The Old Cinema, Thirsk: Twisted Automotive launches new cafe complete with £160,000 speed boat as its centrepiece

Twisted Automotive has opened The Old Cinema cafe at its HQ in Thirsk, and it is a must for fans of iconic vehicles. As well as its own £165,000 T300S sports boat, there are also historic Land Rovers, a VW Beetle and motorbikes on show. There is even a tractor from 1939 inside the cafe.

The company was set up by self-confessed ‘Land Rover geek’ Charles Fawcett, who grew up around cars as his father was in the automobile sales business. The company started off tuning and fitting performance enhancements to Land Rovers, but now focuses solely on the iconic Defenders. It launched its marine arm in 2021.

Mr Fawcett said: “The Old Cinema is a little slice of heaven if you like machines alongside your caffeine. Our brand-new T300S sports boat is certainly unmissable but I’d encourage guests to discover other treasures too. We have the most extensive and last stock of unused, modified classic Land Rover Defender.

"You’ll also find some incredible old vehicles, such as the last edition classic VW Beetle with just a few hundred miles on the clock, a TT race bike and a 1939 tractor. The Old Cinema is somewhere people can call in, grab a coffee, share stories and see our vehicles up close.”

The Old Cinema building dates back to July 1914, when it opened as the Gaiety Cinema on Long Street, close to Thirsk town centre. It was extensively damaged by fire in 1930 and was later acquired by a tyre fitting company before Twisted bought and renovated it in 2020.

The cafe opens from 8am to 5pm on weekdays.