Paddock Speedshop

Run by Ethan Blake-Jones (25),  with the help of his colleagues Lucy Busby (25), his brother and racing driver, Harvey Blake-Jones (22) and Ben Steventon (31).  Don’t let their tender ages fool you, all are accomplished professionals in their own right, hammering their way into the industry with accolades to back up their success.


The Team

With his passion and upbringing around classic cars, it's a no-brainer for Ethan to head up the Paddock Speedshop operation. The idea was developed by an isolated Ethan throughout the first Covid lockdown, all the while itching to get home to work on his beloved MGB. Ethan says "I wanted to create a show that encouraged people my age to drive classics, to show them that enthusiasm and passion can overcome most problems and classic cars are binary creatures that are easy to maintain and fix."

Lucy deftly manages the day-to-day operations, both on track and in the workshop, where she is equally adept at paint prep.  Lucy said, "I've been inspired and encouraged by TV personalities like Henry Cole, Ant Partridge and Helen Stanley who have all become friends and mentors to me, especially Helen and I hope I can continue the fight and inspire more girls to follow their dreams – I love what I do".

Left: Lucy, Right: Ethan

Back in 2014, popping into his local petrol station to fill up his restored and heavily ‘modded’ scooter, Ben Steventon met Craig who at the time was scouting for a classic bike for a photo shoot to feature in Paddock-Life Magazine.  They quickly got chatting, finding that not only was Ben a capable mechanic but that he was a recently qualified Graphic Designer, just what Craig was looking for! When Speedshop came around he dutifully offered his spare hands and very quickly became an invaluable part of the Speedshop team. Ben told us that he hasn’t looked back since joining the team.  At the weekend he likes nothing better than going for long rides and meet-ups on his Vespa.

Ethan’s younger brother, Harvey is Paddock’s team racing driver. Harvey has been working in the automotive industry for some years, training with the Bicester Heritage Skills Academy and has gone on to work for classic Porsche specialist, Export 56. In 2023 Harvey earned his ARDS National Race Licence behind the wheel of a Citron C1 in just 10 weeks before going shoulder to shoulder with the big boys in a Genuine Shelby Cobra. 

Craig Blake-Jones founder and CEO of Paddock-Life Magazine and Producer of Paddock Speedshop TV Show, is a born petrolhead, who’s worked within the television and motorsport industry throughout his career, in 2020 he encouraged his sons and friends to come together to form Paddock Speedshop. 
The germ of the idea for the TV series came to Craig when visiting Goodwood Revival, where he noticed a lack of younger visitors and felt that it was essential to encourage a new generation into the joys of classic motoring. Craig is not afraid to go against the tide of modern motoring which today he sees as a big turn-off for younger motoring enthusiasts. He said that if ‘we’re not careful, the classic car industry could die without anybody noticing, so it’s time to do something next-gen’.  With their shared love of car restorations, the Speedshop are setting out to attract a new generation of classic enthusiasts through their TV series.

Top left: Harvey. Bottom left: Ben. Right: Craig - on Ben's scooter

As Ethan succinctly puts it, Paddock Speedshop is a way of showing young people that the world of classic cars isn’t a closed door to them.  Paddock Speedshop productions are putting the finishing touches to a soon-to-air TV series designed to shine a light on the inner workings of a classic restoration specialist; with the series unfolding in the workshop and on track, showcasing the talents of this small, dedicated group of break-through classic car restorers. Making works of art. How to fix them, how to love them and how to enjoy them.

MGOC Spares is pleased to partner with Paddock Speedshop as they restore a raft of British classic cars. With our range encompassing classic MG, Mini, MGTF and a smattering of Morris Minor we’re a great match and looking forward to helping the team achieve their goals.

Paddock Speedshop Featured Cars

Ethan’s first car, his 1973 Blaze orange MGBGT – There are some great plans afoot with this car!

MGTF 2003 - There’s no reason why your daily shouldn’t be fun to drive.

1987 Mini Mayfair requires a full rebuild and possibly a new shell, eek!

MK1 Morris Cooper S track weapon

Morris Minor Hill Climb Special. A wolf in sheep’s clothing!

Who are MGOC Spares?

At MGOC Spares, we provide dedicated parts and accessories for classic MG vehicles, including the MGB, Midget, MGC and many more. 

With thousands of products in stock, we are your one-stop shop for all your classic car needs. Our wealth of expertise means that you can trust us to find the right part for your classic MG vehicle – whatever it may be.

Need support finding the right parts for your MG? Contact us today, we're happy to help!