This was the first Yorkshire MAG rally of the season (it's usually the last), and certainly the first sizable bike event since Covid-19 lockdown restrictions were lifted. The Covid-19 Risk Assessment alone ran to 20 odd pages and it's fair to say Pete Walker and the MAP crew had to jump through hoops to be able to put the event on. Things were going to be a little bit different this year.
As usual the entry to this rally was ticket only and due to CV-19, the vast majority of tickets had been sold through the website to enable track and trace. Everyone entering site was temperature tested at the gate and no one was allowed on if they did not meet the required temperature level (no higher than 37.8 degrees). For those that failed, it was usually a case of hanging around in the cold whilst you cooled down a little, then were re-tested and if you didn't exceed the required temperature level you were allowed on-site. One person couldn't pass so they had to go home (and quarantine themselves for two weeks !!). Once on site, there were copious quantities of hand sanitiser available, masks had to be worn in the traders stalls, a queueing one way system for the bar was implemented, safety barriers on the MAG stand and products tent, no marshalls chill out area and once on site, no one was allowed to leave (unless they were leaving for good and going home). The numbers on site had been reduced by 25% and the marquees were bigger and with no sides to facilitate social distancing. And there was plenty of signage to remind people of the new 'rules'.
It has to be said, everyone took all the restrictions in their stride, behaved themselves and just got on with the new 'norm' .... I think it was such a relief to be able to attend a rally again for most folk !!
The bands on Friday and Saturday evenings were good, the main stage hosting traditional rally rock bands and an acoustic stage for a more chilled musical experience.
No pizza van at the Pudding this year but the Indian Street Food stall was restaurant quality, absolutely superb !!
The Saturday afternoon bike show was marshalled by Wakefield MAG and there were 30 bikes, trikes and scooters in the show, so the numbers entered were comparable with previous YPR's, and the standard was just as exceptional.
Back Street Heroes Magazine who sponsor the Custom Show provided the judge and the winners were:
The bikes are always started up and ridden to get their awards (so no non-runners are ever entered into Yorkshire MAG Rally bike shows) .... I always feel for the owners who have to kick start their steeds as an audience always guarantees the buggers take some starting LOL.
The Comedy Show could be heard from the Custom Show this year as with no sides on the marquee, sound (and the jokes) do travel. One of the acts bombed a little bit though, no laughs and you could positively hear the tumbleweed blowing about following the punch line .... oh dear.
All in all a fantastic weekend and such a relief to be able to attend a rally in 2020. It was different yet refreshingly familiar. As expected, we were visited by Health & Safety and the Police over the weekend and H&S were very impressed by the measures and organisation in place.
The only negative of the weekend was something totally outside of MAP's control .... the Great British Weather. Thursday and Friday was cold and heavy rain, Saturday no rain, but it was freezing to say it was August and still Summer, the temperature on Saturday night dropped into single figures and quite typically, the best day of the weekend was Sunday when everyone was going home.
A fantastic effort by MAP and all the volunteer marshals who worked miracles to deliver a Covid-19 safe event.