Classic car festival returning after ten years off

A popular classic car event which is being revived after 10 years has been granted a licence to serve alcohol and have live music. Run to the Sun was last held in Newquay in 2013 but is set to return in May at a new site near Cornwall Airport Newquay.

The event is set to be held on May 27 and May 28 and will offer visitors the chance to see classic cars up close, listen to live music performances and camp. Cornwall Council’s licensing act sub-committee unanimously supported the licence application when they met this morning praising the applicants for their “professional” application.

Under the licence the event will run from 10am to 2am on the Saturday and from 10am to 5pm on the Sunday. Alcohol will be served from 10am to 1.45am on the Saturday and 10am to 4pm on the Sunday. It allows for a maximum capacity of 4,999 people.

Andreas Christopheros told the committee that he had been previously involved with the festival when it was last held in Newquay but said that he now wanted to strip it back with a view to building it up again. He said that this year’s event would be on a smaller scale than previous Run to the Sun festivals but said he wanted to build for the future.

Mr Christopheros said that he wanted it to be a family friendly event and also wanted to get back to the classic car focus of the original Run to the Sun which first started in the 1980s. It was originally held at Fistral Beach in Newquay before later moving to Trevelgue Holiday Park.

The applicant stated: “I am sure that many of you will know Run to the Sun, it was a very big and iconic event in Cornwall. I was director for many years and been involved with Run to the Sun for a long time.

“A lot has changed since 2013 when the last event was held and we are bringing it back, we want to build up the brand again with a focus on classic cars.”

Mr Christopheros said that in later years the festival had allowed modern cars to be displayed but he said that this year the focus would be on older vehicles and that all vehicles being shown at the event have to be pre-1980. He said that they were not advertising for modern vehicles to attend and that anyone wanting to show their cars would have to apply.

He said that this year’s event would be much more family friendly and would have entertainment for all ages. He added: “It is about quality not quantity, less numbers and a shorter time. We want to build it back up as an event for Cornwall.”

The committee heard that live music would end at midnight on the Saturday and that the last two hours would see a silent disco held. He said that the entertainment on the Sunday would have no big names and would be more orientated for families.

Mr Christopheros said that he was working with local companies and suppliers and wanted to put on an event which would help the local economy. He said that he had also tried to keep ticket prices low with the cost of an adult ticket, including camping, being £40.

He said: “Now is the right time for Run to the Sun to come back. We are working with local businesses, it is a difficult year out there, it is a difficult time for lots and lots of people, we need to be supporting events in Cornwall.”

There had been an objection to the application from nearby residents who were concerned about traffic and noise from the event. The council invited the objectors to attend the meeting but got no response.

In their decision to grant the licence the committee said that there was no evidence to support the claims made in the objection and they noted that there had been no objections from statutory authorities. They also praised the applicants for their “professional and detailed” submission which included comprehensive traffic management, noise and health and safety plans.