WAY DOWN SOUTH: THE RICHARD DAWSON INTERVIEW

As ayoung impressionable teenager, Ialways looked up to those who were older for a bit of guidance. Jumping in at the deep end, to the world of the Lambretta scene, was almost like my first day at school. Most of those present were 10 years older and seasoned pros. As the ‘new kid on the block’ I felt like an apprentice who was on the first rung of the ladder… and treated as such. The only person to break the ice was a tall bloke with a southern accent. His advice: “Don’t worry about them lot… welcome to the club.” That moment is still etched on my mind today, and the bloke in question was Richard Dawson.

Usual apprenticeship

“Both Kev and Jeff began to have differing opinions on how everything should be run which was difficult because both served on each committee. Stuck in the middle was Richard who now had to be the peacemaker between the two.”

Richard’s first dealings with scooters were similar to the majority of us, a cheap bargain – in his case a freebie by way of a clapped-out Capri 98 scooter. Living in Staines, near Heathrow, the predictable proving ground, a common over