Minor Matters - CarFest North

Thanks to Minor Matters for this article from Novembers issue summarising our experience at Car Fest North. Hosted by DJ Chris Evans and featuring The Proclaimers.

Carfest North 2012

                 Charles Ware's had double representation at Chris Evan's Carfest North 2012. We took a Rebuilt Porcelain Green Traveller, a gazebo and some sunshine. While on the main stage Zac Ware (son of Charles and now running the company) played electric guitar with The Proclaimers on saturday night. 

After watching the whole of The Proclaimers set on the saturday night and Zac talking to him about the Morris Minor Centre, Chris Evans and his son came to visit the stall on the sunday morning as we were setting up. He had a close look at the car and asked about the engine and gearbox conversion and was impressed by the extra "poke" that a 1275cc and 5 speed box would add for motorway cruising. He loved the Porcelain Green respray and his son tested the Series III duotone seats and got behind the wheel. Chris said that he'd owned a few moggies over the years and was reminded of taking his soft top onto Top Gear because "no-one would think a bad boy would drive one of these [Morris Minors]".

The Traveller itself turned many heads with its new timber, complete chassis rebuild, interior/exterior re-spray and full new duotone trim. The extras on the car also included alternator, disc brakes and servo, heated rear windows, hazard and reverse lights, as well as the power train upgrade. Many of the visitors to our stand commentated on the quality of the work they saw, while others said they prefered the humble Minor to many of the Ferraris and supercars that where vying for attention.

Thanks again to Gilly Pollock From The British Plant Nursery Guide who also came to the show and brought along some plants and bunting and made our stand look as though we were at a 50's picnic.

Minor Matters Younger Owners

David Kerenyi first got in contact with us back in 2010 asking whether we would trade a Morris Minor for a documentary film made about Charles Ware's. Unfortunately for him this wasn't an option for us at the time despite loving the idea of a film being made about us. However it seems his fascination with Morris Minors continued unabated and he came to us and bought this rather lovely saloon. It's lovely to know that he is enjoying the car and that the a cultural ambassador for Hungary is driving a cultural ambassador for the UK and it will soon be proudly driving around Budapest

Article Copyright belongs to Minor Matters and is used with kind permission. Thank you.

The English Garden - October 2012

Our continuing partnership with Gilly Pollock from The British Plant Nursery Guide has led to one of our Old English White Morris Minor Travellers being used in a photoshoot by The English Garden magazine. The article follows Gilly and husband, Dave, around her garden. Though they got a chance to visit some beautiful countryside as well.

click on image for full story

Chelsea Flower Show 2012

After the success of last years trip to The Chelsea flower show we have been invited back thanks to Gilly at the British Plant Nursery Guide. Once again we have provided another of our rebuilds which demonstrate our high standards of classic car restoration. 

Rosemary Coldstream, MSGD, who is an experienced designer designed the stand this year and is delighted to have the Old English White Morris Minor Traveller as a centre piece of the design. This year the stand won an RHS Certificate of Merit.

Please take a moment to enjoy the photos of our trip to the Chelsea Flower show 2011 

We took this rather splendid looking Smoke Grey Rebuilt Traveller. It was the proud totem for the British Plant Nursery Guide's stand at the show. We had previously lent them one in 2010 for the Hampton Court Flower show. The Traveller represents an offshoot of Gilly Pollock's guide, called Jolly Jaunts which offers interesting weekend breaks away.

The garden of 2011 was designed by Claudia De Yong, 6 times winner of the RHS Hampton Court Flower Show. For the garden you see here at Chelsea she was given a Commendation for Best Garden Design.

One of Gilly's partnerships for the Chelsea Flower Show was with Fabric Mills. Here are a few photos of the display they put in their shop in Bath

Classics Monthly 2012

Classic Monthly came to visit us and wrote this piece about whether the Morris Minor would inspire young drivers of today. Will Armston-Sheret wrote with enthusiasm about the Morris Minor and the workshops and Morrises here in Bristol. He was here for over three hours and concluded that the Morris Minor is very much a young driver's car with low insurance costs and ease of maintenance.  The article appeared in their February issue.

Classic Car Mart January 2012

In December 2011 we had the honour of a visit from the editor of Classic Car Mart who fast tracked this article into the magazine. Another interested and happy visitor to our premises here in Bristol. We even make it into his editorial blurb at the front of the magazine which is reproduced below. 

click here to go to the Classic Car Mart article

The Daily Telegraph

Written by David Williams back in June (published 8th October 2011), this article looks at the trend among some drivers to look to classic cars as their everyday cars. An approach we have encouraged since the 1970s. Centre stage is the Morris Minor Traveller owned by Hugh and Anne Marshall (pictured on the right) 

Minor Matters Chelsea Flower Show Sept 2011

An article in Septembers issue of the Morris Minor Owners Club magazine Minor Matters, triggered by Malcolm Bull's Morris Minor Traveller's visit to the Chelsea Flower Show, 2011, as the mascot for The British Plant Nursery Guide. It includes photographs by Zac Ware and a clear explanation of the partnership between Charles Ware's Morris Minor Centre and The British Plant Nursery Guide. 

Copyright Morris Minor Owners Club 2011. This material may not be used or published elsewhere without the permission of the editor of Minor Matters, the MMOC’s club magazine. Page design by Luck Design Ltd (www.thisisluck.com).

Face The Music - Bath and Bristol Magazine

Charles Ware Faces The Music with Mick Ringham. A nice double page spread that looks into the

life and times of The Morris Minor Centre's founder. His Life as an artist, builder,

conservationist and property developer in London and Bath.

It also features some of his favourite tracks and his brushes with Rock 'n' Roll.

Minor Monthly August 2011

We are very happy that Minor Monthly have printed a Company Profile celebrating 35 years of Charles Ware's Morris Minor Centre in this months edition. It covers the centre's foundation in 1976 in Bath, up to the present day in Bristol. It also has some previously unseen photos from Charles Ware's personal archive.

National Rally

Thank you to all those who came and talked to us at the MMOC National Rally. The sun was shining, the Traveller was shiny and we wished we had booked ourselves in for the weekend.