Rover Clubs and Coventry Motofest stage unique

Published: 27/02/2024

The Joint Rover Clubs, and MotoFest Coventry team are pleased to announce a unique event in Coventry on Saturday 16 March.

It will celebrate the Rover marque’s 140 year association with ‘motor city’ – centred around the original site of the company’s ‘Meteor Works No. 2’, in the Bull Yard, which will soon be redeveloped.

Owners of all generations of Rover cars are invited to display their vehicles in Broadgate (the main event space at the heart of Coventry city centre) - and at the original Rover Showroom premises on Warwick Row - still open to visitors as ‘LTB’ (aka the ‘Litten Tree Building’), a thriving Community Arts Space.

The Rover Showrooms premises is believed to be the first purpose-built Car Showrooms constructed in the UK – likely a lavish building where purchasers could admire new models, order - then collect - vehicles, built in the factory directly behind.

The Showrooms (uniquely, for the time) featured an electrically powered vehicle lift, allowing for the display of vehicles on upper floors. VIP visitors even included King George V,  who in 1915, bravely rode the lift up - to inspect cars and munitions displayed on the second floor).

The Rover Company occupied several sites in Coventry from the late 1800s until the 1940s; and, as one of the last two remaining original buildings surviving from the most prestigious (and largest) Meteor Works no.2, the Rover Showrooms (pictured) purpose-built in 1910 to display cars, is a ‘must visit’ location for all history lovers - as redevelopment of the area is planned to begin soon.

Owner of Rover vehicles are able to join in one of two vehicle displays:-

• A collection of cars built at the second Meteor Works in the Bull Yard, next to the original Rover showroom

• A larger collection of all later generations of Rover cars, based in Broadgate – forming an element of Motorfest’s super-popular Breakiefest car display (held regularly).

To book a place at Bull Yard, please email john.batchelor@rover200.org.uk

To book a place at Broadgate, please visit - https://www.coventrymotofest.com/breakiefest-bookings/ (£3 fee applies to help cover MotorFest's administration costs).

A short history video of the Litten Tree Building is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsbMI_uEozY

There will be tours of the Litten Tree Building during the day.

The short notice for the event is a response to the unknown timings for the City Centre South Development - which will likely affect access to the area in coming months.

Background history...

In March 1896 J. K. Starley announced his plan to build a new factory for his expanding Cycle Company on land off Garfield Road in Coventry. The land, called Poddy Croft was owned by The Cheylesmore Estates and a long lease was available. The new factory took just 12 months to complete and became the second Meteor factory.

The factory consisted of twelve long workshops built with characteristic north lit asymmetrical roofs. In here cycles, tricycles and motor bicycles were constructed until in 1904, when production was gradually switched to car manufacture.

In 1910 Rover purchased three houses on Warwick Row that were demolished and the new Rover Showroom and Dispatch Bay were constructed.

In the 1920s Rover purchased houses either side of Garfield Road and constructed two new office blocks which were linked by a walkway. They also created a tower and the Rover name was prominently displayed.

By the late 1920s however the factory was at full capacity producing cars and with no further room for expansion it was decided to move to a new site at Helen Street in Coventry where additional land was available. The new site became Meteor Works number 3. The Garfield Road site was eventually sold to Coventry Corporation for redevelopment in 1932.

The Litten Tree Building, now called the LTB Showroom, is currently a not-for-profit DIY community arts, music & heritage venue but is closing due to the redevelopment.

The Meteor Works was one of the largest sites that Rover occupied in Coventry until 1940.