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Feature: 10 years of the Bar Italia scooter club

Bar Italia scooter club
Bar Italia scooter club
Note that I independently write and research everything in this article. But it may contain affiliate links.

Nick Robins on the Soho-based scooter club and its plans for 2012.

Bar Italia on Frith St in London’s Soho has always been a hang out for like minded sharp cats. Since the emergence of the underground Modern Jazz scene in the 50s, people have gravitated towards this late opening family run establishment, as it promises some of London’s best coffee as well as somewhere to watch the world go by.

Bar Italia scooter club
Bar Italia scooter club

Things haven’t changed that much since then. Still run by the same family, the independent coffee house is open 22 hours a day and offers a cup of ground cocoa second to none. The awards in the shop are testament to this!

As time has progressed, those scooter loving cappuccino kids have pilgrimaged from far and wide to taste the brew and soak up the atmosphere that is effectively the birthplace of the movement they revel in. Needless to say, friendships are formed and grand plans hatched when the aroma of cocoa beans in the background.

Bar Italia scooter club
Bar Italia scooter club

So, in 2002, a group of London based Mods decided to make it official. With the blessing of the family running the coffee house to use the shop as a ‘clubhouse’ and the name of the establishment as their scooter club name, so it was that Bar Italia Scooter Club was born.

The club has always kept a ‘modernist’ approach to things. Riding to club nights en masse, organising rideouts to the seaside or passed/through iconic landmarks (Brighton Bank Holiday, Buckingham Palace Rideout), or being involved in film/photographic shoots and special events (Brighton Rock filming, Peroni rebranding, Baracuta product launch, Umbrella underground style magazine, Reading Steady Go Mod exhibition, various international style publications, music video clips,….). We also happily collaborate with organisations to create that authentic ’60’s/Mod vibe.

Bar Italia scooter club
Bar Italia scooter club

2012 is going to be a fantastic year with a lot of public interest in London life. Our continued programme of scooter rides and events sees things move up a notch to celebrate the year of the Olympics and The Queens Diamond Jubilee. Not to mention taking part in the usual classic scooter riders calendar

Bar Italia SC events for 2012:

24th March: Kickstart Rideout
The first ‘big ride’ for the year, clubs from around the country meet at the iconic London Eye and proceed to ride through the capital, finishing at an amazing historic and cultural landmark in the Royal Borough of Greenwich.

5th May: Buckingham Palace Rideout
The club teams up with the New Untouchables (60’s/Mod group) for the Timebox Weekender club. We meet at Gt Marlbrough Street end of Carnaby Street and ride through Central London, stopping by the Palace en route, and end up in The Strongroom Bar for a scooter competition and an afternoon of music and food.

Summer 2012: Bar Italia Scooter Club Anniversary alldayer
We plan to dedicate a day and evening to 60’s/Mod culture with music from dj’s and bands, as well as other themed events. More details tbc.

August Bank Holiday 2012: London to Brighton Ride and New Untouchables Bank Holiday Weekender.
Again teaming up with the NUTS team, we will be leading the charge of scooters along the seafront in Brighton as part of the bank holiday Mod weekender.

We will also be continuing to meet on the last Sunday of each month as the official meeting and all other sundays as an optional meet.

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