Betameeta 25’ – a look back at Beta owners’ Yorkshire weekend

By Classic Yorkshire guest contributor, Neil Priestman

The Betaboyz (of proud Lancia Beta owners) returned last month to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Saltaire having previously visited in 2020.

Owners and visitors came from far and wide; North Yorkshire, Lancashire, North London, Oxfordshire, Worcestershire, Hampshire and Kent.

Most had chosen to stay at the pleasant Mecure Bankfield Hotel, in nearby Bingley. The weekend get-together started with pre-meal drinks at the small but convivial Fox pub in nearby Shipley on Friday evening. After enjoying a few local Yorkshire ale, we returned to The Rajput restaurant for the now expected authentic Bradford Curry.

Saturday morning kicked off as guests of Salts Mill, in the heart of the World Heritage Site. The mill was the biggest factory in the world when it was built in the 1850’s. The Betas lined up facing the mill, next to the railway that leads to the Settle-Carlisle line. The models included 1300, 1600 and 2000 Coupes, 2000 and VX HPEs, 1300 and 1600 saloons and of course a Trevi! The cars attracted considerable interest.

From Saltaire we took a route via a busy Otley to the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Refreshment and lunch stops were taken in Kettlewell and at the Street Head Inn, near Newbiggin. The return journey was via the spectacular and challenging Coverdale Road with its 25% climbs, descents and 100-degree switch backs. The weather forecast proved wrong, and we enjoyed the scenery in the warm sunshine.

A busy day concluded with burgers, hot dogs and beer at my Amelia Street home (all the roads in Saltaire village are named after Titus Salt’s children, or Queen Victoria and her Prince Consort) … or did it? Rumours abound that some of the Boyz were ejected from a wedding at the Bankfield later that night!

Sunday again dawned sunny, and we headed to the popular Motorist in Sherburn-in-Elmet to the east of Leeds to join other Lancia Motor Club (LMC) members for a long-planned Yorkshire meet up. Negotiations got us into their exclusive ’50 Club’ area in front of the main building and we were joined by a further 2000ie Coupe, as well as Fulvias and a 2000HF. As always, when the LMC attends the Lancias have car enthusiasts swarming over them.

With long journeys ahead some of the Betaboyz chose to head off home around lunchtime, while a smaller group sampled The Motorist’s excellent Sunday lunch menu before heading home.

Everyone agreed that this had been another great and enjoyable Betameeta. We are already looking forward to our return to Oxfordshire in 2026.

To find out more about Lancia Motor Club meetings around the country visit www.lanciamc.co.uk