Welcome to pictures and review from this years Westside 2022 for PVW Magazine
2022 will certainly be a year that so many people remember for all the things that have happened good or bad. Saying that as a United Kingdom I think we have had the proverbial kicked out of us over the last few years.
Very recently with the death of our beloved Queen, change of prime minister, and the war in Ukraine, it’s taken a heavy toll on people’s feelings and taken a hefty chunk out of our pockets.
Now that the Pandemic is well sort of over, restrictions relaxed and people are allowed out again, it has taught us all that friends and family are a stay in our lives.
With that said I have the tune from “cheers” the American comedy about a bar where the lyrics say…
“Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name, and they're always glad you came.
You want to be where you can see, our troubles are all the same, you want to be where everybody knows your name”… That’s exactly what Westside provide !!
For me, it’s one of the stars in my calendar that I try my best not to miss. Held at the Chalfont St Peters Cricket Club, Buckinghamshire it’s central for most people in the South of the country and it’s only an hour and ten minutes for me up the M4 corridor.
From a working perspective (photographer) it’s a bloody nightmare because every time I stop and take a picture, I bump into someone who I haven’t seen in either a year and this is where we get to catch up on what’s been going on in our lives or I get to see friends that I haven’t seen in years. A ten-minute chat can turn into 40 minutes.
Checking the weather over the few days leading up to the show it promised to be a sunny day, and it certainly delivered. British weather at its best, sunny blue skies but at the same time no so hot that it made you uncomfortable.
I arrived just before nine in the morning, excited to see the Westside lads again and to also see the quality of the metal on display. Already at that time, we had to queue, and the cricket ground was packed.
Guaranteed at this show there is the highest of standards and the variety of cars mainly German, with the odd bit of rice cake and some ooh la la (French cars if you don’t get the reference) to give some spice. High-end Lambo’s Bentleys and Porsches all graced the show. There was a good mix of old-school Mercedes mixed in with more modern BMWs.
There was a good attendance of Caddies, but I think the most popular where the old school Golfs ranging from the stunning Mk1’s, MK2’ a large selection of MK3’s now getting harder to find and of course, the MK4’s had a large presence, including me in my MK4 wagon. MK5’s, some pretty sorted MK6’s, 7’s, and 7.5 were also showing a strong attendance.
Catering this year was on point with burgers and BBQ chicken on offer, and even though there was a large attendance at the show I didn’t see large queue for each of the different caterers, showing their efficiency for the hungry crowds.
I just have to add that the in-house catering by the Westside guys did furnish the show ground air with spicy smells of dishes, and on more than one occasion I would salivate passing their “Kargo“(pot of chicken, onions & spices).
With so much to see and so many people to catch up with the day flew by, before I knew it the time was ticking on for four in the afternoon and the trophies were being given out. Time to depart before the onslaught of heavily modifies cars would once again start to filter onto the roads of the surrounding area.
Thank you Westside for a fantastic day, a relaxed atmosphere, and the chance to catch up with friends.
Until next year…
Scott.
