For many years, in the early days of both British and European Rallycross, one voice was synonymous for both spectators and competitors that went to venues such as Blyton, Nutts Corner, Brands Hatch and here at the home of Rallycross, Lydden Hill. For the first time visitor to a circuit, confirmation that you were at the right place was when you heard the soft tones of that unmistakable Suffolk accent of Arthur Debenham that you would recognise from Television.

This week Lydden Hill are delighted to announce that Arthur Debenham and his wife Adrienne will be Guests of Honour next Saturday and Sunday at the AUTOSPORT World RX of Great Britain where they both will be present at a naming ceremony for the newly built tower here at the circuit. The ceremony on Sunday will see the new building, built as part of Lydden’s on going improvements officially named “The Arthur Debenham Tower.”

For many years Arthur and his wife Adrienne ran the Rallycross Trust that not only marketed merchandise, but sponsored and supported competitors in Rallycross. They organised many a trip to events throughout Europe and the UK, and helped the sport grow in the seventies and eighties, and the early nineties and were an essential part of the team behind Rallycross. Indeed there have been very few meetings where Adrienne has not been beside Arthur in the commentary box.

Speaking to Lydden Hill this week Arthur said “I must admit, when I first got the phone call, I couldn’t believe it and was taken aback. The fact that the call was from our lifelong friend Shirley Gibson, told me that the folk at Lydden must be serious. When it did sink in, Adrienne and I were delighted, and proud. We started at Lydden way back in 1976, and only stopped a couple of years ago, so it really will be nice to go back and enjoy the proceedings next week.” Asked if he was pleased to see the sport that he and Adrienne have put so much into, rise in prominence he told Lydden “I think that the work that IMG have put into the sport already is phenomenal. It has been our dream to see the sport of Rallycross rise to the top, and already is now a World Championship. It is great for the sport and we are really looking forward now, to seeing so many friends and fans next weekend.”

For many, Arthur and Adrienne were in the midst of the Group B era, the heady days of the RS200’s, Peugeot 205 T16’s, Audi Sport Quattro’s and MG Metro 6R4’s and his commentary was a match made in heaven with his very familiar “Oh Dear Oh Dear” heard often over the circuit commentary system. Shirley Gibson, who runs Retro Rallycross was equally delighted to hear the news and told Lydden Hill “I think it is superb news that Lydden Hill are naming the tower after Arthur. He and Adrienne were so involved with the running of the sport for so many years, it is a wonderful decision to honour him in this way and I know that both he and Adrianne will be very proud.”

For circuit supremo Pat Doran, the decision to name the new tower after Arthur was a simple one, and he told Lydden Hill “Our decision to name the new building the Arthur Debenham Tower was an easy one to be honest. Both Arthur and his wife Adrienne were an integral and important part of Rallycross for many years, and it is only right and proper we celebrate him in this way. We are delighted that they are both coming next weekend, and it will be nice to see them here, and be part of the Rallycross family once again.”

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