20/10/2026
🚗 R.W. THOMSON CLASSIC CAR SHOW – STONEHAVEN 🚗
AN OPEN LETTER TO ALL OUR VALUED EXHIBITORS
Dear Exhibitors and Friends,
Following our recent announcement that the exhibitor entry fee for our 2027 show will increase from £5 to £10 per vehicle, we appreciate that this decision has caused some disappointment and concern.
We would like to take this opportunity to explain the reasons behind the increase, what exhibitors receive for their money, and where the funds raised from our event go.
First and foremost, without our exhibitors, there would be no show. You are the heart of this event, and we genuinely appreciate every single person who brings along a car, truck, motorcycle, tractor or other vehicle to make the day special.
🚗 WHY HAS THE ENTRY FEE INCREASED?
Like so many other events, we are facing increasing costs associated with organising and running a large public gathering. Insurance, facilities, equipment, safety arrangements and general running costs are becoming more expensive every year.
We have therefore made the difficult decision to increase the exhibitor fee to £10 per vehicle for 2027.
We fully understand that this is double last year's charge, and we certainly haven't made the decision lightly.
☕ WHAT DO EXHIBITORS GET FOR THEIR £10?
Something we feel is important to highlight is that we have always believed in giving something back to the people who make our show possible.
Every exhibitor receives the following on arrival, included in their £10 entry fee:
☕ A complimentary tea or coffee voucher
🥐 A complimentary buttery voucher
🏵️ A commemorative show rosette
📖 An official show programme
🖊️ A complimentary pen
We provide these because we genuinely value our exhibitors and want everyone to feel welcomed and appreciated.
Many other vehicle shows do not provide all these extras as part of their entry fee, but we believe it is important to give something back.
Your £10 is not simply an entry charge. It also helps support a fantastic community event and worthwhile local causes.
👨👩👧👦 WHY IS PUBLIC ENTRY FREE, AND WHAT ABOUT MARTYN'S LAW?
This is an important issue that we would like everyone to understand.
Our aim has always been to make the R.W. Thomson Classic Car Show an affordable, welcoming family day out for everyone.
We therefore operate a free public admission policy, with visitors invited to make a voluntary cash donation at the gate.
With the large number of visitors expected to attend our event, we must carefully consider the implications of Martyn's Law, which is expected to come into force in spring 2027.
Under this legislation, large qualifying events with controlled entry may face significant additional responsibilities relating to public safety and security.
Depending on the arrangements required, these could involve additional security personnel, staff and volunteer training, access controls, physical security measures, fencing and other associated costs.
For a community-run event such as ours, the potential financial burden of these additional arrangements could be considerable.
If we were required to introduce extensive additional security measures and associated expenditure, it could reach a point where putting on the show would simply no longer be financially viable.
That is something we desperately want to avoid.
We are therefore committed to maintaining genuinely free and open public access, with voluntary donations, while continuing to meet our existing safety responsibilities and taking appropriate advice on the forthcoming legislation.
We believe the show should remain accessible to everyone, regardless of their financial circumstances.
We would far rather see families enjoying a wonderful day out and money being donated to worthwhile local causes than see the event become so expensive to organise that its future is put at risk.
❤️ WHERE DOES THE MONEY GO?
This is something we are particularly proud to share.
Thanks to the generosity of our exhibitors, visitors, sponsors and volunteers, our 2026 show enabled us to give something meaningful back to the local community.
🏥 Kincardine Community Hospital
We donated a specialist leather recliner chair, valued at approximately £3,500, to provide additional comfort and care for patients.
🚤 Stonehaven Lifeboat
We proudly donated £1,000 to support the invaluable lifesaving work carried out by our local lifeboat volunteers.
🎗️ Cancer Research Fundraising in Stonehaven
We also made a financial donation to support local cancer research fundraising.
These donations are not just figures on paper. They represent genuine help for people and organisations in our community.
And they would not have been possible without the support of everyone who makes our show a success.
🚗 LOOKING AHEAD TO 2027
Our next show takes place on:
📅 Sunday 27th June 2027
📍 Mineralwell Park, Stonehaven
We want to continue building an event that Stonehaven can be proud of, celebrating Robert William Thomson, the Stonehaven-born inventor of the pneumatic tyre, while raising money for worthwhile causes.
We know that £10 is more than £5, and we respect that some exhibitors may feel disappointed.
However, when you consider the welcome package provided, the rising costs of organising the show, the potential financial pressures facing large public events, and the money we put back into our community, we sincerely hope you will understand why this decision has been made.
We are not here to make money for personal gain. We are here to put on a fantastic show, celebrate our town's history and give something back.
To every exhibitor who has supported us over the years, thank you.
We sincerely hope you will continue to support us and be part of what is becoming one of Stonehaven's biggest community events.
Remember, without you and your vehicles, there would be no R.W. Thomson Classic Car Show.
Thank you for your understanding, your generosity and your continued support.
