Bentley Motor Museum closed ???

[drcdb15]

Don't panic, not *that* Bentley !

Being less than 20 miles away I generally regarded Bentley Wildfowl and Motor Museum in Sussex as my 'local' car museum, so I was very surprised to find out that it has recently closed down under very secretive circumstances. It was run by a Trust Fund, which I've always thought had provisions to ensure they pretty much ran in perpetuity. Evidently not.

Anyone who has visited will know the collection was quite eclectic, and being largely loaned exhibits changed from time to time so there was always a chance of spotting something new. Now it seems it has all gone.

Does anyone (Roger P perhaps ?) know anything more than what's in the press?

https://www.sussexexpress.co.uk/news/sh ... -1-8691586

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bentley_W ... tor_Museum

[Roger Pennington]

Yes, Bentley is a very sad saga. Southern Classics have held a number of shows there over the years, which have always been very well received because it is a very pleasent venue in the Sussex countryside, and offered other attractions like the motor museum and the wildfowl and the miniature railway to keep people amused if they get bored with the cars.

As you say, the motor museum had a varied and eclectic mix of cars. There were things like an Ogle SX1000, a Gordon Keeble,. and vintage catrs like a Minerva and Lagonda (to name just a few). There's a good reason for the mixture - almost none of the cars AFAIK, belonged to the museum. People left them there in exchange for the dry secure storage.

We had planned a show there this year (2019) but then all this blew up, and we had to make alternative arrangements. AFAIK everything has now gone - the cars have been returned to their rightful owners, so there's little actually left, and the place has ceased to operate. You can see a photogallery of our 2018 show here, which includes at the end, a few shots in the museum.

[drcdb15]

Thanks for that Roger. I thought you'd know if anyone did

I guess the whole story will come out in time. Perhaps we'll see the site 'developed' for housing.... cars? wildfowl? No, just housing...

[willholderogri]

Me and my wife went there last summer as we stayed there for two weeks in our caravan. It was a really nice museum .shame it's gone .I have photos of some of the cars and bikes

[Roger Pennington]

A bit of a correction/update to my previous note - after a bit of googling around, it seems that the miniature railway and the outdoor adventure area are still carrying on, but their longer term future must look a bit doubtful, I would have thought?