The Cotswold Motor Boat Racing Club
It’s 1959 and a small number of
enthusiasts join forces to set up the
Cotswold Motor Boat Racing Club.
Situated in the heart of the Cotswolds,
at Fairford, where the club purchased
its own lake in the early 1960s, it was
the perfect venue for circuit powerboat
racing with vantage points where you
could drive your car right up to the
circuit. Just to add to its appeal, there
was the Commodore, which doubled
as the club house and a restaurant and
bar.
The club really hit the big-time when
Charlie Sheppard, Chairman of the
CMBRC Race Committee, finally got
the go ahead to put on a trial race in
Bristol’s Floating Harbour. That
successful initial foray led the
Cotswold Club to organise what was
the premier powerboat race in the
world, on a body of water that
attracted drivers from all points of the
globe. With the support of Bristol City
Council and WD and HO Wills, the
Embassy Grand Prix was born. Putting
on a race in the confines of Bristol City
Docks was no mean feat. Barriers had
to be laid out along the full length of
the course; all boats that were moored
along the dockside had to be moved to
other moorings, and then there were
the logistics of organising pit space
and accommodation for entrants and
their entourage. Drivers alone
numbered over a hundred at the
height of the event.
They say that from small acorns
mighty oaks are born. And that
definitely applies to Charlie’s vision of
putting on a race in the centre of
Bristol. It all ended in 1990 but will
always be remembered as the most
challenging course in the world.
The club, also put on some major
events on their circuit at Fairford,
including International Invitation races
and the Embassy Challenge Trophy
sponsored again by WD and HO Wills,
the Rolatruc £1000 Grand Prix and
National events sponsored by Rolatruc
and Philishave.
In 1972 the club found themselves in
dispute with a neighbour, a Mrs
Kennaway, whose father had owned
the lake and land on the opposite side
of Whelford Road. In 1966 her father
died and she became owner of the
land, on which, in 1969, she applied
for planning permission to build a
bungalow. The bungalow was
completed in 1972 and that’s when the
club’s problems began.