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Car enthusiast opens Taunton County Classics Motor Museum

BBC Patrick Hawkins standing inside his classic car museumBBC
Patrick Hawkins bought and sold his first car aged 11

A motoring enthusiast has opened a classic car museum after overcoming serious illness to achieve his dream.

Taunton's County Classics Motor Museum has been curated by local businessman Patrick Hawkins, who bought and sold his first car aged 11, and has used his own vehicles and savings.

Around 200 cars and motorcycles from the 1960s to 1990s will be on display.

The museum was opened by former Top Gear presenter Richard Hammond on Monday.

Mr Hawkins decided to open the museum, housed in the old County Store, after building a successful car sales business which led to him owning 36 garages by the age of 36.

Car museum showing classic cars lined up in a row
Car enthusiast and motoring writer Malcolm McKay offered to help Mr Hawkins with the museum

"I've been passionate about cars all my life and been a collector of cars over the last 25 years," Mr Hawkins said.

"In 2018, I was diagnosed with a very unusual, rare heart condition, which turned out to be a birth defect, and spent near on a year in and out of hospital to try and deal with that.

"When your life is on the line... I just thought it would be nice to give something back. I liked the idea of just doing a classic car museum for the benefit of everyone.

"I wanted to bring the heart back into this town. I think it looks fantastic and I am absolutely overwhelmed by the support I have had."

Car Museum showing hot rod-style cars lined up
The museum includes around 100 classic cars, 80 motorbikes and an aeroplane

Motoring writer Malcolm McKay said he stepped in to help Mr Hawkins with the opening because "he's done the most incredible job with the place".

"It's been a struggle for him, he's had problems through Covid and terrible health problems and bounced back," he said.

"I was just amazed. It's every car enthusiast's dream to open a museum and not everyone does it, but he has."

Mr McKay said he wrote "the most important pitch" in his life to ask Richard Hammond to come along to the opening.

Dozens of classic motorbikes lined up inside the car museum
Mr McKay said Mr Hawkins fought through illness and the pandemic to open his museum

"It's so exciting to see it happening. The detail is amazing, the colour scheme is bright, it's lively, it's heart-warming," Mr McKay added.

"All town centres have been going downhill in the last few decades.

"We wanted to give something back, something that will pull people in and into the shops."

The inside of the car museum with a plane hanging from the ceiling
Mr Hawkins hopes the museum will help to bring Taunton's high street back to life
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