We are a group of Volkswagen enthusiasts who decided back in 1995, that there was a need for an Aircooled VW Club in Telford.
FLF4s – First club photoshoot for the Shropshire Star! circa 1996
We started to meet up at McDonalds (Wellington Retail park), but the winter nights soon set in, so we decided to take a drive down to our local pub. The Elephant and Castle in Ketley. The pub was closed for a refit soon after so we changed venue to the Swan in picturesque Ironbridge.
This is were me made our first big impact onto the VW club scene! I decided to organise a “small” crooze and invited club members from all over the Midlands. This was the days before internet, so a lot of time was spent yakking on the phone! Anyway, crooze night came. The arranged meeting place was at Maccy D’s car park, just off Junction 6 M54. We arrived at about 19:10 on a warm June night 1997. The plan was for cars to arrive from 19:30 onwards and crooze off at about 20:00. Things slightly changed! When I arrived, there was already about half a dozen cars on the car park. By 19:30, the car park was full, time to move to the main retail park car park next door. For the next hour VW after VW turned up!! Clubs that joined us were, Serious Buggerz from Stafford, Half-a-brain, AirBearBunch, Junction 7, Shropshire VWOC and a few others! By 20:30 we had 76 Cars ready for what will still be, the largest non show related VW crooze this country has seen!
This was the start of the now infamous Telford Croozes! Each year we hold at least 2 Croozes, where all the Midlands Club come down to Telford. Keep yer eyes peeled for details of the croozes for 2012.
Not long after, we found a cracking place for our club meet. Many will remember the old “Fast Eddies” in Tweedale. Huge car park, 3 pool tables, Yank style diner, indoor bowling alley, 20 TV screens, and they even sold beer! This was our home for a few years. Many people will have fond memories of this place! Myself included. Some of the best croozes ever during the late 1990’s!! Unfortunately, the Brewery saw it fit to make it into a family food pub type restaurant and took away with it, the most ideal place for a club meeting.
Ironbridge Crooze – circa 2008
Ironbridge Crooze – circa 2008
After looking around again for a new venue , we decided that it was back to the good old Elephant & Castle in Ketley. One mile from Junction 6, and a huge car park! This served us right for a good number of years and many a good crooze night was held here.
The 10th anniversary Telford Crooze @ The Elephant & Castle 2007
The 10th anniversary Telford Crooze @ The Elephant & Castle 2007
In 2009, The Ellie closed down and underwent a refit as an Indian Restaurant, so it was time to up-ship and find a new home, so we headed back in to Wellington and to the Haygate Pub. This has been our home ever since and you can find us there every other Tuesday!
Many of the members that were with us when we first started in 1995 are still with is today!
It’s a Volkswagen thing ya see!