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1955
At about this time a group of Land Rover Enthusiasts approached the Rover
Company with the proposal that a club be formed to cater for private
Land Rover owners. The Company took this idea on board and formed the
LAND ROVER OWNERS CLUB Ltd. This was wholly owned by the Rover Company
and the central organisation was based at Solihull. The Company funded
and provided staff for the club. Separate area branches were set up in
different parts of the UK and also abroad. These were self-governing but
all abided by the central organisation rules etc. All funding went
through the central body. A journal called ‘Land Rover Review’ was
published by the Company and mailed to each individual member on a
quarterly basis.
1966
By this time the Rover Company had introduced the Rover 2000 car. This was
a much sportier model than previous ones and appealed to younger
drivers. These new drivers also wanted to join a club that had company
backing. As a result of these requests the Company revised the Club
Structure. The branches of the Land Rover Owners Club were made into
autonomous bodies, each self-funding etc., and were asked to rename as
Rover Owners Clubs. These new clubs were in turn affiliated to a new
body, again owned by the Company, called the ROVER OWNERS ASSOCIATION [ROA].
Each member of an affiliated club could, on payment of a small fee, be a
life member of the Headquarters Club of the ROA. The Company again
funded the new central body and provided a secretariat. Each year the
ROA [Headquarters Club] organised a National Rally. As each member of an
individual club was also a member of the ROA, he or she could attend
this National event. The quarterly publication continued, now titled
‘Rover Review’. Each new Rover product, be it a car or Land Rover, had
in the owners handbook, an invitation to join the Association. The newly
formed autonomous clubs were given the legal approval to use various
Company logos in their title after the designs were approved.
1978
The ASSOCIATION OF ROVER CLUBS LTD [ARC] was established in 1978 to
replace the Rover Owners Association. British Leyland was now the owner
of the Company and decided to withdraw from club organisation. The
quarterly publication ceased soon after. The previously affiliated clubs
formed a new association. The general Committee proposed an association
of clubs, not individuals, and this was adopted. Individuals were
encouraged to join their local club. The Company approved an Association
Badge and member clubs were allowed to incorporate Company Logo into
their title and Badges. At its inception most, but not all, clubs were
area based, catering for all ages and models of vehicle. The area clubs
have continued but recent times have seen a rapid growth in clubs
specifically for one particular model in the range, such as the land
Rover “101 Forward Control Club & Register”.
2006
Following the departure of the last “car” club from the Association, the
ASSOCIATION OF ROVER CLUBS LTD became the ASSOCIATION OF LAND ROVER
CLUBS LTD in order to better describe the intentions of the
Association.
In 2006 the
Association had some 37 UK based member clubs and 6 overseas,
representing over eight thousand individuals in the UK alone. |
