Episode 7 - Phil McGovern
From Coventry Classics to Caffeine & Machine: Phil McGovern’s Automotive Evolution
“Get stuck in, because you can’t be part of it if you’re not involved.”
In this episode of The Spark Inside, hosts Christian Hewgill and Becca Knight talk to Phil McGovern, founder of Caffeine & Machine, a thriving hub for automotive enthusiasts. Phil’s automotive journey began in Coventry, the heart of the UK’s motor industry, where a summer internship at Jaguar’s engineering facility ignited his lifelong passion for cars. From there, Phil ventured into the Middle East, soaking up motorsport culture before returning to the UK to create one of the most inclusive spaces for car lovers.
Discover how Caffeine & Machine grew from a single coffee machine to a multi-venue community hub that sees over 35,000 cars each month. Phil shares how he welcomes everyone from Citroën Saxo drivers to Ferrari Testarossa owners and offers advice on finding your place in the automotive world.
Key Moments:
[00:00:00] Introduction: What is a car meet?
[00:04:50] Guest Intro: Welcoming Phil McGovern
[00:05:45] Coventry Roots: Phil’s first steps into the automotive industry
[00:09:10] Founding Caffeine & Machine: The vision of inclusivity
[00:13:23] Building Community: Hosting 940 events annually across multiple sites
[00:22:45] Memorable Moments: From legendary cars to unexpected celebrity visitors
[00:28:11] Advice for Aspiring Automotive Professionals: The importance of showing up and getting involved
Featuring: Phil McGovern
Presented by: Becca Knight and Christian Hewgill
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Podcast Website: www.thesparkinside.co.uk
The Spark Inside is an 18Sixty production brought to you by Niterra UK Ltd.
Phil McGovern
Caffeine&Machine exists, first and foremost, as a brand that caters to everyone with a love for things that move. Our physical spaces are designed to be all things to all people – they’re a place to enjoy wonderful food and drink, soak up an ever-eclectic display of brilliant machinery, and above all else, come be around friends, whether they’re ones you’ve known for years or ones you didn’t know you had yet.
What first ignited my spark was…
... the desire to do something constructive and different with my life and deliver on something I felt was missing from the automotive community as a whole.