HELP THE NMM REOPEN, AND WIN A ‘NEW’ COMMANDO

THE NATIONAL MOTORCYCLE MUSEUM has launched an urgent appeal to ensure the museum can reopen without having to sell some of the collection.

You can help out… and could end up owning one of three spotless British classics into the bargain.

The National Motorcycle Museum receives no external funding, relying partly on visitors’ support, but mainly on the income from the museum’s conference business and two sister hotels.

With the hospitality and leisure sector one of the worst hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, there is uncertainty about when these businesses, the National Conference Centre, Manor Hotel Meriden and Windmill Village Hotel Coventry, will be able to reopen fully, let alone trade profitably.

Museum director James Hewing said: “Without the income from our three sister businesses, there is little likelihood of the museum opening, and then remaining open, until they return to normal trading.

The museum itself requires a surplus of around £500,000 per year just to break even. Without making this appeal, we may have to sell some of our reserve collection of bikes, the last thing we would ever have wanted to do.

“Unfortunately, all of our business activities are in one of the hardest hit sectors, and we simply don’t know how long they will take to recover.”

The museum appeal will give people the chance to help raise the £500,000 required in two different ways.

A special Covid-19 museum appeal raffle has a stunning set of prizes, offering the chance to win one of three classic motorcycles, one new-old-stock and two which have been restored in the museum’s workshops.

This special appeal raffle will be extra to the normal summer and winter raffles which will operate as usual.

First prize in the appeal raffle is a new-old-stock 1977 Norton Commando 850, second prize is a 1948 Ariel NG 350cc and third prize a 1959 BSA B31 350.

The draw will take place on Thursday December 21 at the National Motorcycle Museum, ensuring three lucky winners will have something to celebrate this Christmas.

Tickets cost £6 each and will be distributed during August and Sept 2020 via subscription copies of this magazine. Tickets may also be obtained on-line from www.thenmm.co.uk.

Supporters can also back the museum’s reopening plans by donating to a special reopening appeal fund. Money donated through a link to the appeal fund donation page on the museum website will be dedicated to helping it remain open until normal trading resumes.

Read more News and Features online at www.classicbikeguide.com and in the August 2020 issue of Classic Bike Guide – on sale now!