The Garden Party is a Huge Success: Part 1
On May 20th, 2023 the Chapman family were pleased to be able to welcome guests to Hazel’s & Colin’s home East Carleton Manor and share the house and grounds with the 250 Lotus enthusiasts who attended the inaugural Classic Team Lotus Garden Party.
The event was a huge hit with everybody who attended. The customary ‘Group Photo’ taken at every CTL event was a little different this time when the 250 guests formed a human Lotus badge on the lawns of East Carleton Manor. The drone image from the day shows that all the lengthy calculations and diagrams by Clive on fitting 250 people in to a circle with triangle cut-out worked perfectly.
The main parking area in front of the Manor was reserved exclusively for guests arriving in a Lotus, which it must be noted, the majority did. The impromptu car show featured just about every model from a 1950s Lotus Seven and Elite to several brand new Emiras.
As the display cars were brought in on Friday afternoon ready for Saturday, a rare photo opportunity presented itself when the first production Fittipaldi Evija found itself nestled between two of Emerson’s favourite Type 72s.
The days events started with the unveiling of two new busts commissioned by the Chapman family of Colin and Hazel. The magnificent flower displays on the day included blooms picked from the gardens of East Carleton Manor.
William Taylor and Clive Chapman took the opportunity to launch a new two-volume book: Colin Chapman the Biography at the Garden Party. Special guests on the day included Bob Dance, Mike Costin who were interviewed on stage, and Matt Windle, Chris Dinnage, Mike Kimberley, Russell Carr, Johnny Herbert and Martin Donnelly. The 75 Launch Edition books were signed by the special guests and were sold out almost immediately. The Limited edition 2-volume box sets are now available from the CTL shop. ACBC Biography
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