The man behind motoring giant Gravells is preparing to launch his new book ‘Loose Gravel, Broken Bones, Broken Dreams made good on a Broken Road’ telling his life story, and a brush with death that eventually inspired him to follow a significant route on a milestone birthday.

The official launch of Ian Gravell’s publication will take place at the Queen’s Hall on Saturday, September 24, at 7 pm, with Q and A with Alun Gibbard; along with live video interviews, special guests and music by Ragsy.

Ian (known to some as ‘Ianto’) - one half of the Gravell brothers behind the Gravells car dealership was just twenty-six-years-old when he was involved in a car crash in his hometown of Narberth, which required the fire brigade to cut him out of the vehicle, with the accident leaving him with a fractured skull, broken ribs, and his legs broken in 26 places.

Despite the difficulties of living with a disability Ian is a successful businessman, motorcycle adventurer and now an author too, but he fell into writing by accident, as he wanted his grandchildren to know more about his life.

A volunteer and avid fundraiser with Round Table and Rotary, Ian a trustee of the Paul Sartori Foundation and the Queen’s Hall venue sat down at the start of the first Covid lockdown at the age of 53, and began writing a book about his life.

With a strong passion for music and motorbikes, his book recounts the conscious decision he made not to let the traumatic accident and his disability define him, so to mark his 50th birthday, Ian rode the 2,400 mile journey across the US Route 66 highway!

The draining and exhausting ride of Route 66 on the back of a motorbike isn’t the most difficult, challenging journey you’ll read about in his book, but more so Ian’s journey to be able to walk again, and eventually ride a motorbike in the first place after his life-threatening crash.

“It is anticipated that it will be a busy night - I look forward to seeing you all there,” said Ian on the launch at the Queen’s Hall.