This was yet another record for Ropner Park’s Bowling Association, and our sponsor, SG Petch did us really proud.
We had over 120 bowlers playing in triples rinks doing battle for the coveted trophy donated by the Walker family. This day was also the Park It event in the park with several thousands attending - so it really was a great day.
It was a Victorian theme in the main park, and we were visited by Queen Victoria and Lord Ropner who said that they were "pleased with the way things were going for their subjects on a such a beautiful day."
With the tempreature around 27c our bowlers battled on in the summer sun. During all this we had a great display by our Sponsor, SG Petch, who had a free prize draw in which a hamper was won by Eric Bland of Hartlepool, a football signed by the three Legends of Century Radio Fame, went to Fred Britton from Ropner. A bottle of SG Petch wine won by Pat McMaster, a Ropner casual bowler.
The bowlers battled on, and the coveted trophy and super glassware - and some money thrown in as well - was eventually won by bowlers from Smiths Dock Club. The formidable trio are pictured from left to right Ken and Steve Meadows and John Gillespie. "It was always on the cards," said Ropner Secretary and organiser in chief, David Major "when they were 7nil down in the quarter final and came back against all odds. But even in all that excitment, there was still time to look at the flowers and lovely surrounds that compliment Ropner’s superb greens."
The organisers, including your ace reporter were absolutely shattered at the end, but it was very pleasing that everything went well on the day.
The red hot Mazda 3 MPS is set to bring new standards to the sizzling hot-hatch market later this year. Mazda’s new ’super-hatch’ will raise the stakes for performance, handling, accommodation and zoom-zoom fun when it goes on sale at our Darlington & Durham Mazda dealerships later this year.
Unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show on 28 February, the new Mazda 3 MPS takes its place as the flagship of the upgraded Mazda 3 line-up and is the second Mazda Performance Series (MPS) sports model after the Mazda 6 MPS, launched just two months ago in Europe.
The five-door super-hatch Mazda 3 MPS is fitted with Mazda’s 2.3-litre DISI (Direct Injection Spark Ignition) turbo petrol engine, which produces more than 250ps and a maximum torque of 380 Nm. This blistering output makes the Mazda 3 MPS one of the most powerful and responsive compact sports models with front-wheel drive and a true representative of the Mazda marque.
As Britain’s favourite sports car brand, Mazda is well known for producing fun-to-drive, dynamic and stylish sports cars. The Mazda MX-5 has dominated the open-roadster market, winning roadster of the year from Top Gear, What Car and Test Drive magazines, beating established sports cars including the Mercedes-Benz SLK, MINI Convertible and Porsche Boxster.
The revolutionary Mazda RX-8 sports coup?� has not been short of awards either. Winning the What Car? ‘Best Coupe 2006′ award and the ‘Best Sporting Car’ category at the Northern Ireland "AXA Insurance Car of the Year awards" are just two examples of the praise this sleek Mazda has recently received.
To celebrate this success, SG Petch Mazda branches are offering customers a Special Edition Mazda RX-8, "Evolve". The RX-8 Evolve has several unique features inside and out, including two exclusive colours (Copper Red Mica and Phantom Blue Mica), dark silver 18 x 8J alloy wheels and stone leather and Alcantara® sporty seat trim.
To find out more about the new Mazda 3 MPS, or to test drive any of the sporty Mazda models, call SG Petch Mazda on 0845 056 0870 or 0845 053 0083, or call in to our showrooms at Mcmullen Road, Darlington or Dragon Lane, Durham.
Vic, one half of the Peter & Vic’s Big Fun Breakfast show, broadcast live from our SG Petch Langley Moor branch in Durham on March 21st, received a surprise from Dealer Principal David Warren when she was asked to unveil a new Seat Ibiza.
However, when she pulled off the covers, she was shocked to see a little sign saying ‘Love to Vic, from SG Petch, Langley Moor, Durham’ on the front windscreen. The brand new Seat Ibiza replaces her old car which she fondly referred to as her ‘Titchmobile’.
On her radio show the following day, Vic revealed: "I was utterly gobsmacked as Peter will tell you. It’s a fantastic car, so i decided to visit all my relatives in it yesterday. I’ve done 80 miles in it already."
You can listen to an audio file of the show by clicking on the play button below.
Do you listen to the show? Where you at the dealership whilst the broadcast was taking place? Which radio stations do you usually listen to?
coveted trophy donated by the Walker family. This day was also the Park It event in the park with several thousands attending - so it really was a great day.
The bowlers battled on, and the coveted trophy and super glassware - and some money thrown in as well - was eventually won by bowlers from Smiths Dock Club. The formidable trio are pictured from left to right Ken and Steve Meadows and John Gillespie. "It was always on the cards," said Ropner Secretary and organiser in chief, David Major "when they were 7nil down in the quarter final and came back against all odds. But even in all that excitment, there was still time to look at the flowers and lovely surrounds that compliment Ropner’s superb greens."
Unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show on 28 February, the new Mazda 3 MPS takes its place as the flagship of the upgraded Mazda 3 line-up and is the second Mazda Performance Series (MPS) sports model after the Mazda 6 MPS, launched just two months ago in Europe.
The revolutionary 
However, when she pulled off the covers, she was shocked to see a little sign saying ‘Love to Vic, from SG Petch, Langley Moor, Durham’ on the front windscreen. The brand new Seat Ibiza replaces her old car which she fondly referred to as her ‘Titchmobile’.