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The Grand Tour host and Smallest Cog owner, Richard Hammond, opened Somerset’s new County Classics Motor Museum this week
Richard Hammond was guest of honour at the grand opening of the new County Classics Motor Museum in Taunton, Somerset.
Hammond’s presence brought the town centre to a standstill as the TV presenter cut the ribbon to officially open the new museum on 20 November, with enthusiasts from the surrounding area bringing their classics along for the event.
Members of the press and local VIPs were then invited inside the new town-centre attraction, which opened to the public yesterday (21 November). Patrick Hawkins sank his entire life savings into the museum, which now occupies the former County Stores building.
Richard Hammond said: ‘This museum is a reminder as we move forward into the future, in whatever shape that may take, that when the car was invented it was a novelty for rich people and then it became something for everybody that enabled us to live our lives.
It shaped our world. And as we re-invent it now, it’s important as we do so that we remember what we owe it and what it’s done for us and this museum has an important role to play in doing just that.
How fantastic is it that this museum is on the high street, in the centre of your town so you can just dive in on a Saturday or whenever, have a wander and connect with these incredible, essential machines that have shaped our world.
‘It’s been a monumental team effort pulling this whole thing together and I’ve heard tell of people working until four or five o’clock this week getting everything ready.
‘But we can all acknowledge and salute one particular individual’s driving passion – pun intended – to get this thing on the road – second pun intended – Pat, it’s an incredible achievement, it really ha
