Many years ago, before we lived on the Isle of Man, Pat and I would visit for the world famous TT races on my Honda Pan European. One of our favourite places to watch was in Kirk Michael, at a very nice man’s house called Clive Robinson (now my good friend). Opposite to him was a large house called the Old Vicarage. Pat and I would look across the road and dream of living in it.
Some time later, we were looking at a house in Ballasalla. I told the estate agent that the house was not for us and that Kirk Michael was our preferred choice. He advised me that the Old Vicarage was on the market. I shook his hand on the spot – he said that he had never sold a house so quickly!
Having moved in, the problems soon became apparent. A house 300 years old is bound to have its problems after all but we had the energy to sort it out and I had my vision.
With the help of the local Commissioners I set about preparing the property. What you see today is the home of the A.R.E Classic Motorcycle Collection, manicured grass for parking, the main collection building plus sheds and a workshop housing what is perhaps the finest collection of working motorcycles anywhere.
A.R.E. Classic Motorcycle Collection 