Grantham's Royal Racers take on Alexandra Palace soapbox course while dressed as King Charles and Queen Camilla with team of dancing chickens
A town’s own King Charles and Queen Camilla had a bit of a bumpy ride on Saturday as a pub landlord and his cohort took on a soapbox derby in London.
Grantham’s Nobody Inn pub landlord, Eddie Pimlott, and his team, the ‘Royal Racers’, participated in the Red Bull Soapbox Race at Alexandra Palace on Saturday in their ‘coronation chicken’ themed carriage.
Eddie and groundwork business owner Neil McBride, dressed as King Charles and Queen Camilla, were first crowned by their entourage of massive chickens, including team organisers, police sergeant Gareth Wigham and health and safety advisor Wayne Eaton, alongside supporters Martin Plumbley, Richard Malley, Ryan Lorne, and Steve Harper.
They then took on the course, reaching speeds of 26 mph as they tore along the 42-second course - slightly slower than their previous speed of 30 mph across 35 seconds but with the added danger of two extra chicanes along the way.
Eddie felt the team was welcomed as the ‘People’s Champion’ for the day with lots of love from audience members.
“The experience was great and after we'd finished, Neil and I walked back up the hill to the paddock while thousands of people cheered and clapped in a Mexican wave of support.
“The chickens also got applauded and selfies everywhere from the public.”
He added: “I couldn’t feel my legs the next day but that was probably due to the constant walking up and down the hill to collect and drop off our stuff.”
Even the commentators, Nicola Hume and Andy Goldstein, got involved, adopting hushed, respectful tones as the team descended the slope, losing their doors as they did.
“This is like the coronation,” said Nicola.
“As is tradition, the Queen steps into the carriage and they close the doors,” she continued, later expressing concern that Neil’s dress was going to “ride up”.
“There’s the Queen, holding on to the door, which is a sentence I never thought I’d say,” quipped Andy as the carriage took some damage on one of the ramps.
Eddie has posted a video on the Nobody Inn’s social media, showing the comparison with their former attempt in 2022 as team ‘Stop that Pigeon’, adding: “As you can see, there wasn’t a lot in it.”
He said: “Would we do it again? Yeah! Fingers crossed we’ll get in in two years.”
Eddie and his team had worked on their entry since April and now eagerly await to find out their official standings.
