This weekend sees the welcome return of what is the biggest mainland UK scooter rally. A traditional, old-school scooter rally in a fantastic and very welcoming town.

Cleethorpes ran continuously from 1998 until 2018, when the organisers (Mansfield Monsters and Olympics SC) decided to have a break but it’s back with a bang for 2022. So let’s take a quick nostalgic look back at 20 previous Cleethorpes rallies and see what you can expect this weekend.

Nostalgia: Col’s Rallery of 20 years of Cleethorpes

Since the Cleethorpes rally began way back in 1997 with just a few hundred people it has grown into a massive event. Over the years there have been three different campsites, firstly at the old Showground (next to the current Meridian campsite), then it moved to The Stamford Club for a few years before returning to the seafront on what was then the new Meridian Park Showground. In the rallery above you can see all three campsites and a few old photos from there and town.

As well as three campsites, the rally has also used a fair few venues in the town, originally it used the sweaty Old Winter Gardens until it was demolished. As the event got bigger the Leisure Centre was also used as a spill over soul room, then there were a couple of atmospheric years on the pier, one year a nightclub in town was used and of course the current Beachcomber holiday park (now run by Away Resorts as Pearl). To most people in the town and us scooterists, it will always be the ‘Beachy’ though.

What to expect this weekend

For those of you who have been to Cleethorpes in recent times, you’ll know most of this already but there will no doubt be plenty of Cleethorpes virgins as well so here you go.

Where to camp: The campsite is at Meridian Showground, Kings Road, Cleethorpes DN35 0AR

How much is it? It costs £20 to camp for the weekend – your wristband will also get you into The Beachcomber do on Friday & Saturday for FREE!

Facilities?

• The campsite is a large grass-covered area surrounded by an oval of tarmac. It’s fully enclosed, fenced and gated and manned 24 hours a day by scooterist-run security
• The campsite is SCOOTER ONLY! No cars, vans, motorhomes allowed on site (other than traders/first aid etc.)
• You can park your scooter beside your tent
• There are purpose-built toilets and washing facilities plus a nice shower block
• Catering and coffee van on site
• An outdoor bar
• FRIDAY ONLY – Gin and prosecco bar!
• Outdoor disco until 8 pm
• Around 30 dealers will be set up on-site
• A custom show will be run on the campsite from 11 am Saturday, trophies at 3 pm in front of the control tower
• All info/first aid/help/security can be found at the control tower

Day tickets?

Available to visit the site Saturday from 10 am-4 pm £3

What about car parking?

If you’re travelling by anything other than a scooter you can park in the car parks situated just outside the campsite (pay & display), you’ll have to carry your stuff in though!

There are also plenty of places to eat within 5 minute’s walk of the campsite including cafes, Premier Inn, Mcdonald’s, Starbucks and others. If rally food isn’t for you there is plenty of choice.

There are also a few pubs close by, the Signal Inn at the mini railway is always popular, as are the Premier Inn and Wellow. If you walk left towards the Beachcomber (8-minutes walk) there’s also a great carvery opposite there called The Trawlerman and it’s a great last stop for a drink before the do.

Getting around town

Those familiar with the rally will know that there is usually a free coach (paid for by the organisers) it used to run from 8 pm until 3 am to ferry scooterists from the campsite to town, then to the do and back again. Sadly that service WON’T be running this year. The organisers have tried literally every coach hire company in Lincolnshire and beyond but nobody can do it.

However, there is a public service bus that runs along the seafront every 20-minutes, there are also plenty of taxis in town (they will be very busy though).

Walking?

From town to the Beachcomber is 2.2 miles and it’s a nice walk with a good few pubs to sample. From Meridian to town is 1.5 miles and again you’ll have plenty of refreshment stops along the way!

Entertainment

Cleethorpes has a thriving pub and bar scene and they welcome scooterists with open cash registers and plentiful card machines. They also love to have a live scooterist/mod/ska-themed band and disco on to attract you. If you can’t see enough tribute bands to fill your Doc Martin boots at Cleethorpes then you’ll never be happy!

The two scooter clubs who organise Cleethorpes took the decision a good few years ago NOT to have live bands on at the official do. The reason being that by the time people get to The Beachcomber they’re probably just ready to have a good night with some decent DJ’s mixing things up a bit, rather than them having to watch yet another tribute band. This also helps to keep the prices low.

Two rooms of music

What you do get at the do is two rooms of quality music played by and for scooterists. It’s vinyl-only in the northern soul room upstairs, with a chill-out area and large balcony overlooking the new pool it’ll be a great place to hang out. There’s also the main room downstairs where you can expect to hear a wide range of classics with a smattering of rally anthems thrown in for good measure.

The organisers have been promised plenty of bar staff, lots of cold beer and sensible bar prices. There’s also food available and a separate ‘Buckets’ bar and restaurant.

How much is it?

Entry to the do is £5 per night, just pay on the door – no tickets have been sold in advance!
If you’re camping on Meridian just show your wristband for FREE ENTRY!

The do starts at 8pm on Friday and Saturday and closes at 2am.

Where’s the do at? The beachcomber address is: 208 North Sea Lane, Humberston, Cleethorpes, DN36 4ET

The ride in

On Saturday at 11 am hundreds of scooters will gather at the Premier Inn in Grimsby to ride down the A180 and into Cleethorpes, tourists and fellow scooterists line the streets as the smoky procession heads down the seafront. You can either join in or just watch and breathe in the scent of two stroke.

Respect and support

Like all National Scooter Rallies, Cleethorpes is put on by ordinary road-going scooterists. They ride to the event, set things up, work all weekend and clean up after you on Sunday morning before riding home.

Please respect them by keeping the campsite tidy, use the bins and skips provided. They’ll thank you for it I promise you!

Please also support the official do, a busy do provides a better atmosphere and the majority of you will be able to get in for free with your wristband.

Most of all, go and have a fantastic time at the seaside – it’s been a while since we were free to do and go where we want.

Iggy