The Mod Scene and fashion trends of the 1960’s which of course included great looking Italian Lambretta and Vespa Scooters, inevitably led to the formation of Scooter Clubs up and down the country. These complimented the many clubs which had already been in existence since the 1950’s when the popularity of scootering really seemed to reach it’s peak. Liverpool was no exception and many Scooter Clubs were formed by the youth of the day and many of us, who are still involved with the scooter scene even now, hold happy memories of the likes of the Outcrowd in the south of the City and Cloud up in the north.
By the the 1970’s when fashions really changed, the popularity of scooters began to wane and many Scooter Clubs ceased to exist. This was only until the release of the film ‘Quadrophenia’ though, when thanks to ‘The Who’, there was a massive resurgence of interest in the Mod and Scooter Scenes alike. Lots of people got back on their Lambrettas and Vespas, which they could also buy at ridiculously low prices and it was just like the old days all over again. It was so good that many people now hold fond memories of the early 80’s, when the clothes, the music and of course the scooters played a very important role in their lives.
Like all trends, the Mod Revival and Scooter Scenes were not to last for everyone and by the 1990’s , virtually no Scooter Clubs remained once again. However, many people still maintained their interest and passion for scooters and it was this that led to ‘die hard’ scooterist Mike Soffe, to think about forming a brand new club for Liverpool. With this in mind, during the summer of 1996, Mike placed an advert in ‘Scootering’ Magazine inviting other enthusiasts to join him in the formation of new club and the response he received was amazing to say the least. The first meeting of Liverpool Scooter Club then duly took place at the Pump House Pub in Albert Dock on the 15th August, 1996 and it all went from there. The likes of John McGuiness, Darren Seddon, Mark Soffe, Glen Jackson and Ernie Lundstrom, plus others, were amongst the original members and along with Mike Soffe, our eternal thanks must go to them for laying the foundation stone of what we now have today. All of these people are still active on the scene, Mike remains as our original founder member and Ernie Lundstrom or ‘El Presidente’ as he is affectionately known, has been our valued leader for a number of years.
Liverpool Scooter Club has gone from strength to strength over the years and we have many great members who all share a passion for scooters and just about anything scooter related. We take great pride in our very informal way of doing things, there are no rules, no subscriptions and people are welcome to enjoy their scootering in their own way. We just meet as friendly like minded people to enjoy ourselves and that’s exactly what we do ! We meet every Thursday throughout the year at the Cambridge Pub in Mulberry Street, Liverpool L7 7EE, from 8.30pm and anyone with even the slightest interest in what we do, is warmly invited to come along and join us. We arrange and take part in scooter rallies and ride-outs, locally, nationally and across Europe, we even hold functions on a fairly regular basis where everyone can enjoy a few drinks and keep the faith with all of the great music which goes with the scene. The main thing is that you don’t have to own a scooter to join us at any of our club nights and functions, absolutely anyone with an interest will be made to feel very welcome !
Some of our badges and banners may refer to us as the City of Liverpool Scooter Club. This is in honour of the Lord Mayor and people of our City who very kindly awarded us for providing the best float in the Lord Mayors Parade of 2001. It may be a long time ago now but we will never forget.
My interest in all things scootering started in 1978 and has never left, I have been on at least a couple of rallies every year since 1980! From my early heydays of doing every rally that particular year to fitting them in when I could in other years. I got my first Lambretta at 12 an Li 125 reg OBG 933 (does anyone have it?) my dad said if I could get it going I could keep it, and so I duly did.
Once on the road legally at 16 there were several scooter clubs in Liverpool and surrounding area such as Soul Coasters, The Avengers, Cavaliers, Soldiers of Fortune (The only other club I was ever in) and over the river there was of course Cloud 9, but also Fat Tulips, Gremlins and the Sweet 69ers and some small short lived clubs. In the late 80’s the scene had died away quite considerably and the last club that I can recall in Liverpool were the Highwaymen.
By 89-91 I was going to scooter rallies alone and just meeting up with friends when I got to a rally, everyone one who I had previously gone to the Rallies with had now dropped out of the scene, although the attendance was small by now, it was a great time with only dedicated scooterists attending. And so things stayed this way until around 92 when my brother and sister were old enough to drink and they started coming on scooter rallies with me.
I still wasn’t seeing many people from Liverpool on scooter Rallies, the odd face from years gone by but no clubs and by now i had given up on anyone else from Liverpool starting a club. So in July /August 1996 I decided to place an add in Scootering magazine to see if there were any other like minded people in Liverpool left out there?
The first meeting was to be held in the Pump House pub on the Albert dock at 8 o’clock on a Thursday 15th August , I choose there as it would be central for people coming from either side of Liverpool it was fair for everyone and easy to find Albert Dock being a well known landmark.
So at the first ever meeting of Liverpool Scooter Club there was myself the first member and my brother Mark member number 2. The following week Glen came along, a friend and old face from the early 80’s so now we had 3 members. By the third meeting my Add had appeared in Scootering which created some interest , Darren and John and a guy called Tommy from Speke turned up. Tommy had only recently got in to the scooter scene and stayed with us for about 8 years. The following week saw the arrival of Ernie, and so it went on over the weeks with people trickling in to join. After about 9 weeks we had around 12 members, time for our first proper meeting and the ethics of the club were laid down.
Firstly there was to be no subs as this caused problems with clubs in the 80’s, there was to be NO ‘leader’ or’ number one’ as this also caused friction, after all we were all adults now and this wasn’t the 80’s, so the club was to be more of a group of like minded people with a common interest there were to be no real rules, if you wanted to come the club on your scooter great if you didn’t fine. Some people wanted to attend rallies, some just ride outs others were just in the process of getting a scooter. It didn’t matter, if you had an interest in scooters you were welcome and from these simple ‘agreements’ the club blossomed.
We regularly road on mass to other clubs and the club was regularly mentioned in Scootering. When we weren’t riding to another club, everyone would gather at the Pump house and have their first drink and chat. Then we would leave as a club, take the long way around riding through the city centre past Lime street station on to the overpass. This route took us down to Dale street then Castle street which brought us to the Queens at the Victoria monument for a cheaper pint! It was a shame that this died out and members started going straight to the Queens (although the Pump House was expensive) So eventually the Pump House faded away and the Queens became the regular meeting place, but for some reason the meeting time got later until after 9pm became the norm!
And so there you have it, the birth of Liverpool Scooter Club and its meeting place being the Queens, a successful club. The success of LSC has been because of the early agreements we made and how the club has been run. We have managed to avoid serious splits and kept money problems away from the club, we didn’t run it for any single members agenda or let politics effect its running. As regards to rallies, ride outs and club nights out ( yes we used to have them ) each members circumstances were taken into consideration. There was no judging of individuals or of the groups which form within any club, members have always been free to enjoy the club in there own way. Different members brought different qualities to help keep the club going, and the fact that LSC, Scootering and all its aspects are meant to be a break from our normal lives some ‘ fun’ and bit of a laugh, so lets not forget that!! We should all be proud of this scooter club, from new members to those of us still clinging on from the start, this IS a good club. We have managed to stay together continuously for many years, while other clubs in other areas have come and gone. We are a genuine long-standing scooter club and we are well known throughout the scootering world and around the country, so each member should consider this before taking the current situation within LSC to lightly.
Long live LSC, Mike Francis Soffe.
Our club insignia (used since the Lord Mayor of Liverpool’s parade)
By the fifth week, the Albert Dock was awash with red scooters (we are in Liverpool after all!)
Mike’s response published in ‘Scootering Magazine’ Edition 131 October 1996 (note the price)
Photo from the ‘Lord Mayor’s Parade’ (LSC best float prize winners!)
Our current meeting place – ‘The Cambridge pub’ Mulberry st Liverpool L7 7EE
The wedding ceremony took place on the 4th August 2018 at ‘The Village Hotel’ Whiston with many LSC members attending the reception afterwards!
A lovely photo of the happy couple, Chris & Jenny Oxley 04.08.18