If you’ve ever fancied experiencing for yourself how the other half lives, imagining the luxurious peace and solitude of breakfasting at leisure in a stately home, then you probably haven’t allowed for the presence of Dougie Lampkin.
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The bike trial star has shot another promo for the Goodwood Festival of Speed, taking place this year from July 2-4, and the one unmissable event of the year for all serious petrolheads (possibly even more so than the British Grand Prix, but don’t quote us on that).
Last year we oohed and aahed as Dougie balanced on the roof of Goodwood House and got his bike into other places that most of us would hesitate to tackle if equipped with a lot of rope and a climbing harness. (For the purposes of comparison, that one’s at the bottom of the page.)
On this outing Dougie gets on his bike once more for the kinds of stunts we have learned to love, including interrupting Lord March’s breakfast, careering along a formal banqueting table without disturbing (much of) the glassware, attracting the ire of celebrity chef James Martin in the process, sending wedding guests diving hilariously for safety, risking his neck on the roof of one of the circuit grandstands and interrupting guests in the hotel.
By golly, the hotel manager is an undiscovered character actor in the Ealing Studios mould if ever we saw one. (Or is he actually a slightly more famous face? Who knew that things had worked out so well for Gordon Brittas?)
And the object of Lampkin’s quest? You will be amazed to learn that it is found not at the house, not at the hotel but at the Goodwood Circuit itself.
Doing a stunt jump over the fence with the help of a handy Land Rover and jumping over some trucks in a creditable impression of Evel Knievel he eventually finds his way out onto the track.
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And which two stars of contemporary British racing do you suppose he finds there? We can’t in all conscience spoil the surprise, although working it out is hardly going to require the brain of an Einstein.
Goodwood will be doing three events this summer – the Festival of Speed in July, the Revival Meeting in September and a new fashion and music event called Vintage at Goodwood in August.
For information on the motorsport, visit its website here. Vintage at Goodwood has its own website here.