Austin Healey Story

As published i the Echo in May 1977:

Car fan Paul Wiles has been made to sign a pledge for planners……… all becauseof his scheme to build a double garage. And now everyone in Castle Point with similar ideas must follow suit.

The Austin Healey enthusiast wanted extra room in which to store hard-to-find spares. But an anonymous caller told the council Paul was going to use it as a workshop for car repairs. So, before giving Paul the go-ahead, they made him promise not to do any commercial work in the new building. And that condition will now apply to everybody in the district making the same kind of application.

Paul had his first application deffered and had to write a letter explaining his hobby. “I don’t know who rang the council about this. But it is totally untrue,” her said. “I want the garage so that I can continue my hobby.”

Unlike most car owners Mr Wiles cannot go to a main dealer for spares. He is the proud owner of a 1966 Austin Healey 3000 which stopped coming off the production line ten years ago. It is now a rare car on Britain’s roads.