"A well known Norwich tour operator, who for years ran a sight-seeing tour of the city, is wanted by police after he failed to appear in court having been charged with motoring and assault offences.
Frederick Agombar, 67, of The Denes, Norwich, had been charged with two motoring offences and one count of assault, and was due to appear at Norwich Magistrates Court on Monday.
But Agombar, who ran the Sight Seeing Tour of Olde Norwich and could regularly be seen driving around the city in his cream coloured vehicle, did not attend the hearing.
A spokesman for the court confirmed a warrant has been issued for his arrest but Agombar still remains at large.
The defendant, who was not at his address yesterday, has been charged with three offences, including driving the Freight Rover Sherpa used on the tours of the city “without reasonable consideration” to others.
In the first offence he is alleged to have driven a Morris car on Koblenz Avenue in Norwich when he exceeded the 30mph limit. He was caught by a speed camera travelling at 35mph at just before 6am on March 13 this year.
The second offence, driving without reasonable consideration, is said to have happened on June 6 this year when he was driving his Freight Rover Sherpa between Bethel Street Police Station and the top of Gaol Hill in Norwich.
And the third offence, an allegation of common assault, is said to have happened on November 1 this year.
The Sight Seeing Tour of Olde Norwich website states it has ceased trading and that the business up for sale.
Anyone interested is urged to email for enquiries.
Agombar has, in the past, been critical of transport schemes in the city. In June this year he said the banning of cars from St Stephens Street and part of Surrey Street as well as controversial changes to Chapel Field North that will see the road made two-way – both part of the £1.7m Transport for Norwich scheme, would lead to “absolute chaos”.
He presented a petition to the Norwich highways agency committee in June.
He criticised the council for doing the work “at the busiest time of the year in the tourist industry”.
But Agombar also campaigned for the installation of a blue plaque commemorating the Orford Cellar, a city venue which hosted some of the most famous names in music, including Jimi Hendrix, David Bowie and Rod Stewart.
Speaking in March 2010 when it was unveiled, the former Orford Cellar regular said: “I’m delighted. Getting that plaque up has been a pre-occupation of mine for the last 25 years.
“The Orford was like The Cavern for East Anglia. Groups always used to come here first and they would often try out a new name or a new line-up before they went on tour.
“On my sightseeing tours I always ask if anyone likes 60s music and they always say ‘yes’. They’re always very interested when I tell them about the place and now I can point out the plaque.”
