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Patriotic Brit in Germany parks vintage Routemaster in his front garden
| Published: | 7 May at 6 PM |
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Followers of the antics of British expats may remember press coverage of a true Brit living in Germany when the result of the Brexit referendum was announced.
Tree surgeon Gary Blackburn moved to Germany in 1988, but remained a ‘True Brit’ whilst working and bringing up his six children. For years, he’s lived in Kretzhaus, Bonn, but he’s never forgotten his origins in the UK. When the Brexit referendum result was announced, he decided to make his views known by fitting out his garden and home with reminders of the UK in its heyday after WWII. His dream has cost him some £200,000 so far, and hadn’t exactly pleased his neighbours.
Purchases up until recently included a WWII tank, a telephone box, a Mr Bean Mini and a life-sized model of Queen Elizabeth, but the best was yet to come. After getting a hard time from his neighbours over his all-too-visible collection of British memorabilia, he decided to get his own back with one massive statement of Britishness – a huge, authentic, red London double-decker bus. He told reporters he’d been considering the idea for a while, and finally saw one for sale in Bavaria at a bargain price.
The bus, a 1961 Routemaster, was painted black and had been used as a McDonald’s in Austria whilst it waited for Gary to restore it to its former unsubtle red glory. By the time the true Brit had finished his massive repaint job including two Union Jacks and fitted out the interior with oak to resemble a traditional English country pub, the total cost including the purchase was £42,000, He’d also realised the bus was already adapted for use on German roads.
He’s now planning to hire it out for firms’ parties and other such occasions and already has one birthday party booked. His neighbours are furious now it’s parked in Gary’s front garden in all its glory, but its proud owner couldn’t care less, assuring reporters the bus was a great hit with locals and expats alike and that all Germans love England and the English.
Tree surgeon Gary Blackburn moved to Germany in 1988, but remained a ‘True Brit’ whilst working and bringing up his six children. For years, he’s lived in Kretzhaus, Bonn, but he’s never forgotten his origins in the UK. When the Brexit referendum result was announced, he decided to make his views known by fitting out his garden and home with reminders of the UK in its heyday after WWII. His dream has cost him some £200,000 so far, and hadn’t exactly pleased his neighbours.
Purchases up until recently included a WWII tank, a telephone box, a Mr Bean Mini and a life-sized model of Queen Elizabeth, but the best was yet to come. After getting a hard time from his neighbours over his all-too-visible collection of British memorabilia, he decided to get his own back with one massive statement of Britishness – a huge, authentic, red London double-decker bus. He told reporters he’d been considering the idea for a while, and finally saw one for sale in Bavaria at a bargain price.
The bus, a 1961 Routemaster, was painted black and had been used as a McDonald’s in Austria whilst it waited for Gary to restore it to its former unsubtle red glory. By the time the true Brit had finished his massive repaint job including two Union Jacks and fitted out the interior with oak to resemble a traditional English country pub, the total cost including the purchase was £42,000, He’d also realised the bus was already adapted for use on German roads.
He’s now planning to hire it out for firms’ parties and other such occasions and already has one birthday party booked. His neighbours are furious now it’s parked in Gary’s front garden in all its glory, but its proud owner couldn’t care less, assuring reporters the bus was a great hit with locals and expats alike and that all Germans love England and the English.
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