Sixty cars already booked, an Anglo-European armada en route, and seven landmark anniversaries to toast – Richard Hinton’s fourth annual Summer Gathering looks set to be the meeting of the year. Members are warmly invited.
Six weeks out and already over sixty Lotus are confirmed for the fourth Historic Lotus Register Summer Gathering and Picnic – and your invitation is open. Hosted, as ever, by Richard Hinton at his home in East Hertfordshire (between Standon and Bishops Stortford), the event runs from 11:00 on Sunday 21/06/2026 through to late afternoon, in a meadow setting beside the lake that has become one of the friendliest fixtures in our calendar.
The booking sheet alone reads like a précis of Hethel’s last seven decades. Already pencilled in are Elevens and Sevens, Elans and Europas, Elites, Eclats and Excels, the long Esprit lineage through to Evora, Emira and a Carlton, with a Lotus 23B, Cortinas, a Lotus carbon-fibre Olympic bicycle and a brace of Caterhams swelling the field. Staff from Classic Team Lotus, Caterham Cars and Absolute Lotus will be on site, and a Lotus armada is making the crossing from Belgium and France to join us. William Taylor of Coterie Press will bring a selection of his large and handsome Lotus marque histories to browse and buy, so come prepared with cash. Jane and her team will be running the cafe; expect hot and cold drinks all day, burgers and hot dogs at lunch, and homemade cakes with afternoon tea.
The timing could not be more apt. 2026 is a year of Lotus milestones, and Richard has chosen to make this an informal celebration of all of them at once: 70 years of the Lotus Eleven; 70 years of Club Lotus itself; 60 years of the Elan S3 and the Europa S1; 50 years of the Lotus Drivers Club; 50 years of the first Esprit S1 deliveries and of The Spy Who Loved Me; and 30 years of the Elise. Early and rare cars, competition machinery and restoration projects on trailers are particularly welcomed for the centrepiece display.
A few practicalities. There is no formal admission charge – a £10-per-car cash contribution at the gate covers the marquee, toilets and rally-field set-up. Bring your own picnic chairs, a table and a gazebo if you have one; the permanent wooden seating area has been extended but covers only about a third of expected numbers, and the meadow rewards a well-pitched parasol. Children and dogs (on a lead) are welcome. There is plentiful parking for tow cars and trailers. If you wish to set up a small stall to sell parts, books or memorabilia by the lake, do mention it at booking; the pitch is free of charge.
For those travelling a distance, The Feathers Inn – a 1760 coaching inn at Wadesmill, five miles from the venue – is holding rooms for the night of Saturday 20/06/2026. Quote FRIENDS10 when booking direct via the hotel website or by telephone on 01920 443840 (avoid 11:00–14:00) for a 10% discount on B&B. A wider list of hotels within ten miles is available via Trivago.
You do not need to own a Lotus to attend – only to share an affection for the marque. To book, email Richard Hinton at richardhinton50@gmail.com with the names in your party, the model you’ll bring and where you’re travelling from. Bookers will receive directions and final instructions nearer the date.
A reminder of last year’s gathering – over 100 cars and 150 attendees – is available in the event film on YouTube. On current bookings, 21/06/2026 looks set to comfortably eclipse it.
We hope to see you in the meadow.
