Bulldog Bash
Encyclopedia
The Bulldog Bash is considered to be one of Europe's most popular, annual, motorcycle festivals with a reported attendance of 50,000 people in 2007. It takes place over a weekend in mid-August, at the Shakespeare County Raceway
, which is situated outside Stratford-upon-Avon
in England.
motorcycle club for bikers. Since 1987, the event has grown to one of the largest motorcycle festivals in Europe, with a record 50,000 people reported to have attended in 2007.
It is believed that the popularity of the event is due to the organisers' philosophy of hosting a festival that meets all the criteria of their own 'perfect party', organised by bikers, for bikers.
The festival has been hosted at the Shakespeare County Raceway
in Stratford-on-Avon in England since 1987, and always takes place in mid August. Since its inception, it has followed largely the same format (though expanded for larger crowds and more recently included bigger name bands): providing entertainment aimed at the motorcycle riding fraternity, including live rock music
, beer
tents, motorcycle racing
, drag racing
& stunt riding demonstrations. Adult entertainment
traditionally features high on the bill, including Wet T-shirt contest
, erotic dance shows and topless bike wash.
The event currently runs over four days, gates opening on Thursday, and running through Friday and Saturday and wrapping up on Sunday.
The USA equivalents on a much larger scale are Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
and Daytona Beach Bike Week
.
Police little trouble, compared to other events of this scale.
There are no police patrolling the site (though they have a small base just off site), no personal searches conducted by police - the Hells Angels
maintain security inside the festival grounds themselves.
Inspector Dave Patterson from the Warwickshire Police
is quoted to have said about the 2006 event: "There was just four crimes reported on site and only three arrests during the four day event. Although traffic to and from the Long Marston
site was greater than normal, the traffic plan worked well."
The four crimes recorded on the Police Media Portal were all theft related.
Shakespeare County Raceway
Located near Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire, England, Shakespeare County Raceway became a permanent drag racing facility in 1980 when it was known as 'Long Marston Raceway', although drag racing events had occurred on the Long Marston Airfield site sporadically since the early 1970s. The...
, which is situated outside Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon is a market town and civil parish in south Warwickshire, England. It lies on the River Avon, south east of Birmingham and south west of Warwick. It is the largest and most populous town of the District of Stratford-on-Avon, which uses the term "on" to indicate that it covers...
in England.
History
The event started as a small gathering organised by the Hells AngelsHells Angels
The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club is a worldwide one-percenter motorcycle gang and organized crime syndicate whose members typically ride Harley-Davidson motorcycles. In the United States and Canada, the Hells Angels are incorporated as the Hells Angels Motorcycle Corporation. Their primary motto...
motorcycle club for bikers. Since 1987, the event has grown to one of the largest motorcycle festivals in Europe, with a record 50,000 people reported to have attended in 2007.
It is believed that the popularity of the event is due to the organisers' philosophy of hosting a festival that meets all the criteria of their own 'perfect party', organised by bikers, for bikers.
The festival has been hosted at the Shakespeare County Raceway
Shakespeare County Raceway
Located near Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire, England, Shakespeare County Raceway became a permanent drag racing facility in 1980 when it was known as 'Long Marston Raceway', although drag racing events had occurred on the Long Marston Airfield site sporadically since the early 1970s. The...
in Stratford-on-Avon in England since 1987, and always takes place in mid August. Since its inception, it has followed largely the same format (though expanded for larger crowds and more recently included bigger name bands): providing entertainment aimed at the motorcycle riding fraternity, including live rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, beer
Beer
Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
tents, motorcycle racing
Motorcycle racing
Motorcycle sport is a broad field that encompasses all sporting aspects of motorcycling. The disciplines are not all "races" or timed-speed events, as several disciplines test a competitor's various riding skills.-Motorcycle racing:...
, drag racing
Drag racing
Drag racing is a competition in which specially prepared automobiles or motorcycles compete two at a time to be the first to cross a set finish line, from a standing start, in a straight line, over a measured distance, most commonly a ¼-mile straight track....
& stunt riding demonstrations. Adult entertainment
Sex industry
The sex industry consists of businesses which either directly or indirectly provide sex-related products and services or adult entertainment...
traditionally features high on the bill, including Wet T-shirt contest
Wet T-shirt contest
A wet T-shirt contest is an exhibitionistic beauty contest that typically features young women performing at a nightclub, bar, or resort. They have traditionally been a staple of college spring break celebrations at locations such as Daytona Beach and Cancún.Contest participants generally wear...
, erotic dance shows and topless bike wash.
The event currently runs over four days, gates opening on Thursday, and running through Friday and Saturday and wrapping up on Sunday.
The USA equivalents on a much larger scale are Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
Sturgis Motorcycle Rally
The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is an American motorcycle rally held annually in Sturgis, South Dakota, usually the first full week of August.-History:...
and Daytona Beach Bike Week
Daytona Beach Bike Week
Daytona Beach Bike Week, also called Daytona Bike Week, is a motorcycle event and rally held annually in Daytona Beach, Florida. Approximately 500,000 people make their way to the rally area for the 10-day event. The festivities include motorcycle racing, concerts, parties, and street festivals...
.
Security and crime
Despite the general public's association of violence and crime with the Hells Angels, the Bulldog Bash has a consistent record of causing the WarwickshireWarwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
Police little trouble, compared to other events of this scale.
There are no police patrolling the site (though they have a small base just off site), no personal searches conducted by police - the Hells Angels
Hells Angels
The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club is a worldwide one-percenter motorcycle gang and organized crime syndicate whose members typically ride Harley-Davidson motorcycles. In the United States and Canada, the Hells Angels are incorporated as the Hells Angels Motorcycle Corporation. Their primary motto...
maintain security inside the festival grounds themselves.
Inspector Dave Patterson from the Warwickshire Police
Warwickshire Police
Warwickshire Police is the territorial police force responsible for policing Warwickshire in England. It was known as Warwickshire Constabulary until 2001. It is the second smallest territorial police force in England and Wales after the City of London Police, with only 998.6 regular officers as...
is quoted to have said about the 2006 event: "There was just four crimes reported on site and only three arrests during the four day event. Although traffic to and from the Long Marston
Long Marston, Warwickshire
Long Marston is a village about southwest of Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire, England. The southern and western boundaries of the parish also form part of the county boundary with Worcestershire.-History:...
site was greater than normal, the traffic plan worked well."
The four crimes recorded on the Police Media Portal were all theft related.
Further reading
- "Warwickshire Police have pledged to continue trying to stop an annual event organised by the Hells Angels, despite it passing off peacefully.", BBC 10 August 2009
- "Police apply for Bulldog review", BBC 25 June 2009
- "Police in Bulldog Bash objection". BBC 30 April 2008
- Malone, Andrew."Topless bike washes and the dark hearts of the Hell's Angels cult". Daily Mail 14 August 2007.
- Newbigging, Chris "Full highlights from Bulldog Bash". MCN August 2007.
- Langley, Tess "Bulldog Bash revs up". BBC Coventry and Warwickshire Features
- Sturcke, James "The ordinary lives of Hells Angels' bikers". The Guardian 13 August 2007
- Harkness, Timandra "Angels". The Telegraph 4 September 2004
- BBC. "Music and machines at the bash", BBC Coventry and Warwickshire Features
- King, Rich. "Bulldog Bash 2003", American-V, August 2003.
- Rainey, Joy. "Grab some leathers and 'run what ya brung'". The Telegraph 20 October 2002
- King, Rich. "Bulldog Bash 2002", American-V, August 2002.