Memorial Bench for Pete Watts and Buffin

Pete and Buff were founder members of Mott the Hoople. They were there at the start and provided the powerhouse rhythm section throughout the life of the band, as well as the subsequent incarnations: Mott and British Lions.

They were both raised in Ross-on-Wye in Herefordshire.

Fans and several members of the Mott musical family are holding a weekend "MottFest" event in Ross over the weekend 3 - 5 October 2025, at the Corn Exchange. This will be a celebration, in spoken word, live music and film, of the entire history of the band and beyond.

Former band members who intend to be there include Verden Allen, John Fiddler, Morgan Fisher and Luther Grosvenor. The compere and MC will be Kris Needs, the legendary rock journalist, who founded the fan club Sea Divers at the very beginning.

We wish to establish a permanent and lasting memorial to Buff and Pete in their home town. Ross Town Council have agreed to install a high-quality bench and plaque in their memory.

This will be placed in Rope Walk in Ross on Sunday October 5th at 12.00 and all are welcome to attend the official unveiling.

The wording on the plaque has been decided by the Griffin and Watts families, who fully support the memorial bench - the wording of the plaque will be:

"Pete Overend Watts (1947 - 2017)

Terence Dale (Buffin) Griffin (1948 - 2016)

Founder members of Mott the Hoople.

Fifty years of friendship and music.

We are the music makers and we are the dreamers of dreams."

This is particularly relevant and appropriate location as it is close to the Hope and Anchor, where the two of them played many of their earliest gigs.

Ross Town Council are providing the bench, the plaque and a permanent solid base at a cost of £1,694.00. This includes a sum for future maintenance.

We therefore need to raise this sum as soon as possible (there is a 12-week lead-in time for delivery) to ensure that it will be in place in time.

All donations are welcome, however small, and we thank you deeply in advance.

Ross and Roll!!

Love and thanks from: the organising team, plus Verden, John, Morgan, Luther, Kris and the Griffin and Watts families.

Any excess funds raised over and above the target will be donated 50/50 to St Michael’s Hospice and the Alzheimer’s Society, the two charities chosen by the families and which are the beneficiaries of the MottFest 2025 event itself.

NB THE PLAQUE TO WHICH REFERENCE IS MADE WILL BE A MEMORIAL BENCH PLAQUE. THIS IS DIFFERENT FROM THE MOTT THE HOOPLE BLUE PLAQUE THAT THE TOWN COUNCIL IS PROPOSING. THAT, WE UNDERSTAND, WILL BE FUNDED BY THE TOWN COUNCIL ITSELF.