First of its kind
1907 restaurant, bar & grill, in Weybridge, like the rest of Brooklands Hotel, takes great inspiration from its racetrack history and location, from the original Brooklands racetrack, which rolls out before you in riven quartz and honed granite, to the glittering 1930s inspired honeycomb pendants that greet you upon arrival.
The Brooklands site is home to one of Britain’s most famous racing heritage circuits – in fact it was the world’s first purpose built real race track, which opened in 1907 by wealthy land owner Hugh Locke King and was the scene of the earliest motor racing in the country during the 1920s and 1930s.
The Locke King’s estate bordered and partly included what they saw as the perfect setting for a racecourse, over 300 acres of land where quiet woodlands sloped gently down to an area of flat marshy farmland by the River Wey. Locke King was told that Britain stood no chance in trials and competitions because there was nowhere in this country that British cars could be tested or raced.
Number one
On the 17th June 1907, after just nine months of work, the still unfinished Brooklands motor course opened, with the first official race taking place on the 6th July 1907. The 28th – 29th June 1907 saw Selwyn Francis Edge, use the track with his green six-cylinder Napier for a record breaking 24 hours, a record he held for 17 years.
Racing its way to the top
The world record for the first person to cover 100 miles in one hour, was set by Percy E. Lambert at Brooklands. A contemporary film of his exploits on that day can be viewed from the Brooklands Museum website. Brooklands last ever race happened in 1939, due to the closure of the track during World War II, where some of the track was damaged by enemy bombing.
Mercedes-Benz World is also located on the Brooklands estate and our hotel offers fantastic packages to help create a perfect break, from exploring the history of Brooklands to the exhilarating thrill of a track day experience. Check out Brooklands Hotel’s packages, including the very popular His and Hers ‘Spa & Car’ package.
