Defender owners are invited to ‘Lattes and Land Rovers’, a new series of meets at Twisted’s recently-opened showroom in Thirsk. Visitors can join a cruise through the local countryside followed by a hot drink and breakfast at the Anti-Roll Bar Café, and staff at the Defender modification specialist will be around to chat about their work.
The first of the monthly events is scheduled for the morning of Sunday 25 July (NB, this date has been postponed from June 27 due to Covid), at 8am-10:30am.
The precise itinerary for the countryside tour is TBC. Booking is not required, but visitors are asked to observe social distancing measures and wear facemasks.
Twisted founder Charles Fawcett said: ‘We are thrilled to be able to welcome fellow Defender fans to Thirsk once more. These monthly meet-ups will be a fantastic way to explore the heritage and future innovations of our brand, as well as having the opportunity to chat to our team and fellow enthusiasts.’
The renovated venue for Lattés and Land Rovers dates from the 1910s, and was originally Thirsk's Gaiety Theatre. It became a garage in the 1970s, and Twisted bought it last year before embarking on an extensive renovation project, creating hospitality facilities and a showroom for 25 vehicles. Now named The Old Cinema, its treasures include some of the remaining stock of 240 last-off-the-line Defenders that Twisted bought new from Land Rover.
‘It’s a really impressive building that’s alive with history,’ says Fawcett. ‘Upstairs in the office, up in the rafters, you could even see the old cinema screen right at the back of the main space. But that’s not all – in a little room, accessed through a tiny door, there are ideas for adverts that the owner scribbled all over the wall in 1925.’
And across the pond…
Meanwhile, Twisted’s US arm reported a juicy $7m of sales in its first 12 months of trading. The firm now has a 5000sq ft workshop and showroom in Texas and more are planned (in addition to operations in the Middle East).