“Members return week after week because this is more than a workshop. It’s a community. It’s the shared advice. The problem solving. The laughter. The first engine start. The sense of belonging.”
ClassicLine Insurance partners with the North East Restoration Club
ClassicLine Insurance has always championed the people, clubs and communities that keep older vehicles alive. From full ground up rebuilds to home restorations and custom projects, we know that owning a classic car is about far more than simply driving. It’s about sharing knowledge, learning skills, and being part of a community.
That’s why we’re excited to begin a new partnership with a classic car club that is unlike almost anything else in the UK.
Let us introduce the North East Restoration Club
The North East Restoration Club (NERC) was founded in 1971 by a small group of passionate car enthusiasts who discovered a large industrial building that had fallen into serious disrepair. Rather than walk away, they saw potential.
The group rented the premises and gradually transformed it into a working restoration facility that is thriving. Over the past 55 years, the club has grown beyond anything those founding members could ever have imagined. From modest beginnings, they now operate a fully equipped restoration facility with a large and active membership, making it one of the most impressive enthusiast-led restoration spaces in the country.
We caught up with club member Rob Reilly to learn more…
For someone walking into the workshop for the first time, what would they see?
The workshop is a hive of activity. You’ll see projects at every stage, from bare shells to near finished classics. You’ll hear tools running, welding taking place, engines being tuned. And if members aren’t busy working, they’re often gathered in the crew room, putting the car world to rights over a cuppa!
Facilities like this must be rare for a members’ club
Facilities of this level in a members’ club are exceptionally rare. We believe we are the only club in the UK offering this combination of full restoration bays, complete machine shop, fabrication equipment, paint facilities, lifting equipment, as well as dedicated social areas.
Having everything under one roof allows members to complete full ground up restorations without needing to outsource major stages of work.
Are there any other clubs like this in the UK?
To our knowledge, NERC is unique in the UK. We have yet to find another members’ club on this scale that owns its own premises and offers such extensive facilities for restoration and maintenance under one roof. The only similar model we’ve encountered is in Australia. If there are others in the UK, we would genuinely love to hear from them.
What types of vehicles are welcomed at NERC?
The club initially formed to focus on preserving and maintaining pre-war vehicles. But over the past 55 years, we’ve expanded to welcome any classic vehicle over 20 years old into our restoration bays, provided it physically fits within the premises.
Over the years, we’ve seen classic cars, motorcycles, push bikes, trikes, even fire engines! Full members can also maintain modern daily vehicles of any age using our four-post ramp. We pride ourselves on being inclusive and diverse in the projects we support.
How do the long-term and short-term bays work?
Our longer-term bays (up to five years) are typically used for full restorations. These are often projects requiring hard-to-source parts or significant hand-fabricated panels.
The short-term bays (around eight weeks) are ideal for mechanical overhauls, light restoration, bodywork refreshes, even MOT preparation. This structure ensures we can support both major long-term builds and quicker turnaround projects.
It must be amazing to see a long-term build fire into life…
We regularly see ambitious builds, from rare classics brought back from near scrap condition to unusual vehicles requiring specialist fabrication. There is nothing quite like the moment when a long-term restoration finally fires into life for the first time. After years of effort, setbacks, learning, and teamwork, that first engine start is emotional. It’s shared by everyone in the workshop, not just the owner.
What does “owned and run by members” actually look like day to day?
We currently have approximately 360 full members. The club is overseen by 16 volunteer committee members who manage the day-to-day running, governance, finances, and planning.
Since purchasing the building, the spirit of shared ownership has grown even stronger. Beyond the committee, a large number of members generously give up their time to maintain the premises, service machinery, carry out repairs, and improve facilities. It truly is a collective effort; everyone plays their part.
How does being a registered charity shape the club?
Being a registered charity shapes everything we do. We are not simply a workshop space; we are a community organisation.
Our charitable status allows us to focus on wellbeing, inclusion, and social engagement. We host regular social events and open gatherings for members and the wider local car community. There’s a strong emphasis on friendship, shared learning, and mutual support. NERC is more than a place to restore vehicles. It’s a place where people connect.
Membership sounds incredibly affordable…
We try to keep our membership as low as possible despite challenges in raising costs, our current membership fees are £50 per year so less than £1 per week (additional £10 admin for year one). What can you get for £1 pound a week?!
Are there benefits for members?
We partner with lots of local motor related businesses to offer our members discounts on car part and garage services like MOT’s and recovery, and of course an insurance discount from ClassicLine Insurance.
North East Restoration Club members receive a 15% discount on their classic car insurance premium with ClassicLine Insurance. Be sure to mention that you are a member of the North East Restoration Club when requesting a quote.
Rob, how long have you been involved?
I’ve been a member for nearly 12 years. During that time, I fully restored my MK2 XR2 at the club about nine years ago – a project I’m incredibly proud of. More recently, my wife and I purchased a 1973 VW Type 2 Bay Window camper. It’s currently undergoing restoration at the club, and we’re hoping to have it back on the road before the end of summer this year. Being able to restore vehicles in this environment makes the journey just as enjoyable as the finished result.
Running a large facility must bring challenges…
Yes, our greatest challenge is maintaining such a large and well-equipped facility. With a full machine shop and extensive premises, ongoing maintenance is constant. We rely heavily on volunteers to help keep machinery serviced, buildings safe, and facilities improving. Without that collective effort, it simply wouldn’t work.
What are you fundraising for at the moment?
By far our biggest ever challenge is replacing the ageing and leaking roofs to our workshops which due to the age, contains asbestos. Over the last five years we have been lucky enough to have raised enough money to replace the roof of the east workshop, but we are still currently £48k short on replacing the main roof on our west workshop.
If you’d like to support the club with their fundraising initiatives, please visit their Go Fund Me page: https://gofund.me/4d00938ef
Are young enthusiasts getting involved?
We are encouraged to see younger enthusiasts joining and showing genuine interest in traditional skills. Many of our long standing members actively pass on knowledge, particularly within the machine shop – using equipment such as English wheels and lathes.
We are currently working with Sunderland College to support apprenticeships, with the hope of welcoming apprentices this summer. Skills preservation is vital. Without it, traditional restoration techniques risk being lost.
Are there plans to expand?
Our 5-year plan is to replace the roof, and long term plan is to replace our paint shed with a more professional paint booth. Year on year we look to improve the facilities available to the members.
The social side sounds just as important as the workshop facilities…
The crew room is busy every day with members having a cuppa and a chat, but we have recently started a fortnightly Thursday Club from 11am – 1pm so our members can grab a cuppa and a sandwich together.
The first Wednesday of each month from April to September, we hold a car meet from 6.30pm on our field, with everyone welcome and all age cars. On the third Thursday of each month, we hold a social meeting for our members to keep in touch and updated with what’s going on in the club.
We currently have two shows and open days planned for 2026 on Sunday 10th May, and Sunday 6th September, please check out our Facebook page for details.
And the slot car section?
Yes, our slot car section has been around many years and has just gone under its own restoration replacing much of the cooper tracks and electrical connections with a new race timers added. The slot car club supports novice to expert racers and often runs family days.
Track features are named after the eleven British Formula One World Champions, e.g. Jim Clark Straight, Button Bend. Do take a look at the track here.
What has been the club’s proudest recent achievement?
One of our proudest recent achievements was member Bob Meldrum winning “Restorer of the Year” at the Practical Classics Classic Car & Restoration Show at the NEC for his full restoration of a Vauxhall Viva Estate. Achievements like this reflect the level of skill and dedication within the club.
What would you say to someone considering joining?
Members return week after week because this is more than a workshop. It’s a community. It’s the shared advice. The problem-solving. The laughter. The first engine start. The sense of belonging.
To anyone considering joining, we would say: come and see us. Have a brew. Look around. If you have an interest in vehicles and enjoy being part of a supportive community, you’ll feel at home very quickly.
North East Restoration Club, thank you for being our Club of the Month
NERC is built on passion, volunteer spirit, and shared purpose. For over five decades, members have invested their time, skills, and resources to preserve not just vehicles, but knowledge too. ClassicLine Insurance is proud to welcome the club as one of our newest partners and to help ensure that their incredible work continues long into the future.
You can find out more about the North East Restoration Club here.
ClassicLine Insurance offers a range of car club insurance schemes that can provide revenue for your club as well as benefits and discounts for your members. To find out more about this and our specialist club liability insurance, visit our car clubs page.
All photos kindly provided by the North East Restoration Club.
