30 YEARS OF MiniWorld

Back in the early 1990s the editorial team of Cars and Car Conversions (CCC) magazine was well aware that the Mini was an extremely popular car among their readership. Minis were cheap to run and modify, there were loads of them about and there was no shortage of potential future content about Minis. There were also plenty of advertisers wanting to show off their wares. It therefore made sense to dip a proverbial toe in the water to see if there was interest in a magazine dedicated solely to Minis.

The spin-off was entitled CCC’s editor, Nigel Fryatt, put a special one-off magazine together. By the time it was ready for print he had a feeling that they were on to something. “The last thing we did with the issue before sending it off to the printers was to insert ‘No 1’ before the date, Summer 1991. It was a very late decision, simply because we weren’t sure that there would ever be a No 2!” In his editor’s message in that first issue Nigel wrote: “This issue of need not be unique. We could always do another. What do you think?” The post bag soon filled up as keen Mini owners wrote to the Link House office in Croydon, England, to say that they did indeed want more. “I just remember such enthusiasm for the mag from all corners of the globe,” recalled Sue Loy who was the indefatigable launch and editorial secretary for the editorial team. They did put together a second issue and has been the world's favourite and best-selling magazine