Darrell runs the ‘Just the Tonic’ chain of comedy clubs and has been into scooters since the early 80s when, as a young mod he was taken to Exmouth where he remembers being shocked at the sight of scooter boys! He’s had various scooters over the years and after starting out in comedy at The Old Vic in Nottingham he rode his Mark 1 P200 to Edinburgh for the Festival in 2016.
357 of 400
Darrell moved to Edinburgh and bought the Series Speciale about five years ago. The scooter is as it came from the factory with the distinctive special edition chequered stickers and the ‘357 of 400’ plaque on the glovebox. Other than being fitted with a Sito exhaust and having a missing engine side panel ‘Vespa’ badge the scoot is bog standard.
The scooter was stolen on Thursday 21st July at around 10:40 pm. At the time, it was parked on Learmonth Terrace in Edinburgh, outside Darrell’s flat. he said “I had nipped out on it, forgotten it was there until late. So, the little shits must have seen it and swiped it. It would usually be in the garage. It only had the steering lock on. Laughable, really.”
He went on to say “It was rolled down the hill, and I legged it after them, but couldn’t find them. After running round the streets and realising I am an overweight 53-year-old that does not want to be stabbed, I went home. The police were recovering an electric scooter they had dumped before making off with mine. As I stood there talking I heard my scooter on Queensferry Road (we all know our own exhaust sound). They’d come back on the road to pick up the electric scooter. The police chased them but were told to stand down. The shits drive round in balaclavas to not be recognised and drive round helmetless so the police won’t chase them.
Darrell has offered to give a day out (*for you and a friend), complete with a hefty bar tab to anybody who can help him track down his scooter. It was spotted being ridden yesterday (26th July on Newhaven Road) so it is still around the city. I’m sure one of our readers will know the area well. Darrell said “All help appreciated. The longer it is gone, the more damage is done and the more work I will have to do to keep 357 on the road.”
If you have any information you can email: info@justthetonic.com or contact us at editorial@scooterlab.uk – any information will be treated in the strictest confidence.
Darrell runs comedy clubs in Reading/Leicester/Birmingham/Nottingham and at other venues around the country. Just the Tonic have 175 shows a day during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
* Offer does not apply to the thieves! *
We all like to know a bit about the scootering history of people on SLUK. Darrell says “I got back into it all in the early ’90s and have had a GS160, a GL, a Sprint and a load of Lambrettas… LD’s, GP’s, a Series 1 framebreather.
In about 2014/15 I bought a couple of Vespas from Matthewson’s Auctions. One of them was an original condition Mk1 P200. I got it back on the road with NOS bits. Drove it around in Nottingham (where I lived at the time) and then drove it to Edinburgh for the Fringe 2016. I parked it outside a B&B and chained it up. In the morning it was gone. I did a proper double take, wondering if I really had parked it there. But, yes… some little shits had nicked it. Didn’t last 24 hours in this city!”
The P200 Series Speciale (no 357) was bought to replace this one. It was from someone in Scotland. I have moved to Edinburgh now. And now someone has nicked this one.
I had a Golden Special when I moved up here, with Gori 200 kit, SX200 gearbox, Innocenti disc brake etc. That was my pride and joy. Flogged it for a tax bill. I have a GS150 in bits that was about to be built 5 years ago, but I ended up building a GP with my son for his 17th birthday, then hot on his tail was my younger son, and I built up an LI 125 series 3 for him.
I had a Lambro for a while, which I took to Edfringe Festival a few years ago and had advert hoardings on the back of the pickup bit, concealing a 200w sound system that I drove around playing Sympathy For The Devil through, and had comedians in the cabin on a microphone advertising their wares.
So, yes… I am very much into scooters. But I don’t have the time to go on rallies, or really do anything else but ride them. The stolen scooter was used regularly. Not just something that is looked at and polished and talked about.
Vespa Smallframe… for Johnny Vegas
And as a name drop… I once paid Johnny Vegas for a gig by buying him a Vespa. But he insisted on having a Primmy. I told him it was a bit small for his frame. He wouldn’t listen. That went elsewhere. I am presently trying to source him a nice 125 Special. All standard, no kits or anything….”
Thieving little c**ts.