How sad that after all this time they should fail.
Christopher Balfour wrote a very interesting and in most ways thoroughly comprehensive
history of the company titled A Very British Story which is ironically and poignantly prophetic
as it turns out.
Bristol started to produce cars in the 1940s and from the 60s was owned by the ex-racing
driver Tony Crook after about 10 yrs as a distributor for the company.
(You gotta have some self-confidence to sell cars with the name A. Crook!) Tony Crook is
now in his 90s and jealously guarded Bristol’s heritage until he gradually sold out to Toby
Silverton who apparently is going to let the company go.
Crook continued to work for the company but it would seem his strong will and Fawlty
ways annoyed t’management so much that arrived at his Kensington office one morning
in June 2007 to find that he was unceremoniously locked out. Poor chap – heart-breaking
after being devoted to the company for so long and one of their dealers for ten years or so
Although, as I’ve said previously, Balfour’s book was very comprehensive it did miss out one
very important episode.
Theft threatens UK's most exclusive car maker - Auto Trader UK - News and Reviews Hub
ie in July 2007 some very important presses were stolen.
This was not mentioned in the book which for such a momentous event was surprising nor
can I find any evidence that it was mentioned anywhere ever again.
Although the author and I corresponded for a while, an enquiry to him to get to the bottom
of this was not fruitful and indeed all correspondence then ceased.
I wonder why the incident was not mentioned in the book?
I wonder where the presses are now?
I wonder if the loss of the presses contributed to the failure of the business?
I wonder what really happened?