COMMENT: Why the wonderful Goodwood Revival is an essential part of the mission to revive the economy of the greater Chichester area
In the week that Chichester District Council and stakeholders across the region unveiled the ‘Chichester Story’ – the Goodwood Revival roared into action, an event at the absolute peak of its performance. Editor At Large Gary Shipton attended both the unveiling of the Chichester initiative and Saturday’s Revival magic.
A community-wide initiative designed to raise the profile of Chichester and the wider area, strengthen the economy, attract investment, and create jobs, is what the ‘Chichester Story’ is all about.
It focuses on the landscape, the history, the culture, and the world-class events and businesses that are based here and will be used to proclaim to a wider audience why this is the perfect place in which to invest.
The Chichester Festival Theatre, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, the South Downs and the Harbour, are all critical ingredients in that story.
But the globally-renowned Goodwood estate with its mighty organic farm, horse racing, and of course the Festival of Speed and Revival, are the cornerstones of this extraordinary initiative.
So how appropriate that the 2026 Goodwood Revival presented by Dunlop should take place in the week of the Story’s launch.
More than that, having attended so many Revivals in the past this one was undoubtedly in a league of its own. Organised with the smooth perfection of the ultimate well oiled engine, the cars and bikes may have roared but this was an event that purred.
Of course, despite the wonder of vintage racing cars moving like bullets round the historic track, there is something for everyone … and everyone is a player in this greatest visual production, donning vintage clothing appropriate to the glory years that are represented.
There may have been a distinctly Italian flavour with an event-wide celebration of La Dolce Vita but this is a multi-stranded three days, which are as unhurried off the track as they are adrenalin busting on it.
So the event honoured the life and legacy of Sir Jack Brabham, an extraordinary motorsport figure who remains the only person to win the F1 World Championship in a car bearing their own name.
Meanwhile a year of festivities honouring the 50th anniversary of Barry Sheene’s first World Championship triumph drew to a fitting conclusion at the Revival, where a special selection of his race-winning machinery gathered for the poignant moment ahead of the Barry Sheene Memorial Trophy.
There was an inaugural Sunday Closing Party which brought to an end the 2026 Goodwood Revival in serious style. I didn’t see it, but am told it all started with a spectacular drivers’ parade ahead of the RAC TT Celebration, with GRRC Members invited to partake in a grid walk to inspect the machines before they went into battle.
Fun and fashion are cornerstones of the three days. A giant fun-fair; avenues of high quality stalls; and a swirl of glorious vintage – supported by a terrific three days of weather.
For those attending the annual spectacular there is both a sense of joy and awe at the complexity of organising and co-ordinating this extravaganza of vintage speed and classic machines.
Beyond that, Revival like the Festival of Speed remains a vital and positive ingredient of local life. Not only does it drive the economy but it is the bedrock of a Chichester story that will bring the investment to secure more jobs, more investment, and consequently a better overall quality of life for everyone.