One final ride: Scooter clubs ride through Banbury in honour of local man

Around 25 members from the Banbury Scooter Club and the West Midlands Olympic Scooter Club followed Mark Partner’s funeral procession from Whately Hall to the crematorium.

Sadly, Mark passed away last month at the age of 62, but his wife Alix and friends from the scooter clubs ensured that his name was honoured with the fitting tribute.

Mark, who was born in London but moved to Banbury when he was two years old, had been a keen follower of the Northern Soul and scooter scene since the mid-70s, travelling all over the country to listen to the music.

He owned Lambretta and Vespa scooters and often rode with friends from Banbury to scooter to Northern Soul events, in particular the Wigan Casino and Birmingham Locarno.

Mark was well known in the Banbury area, having worked at Performance Sailcraft, building and delivering boats for 20 years, and at Kuehne and Nagel in Kineton and Bicester for a further 20 years.

Mark also had interests in collecting WWI memorabilia and attending re-enactment meetings, as well as a love for dogs that saw him show animals at the Crufts dog show.

Alix Partner said: "Mark loved scooters and had both Lambrettas and Vespas. We got married at the Whately Hall in 2018 and had our honeymoon at the Euro Lambretta Rally, riding with friends from Banbury through France to Spain.

"Mark was a true Banbury boy; so many people knew him and became good friends with him."