Page 45 - VE Magazine - Issue 42

You have a passion for cars and racing, and you have a racing licence, when did you last use it?
Yes, I have a full National A historic racing drivers licence, and I’ve started to train to get my historical Formula 1 racing licence next. I want to drive Formula 1 cars! Cars have always been an equal passion for myself, I collect cars and have restored seven cars ‘nuts and bolts’ myself. I’ve always had
my own classic car business on the side, DP Classics, but it comes in fits and starts, when I find the time. Racing was always something I wanted to do, but I never thought I’d be able to afford to do it. I’ve just driven my 58 Beetle at the Goodwood Revival in the Jack Sears Memorial Race. The Beetle is the only one in the world that is up to vintage circuit racing standards. It’s taken four years and more money than I care to think about to get it to this stage, but I just had to do it, I had to get it out my system. To be honest, it’s done on a shoe string now, it’s mightily expensive, but I don’t smoke, I don’t play golf, and I don’t spend money on things I don’t need...
...You didn’t mention beer and curry...
Beer, curry and wine! If you took wine out of the antiques trade, it would collapse, if you took beer and curry out of Salvage Hunters it would pack in overnight! Somebody actually approached T and I to ask if we wanted to write a book on curry!!
You work hard, so you might as well enjoy it!
Yes, I work too hard. A month ago, I had my first holiday in eight years, but had to buy an extra suitcase when I got there to bring antiques back, I don’t take time off. I remember the last holiday I took with my kids, years ago, I tipped my suitcase out into a bin at the side of the road, and filled it with 18th century wood carvings that I found at a Brocante, I had nowhere else to put them. Then I found an amazing oak floor at another Brocante and strapped it to the roof, that oak floor paid for the holiday!
You’ve moved into a new cottage in Conwy, it seems like the start of a new chapter in your life, what’s next for Drew Pritchard?
I’m just looking for some normality really, going out for dinner with my son and friends, and carrying on with my classic racing. All I ever want to do is go out looking for antiques, learning about them and dealing. I’ll continue to promote the antiques trade, and have done more than anyone else over the past 20 years, and I’m very proud to have done it. I’m good at one thing, so I’ll just keep doing that! It’s a passion, I still get very excited about it.ve
You drive further, you dig deeper and get to rummage around in spectacular locations. Do you ever switch off?
No! Good stuff turns up all over the place. I counted the mileage last year, and I did 80,000 miles in one car, plus the van and air travel, so I’m never at home. I haven’t unpacked my suitcase in
a decade. I was on the road yesterday, I got back last night, been
in the shop today and I’m back on the road tomorrow until Friday, back Saturday, then back on the road Sunday morning. People say I have a good eye, but that’s all I have, then it’s just graft.
The shop looks fantastic, but I did notice it says ‘Drew Pritchard, Conwy”. Does this suggest you’ll be opening more in other locations? Probably, yes! I have my eye on two locations, but can’t say more at the moment.
www.vintagexplorer.co.uk ve / October-November 2018 / 45