I
did the same with our annual get together calling it an
AFSC
AGM and now some believe
we sit around a table with fresh water note pads and minutes, we don’t
and once again sorry.
The story behind our little social gathering started a few years ago
when Dickie 2 Coats met Steve the owner of a full blown custom GP with
the Quadrophenia paint scheme (featured in Scootering a few issues
ago) Steve was the landlord of a pub in Oxford that was Scooterist
friendly and one or seven pints had been sunk in his establishment by
AFSC
Members.
Steve relocated to Coalville and now runs a fair sized hotel complete
with function rooms, cavery and pub. Steve regularly caters for local
Scooterists and Soulies and offers a 25% discount on double rooms.
Dave Allan and Mik Boon quite rightly saw this as an excellent venue
for us to meet up and on Saturday the 3rd of Feb 2007, members of The
AFSC
along with other Scooterists and Soulies descended on The Charnwood
Arms in Coalville.
The accomodation and tickets sold out quite quickly (top tip for next
year book early) and forty odd members of The Armed Forces Scooter
Club broke their winter blues together at this superb venue.
On arrival at The Charnwood Arms we secured our chalet key and
collected our night do ticket from Dave and Amanda, (Dave don’t forget
to send your sons details in for membership). Already there was a
gaggle of AFSC
who had chosen to start the lubrication early in the afternoon.
Helen and Joey, Spence, Dave Bellis, Sue, Jimmy and Donna all popping
the cork early for the Mersea derby. To top this was The Six Nations
start and Steve Hunter, Jay, Daz the Dog, Rob James, Carlos and Bagzy
were all in good sprits and had taken root in the pub lounge.
I have said this a million times before, but I have to say it again
that it is very special when we all meet up. The banter is razor sharp
and I know I get a little doey eyed on this but the camaraderie is
magic! As soon as Carol and I got into the pub lounge we were greeted
with The AFSC
taking root and enjoying the crack! Dean and Sharon, Marshy, Stumpy
and Carolyn Leech, Mik n sue Boon, Trev and Kathy King, Northern Dave
and Linda, Mart Robson Sue Robson, Spanner Keightley, Rob James,
Yorkie Stout and Heather, Stan Stannard and Fozzy Foskitt and Sarah
(who is hatching a future
AFSC Member,
congratulations XXX). It was just magic to see every one and I’m sure
we are all looking forward to the Scootering season with added
anticipation.
After a few sherbets it was time to check out the entertainment but to
be honest the company was all that was needed! The Charnwood Arms was
well up for it and you could tell that their young staff where well
versed with the scootering tribe. Always polite and courteous and a
credit to Steve. The Charnwood boasts two rooms so there is always
some thing for every one and most chose to meander from room to room
sampling the different music on offer. In the main room there was your
typical Scootering fare with Blue Beat, reggae, soul, Ska, and two
tone along with the alternative genre that the eighties and nineties
Scooterboy spawned like a Frankenstein monster! Alternative Ulster,
Killing Joke, This Is the Day, London Calling, Rebel without a Pause,
the Klingonss, King Kurt, and an unhealthy smattering of thrash punk
coupled with a tadge of Oi! Basically any thing and every thing, the
music police had taken the night off leaving a sea of sweaty balding
scooterists to kick Fook out of any rapidly approaching mid life
crisis……… fan fookin tastic! And as Rob James once wrote, there where
no massive pie eaters trying to kick fook outta any one, it was just a
celebration of a misspent youth!
Oh and there where a couple of bands on as well but I was too drunk by
this stage and scurried off to the comfort zone of the Northern room.
The Northern Room was never ever gonna win any prizes for the gig who
played the rarest records in fact I do believe it was a “CD” zone but
hey as I said, the music police had taken the night off, just as well
because the DJ would have been arrested on the spot! Not only did the
cheeky fooker play Ze Snake, he played it twice in one set!!!
Brilliannnnnnnttttt!
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My only real criticism was the dance floor; the last time I stood on a
floor like that I was waiting for a ski lift on an artificial slope!
Steve this needs sorting ASAP, I mean how am I supposed to pirouette
on a floor like that?
As with all good things they end too soon and at the stroke of death
o’clock it was time to return to the chalet for a good nights kip.
Breakers time and the merriment continued with giggles over a large
greasy. Time to set off and the customary hugs n kisses its now time
to count down to when we can all enjoy the company of our fantastic
club on the scooter runs. Mega night, big up to Dave n Mik for finding
this little oasis in a bleak but sunny February. See you on the runs.
Simon Cuerden AFSC
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