The last scooter meet of 2025 at the Ace Café — sunshine, engines, music, and the unmistakable rhythm of the Mod / Scooter scene rolling once more down the North Circular.
This time, I left the colour to the video and focused on something quieter: texture, light, and the feel of the day. Rolls of black and white Ilford HP5+ film through the Hasselblad, every frame steeped in petrol fumes, laughter, and chrome reflections.
I’m not quite part of the “scene” again yet, but being there — hearing the scooters rev, seeing the sharp suits, the polished paint, the pride — it felt like reliving a part of my 80s self. The good part. The bit that never really leaves you.
I even handed out a few cards to local scooter clubs near where I work — small steps, maybe, but it feels like the start of something.
Below is the day in monochrome. No filters, no touch-ups. Just the raw frames that tell their own story of friendship, machines, and a shared love of the ride.
It’s funny — the more things change, the more the sound of a two-stroke in the distance still makes you turn your head and smile. The Ace Café hasn’t really changed at all. And I’m glad for that.
If one of these frames brings back your own memories of the Ace, I can make a traditional wet print in my shed darkroom — the same way many of us first learned back in school. Drop me a message if you’d like one to hang on your wall.
Ride sharp. Live loud. Stay free. — Dave Carrera
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