Editing Vespa (section)

===United Kingdom===
In 1951 the financially troubled motorcycle manufacturer [[Douglas (motorcycles)|Douglas]] started production of Piaggio licensed Vespa scooters in [[Bristol, England|Bristol]], with a market to include some [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth countries]] as well as the UK. It was a year which also saw the first meeting of the newly-formed Vespa scooter clubs with nearly 20,000 riders showing up for the event.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bikesure.co.uk/bikesureblog/2021/07/vespa-scooter-75th-anniversary.html|title = World's most popular wasp: Vespa at 75 years old|date = 20 July 2021}}</ref> [[Westinghouse Brake and Signal Company Ltd|Westinghouse]] took over Douglas in 1955, and while motorcycle production was stopped in 1957, Vespa production in Britain continued until 1965.<ref name="veteranvespaclub.com">{{cite web |title=A HISTORY OF THE DOUGLAS VESPA |url=http://www.veteranvespaclub.com/1008.html |website=Veteran Vespa Club UK |access-date=2010-08-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100228194532/http://www.veteranvespaclub.com/1008.html |archive-date=28 February 2010}}</ref>

Douglas was more than a simple assembly plant for parts imported from Piaggio; many of the models made by Douglas had a high percentage of content manufactured by Douglas (''eg cylinder heads, gear clusters, brake drums and other mechanical parts'') or by UK supply companies (''eg seats, carburetors, tyres, and some electrical components were made in the UK''). Models made by Douglas were primarily the Vespa 125 and 150 (VBB).<ref name="veteranvespaclub.com"/>

Douglas produced Vespas which were often outdated compared to current Italian models. Douglas failed to meet the production numbers hoped for by Piaggio, though after production ceased in 1965, Douglas remained the UK importer for Vespa scooters until its demise in 1982.<ref name="veteranvespaclub.com"/>