By Ross Brewster

Last updated at 13:32, Wednesday, 13 August 2008

James Bond buff Peter Nelson is looking for a licence to thrill thousands of visitors to Keswick each holiday season.

Peter Nelson

Mr Nelson, the man who runs the town’s famous Cars of the Stars exhibition in Keswick, has ambitious plans to turn part of a former supermarket and climbing wall on the Southey Hill trading estate into a top class James Bond exhibition space.

The self-confessed Bond fan does not have sufficient space in his existing museum in Standish Street to display all of his memorabilia which includes cars from the 007 movies and numerous other souvenirs he has collected over the last 20 years.

But he plans to open a new exhibition in the former Caterite supermarket building, incorporating what is at present the Keswick Climbing Wall.

And Mr Nelson says that he hopes to imbue a whole new generation with the same spirit of adventure that Ian Fleming’s secret agent embodied.

He has around 20 Bond film cars, along with the weapon from The Man With the Golden Gun and other gadgets which have made a spectacular impact on film-goers.

Mr Nelson said: “Desmond Llewellyn, who played the inventor Q, was a great friend. I have got some of the great iconic pieces from the films including some of the Q gadgets.”

Mr Nelson said: “I think I have the best Bond collection in the world. This scheme could have a huge, beneficial effect for Keswick.”

Mr Nelson said that education and science will play an integral role in the display and he hopes that it will provide facilities for local youngsters.

He said: “I want to make it different. There is so much science involved in the Bond stories.”

Jonny Hume, who is involved in running the climbing wall, will be joining Mr Nelson to help run activity days with the chance to abseil down a Bond-tower incorporated.

“Bond is synonymous with fitness and sports like judo, karate and fencing, so we will be able to put on displays by experts and bring in stunt men to develop the adventure theme,” said Mr Nelson.

“I think this will be a great thing for Keswick and I can envisage it leading to other events and maybe a James Bond convention because the book and films are so popular.

“The real icing on the cake would be if we could persuade the film-makers to come to the area when they make the next Bond movie.”

Mr Nelson hopes to arrange talks by authorities on the Ian Fleming character and is a close friend of actor Roger Moore’s personal assistant.

“I want to engage with young people and use the building in the evenings,” he said.

Mr Nelson even has an exhibit that shows the dangers of carrying knives, which he plans to show to youngsters.

Piers Brosnan was badly cut by a real knife while making one of the Bond films and, as a result, it was decided to use a rubber knife. Peter Nelson was given that rubber knife by Brosnan and it’s one of the exhibits he will put on display.

Mr Nelson said: “I have put everything into this project, but it will be well worth it. I have spent ten years looking for the ideal place and subject to planning permission, I could start work on it in October and have the place open next spring.”

RBrewster@cngroup.co.uk

First published at 11:45, Wednesday, 13 August 2008
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk