Topic #145037 (no title)

Im going to get flamed for this but i think the location isnt the best. i say it every year, its too far north for the south cost, that and the fact the club loses money on it every year, needs to be central uk, as much as it pains me to say, somewhere in the midlands.....lol

staffordshire is in the midlands mate, i wont shot you down in flames for it as them gold hotpants looked very flammable :lmao:

Ok well more central midlands. Ie brum, leicester, Coventry. Buckinghamshire ;-)

a change is always good……
Bert

While it needs to be central both geographically and demographically, it also needs to be close to where the organisers are so they can easily set up and knock down (in their own time). They can also make late calls on the weather/ground conditions if they are not far from it. If they cannot do that, the quality of the event would suffer. While it is not the most attractive of locations, there are established contacts and processes set up that is the major part of the battle in location selection and it does tick all the boxes (hardstanding, camping, indoor area, cost, facilities). I am not sure there would be a huge increase in numbers for the sole reason it was moved 20-30 miles south. The event itself will always lose money based on ticket sales alone, its the membership fees that mostly fund it.

dubboy said

While it needs to be central both geographically and demographically, it also needs to be close to where the organisers are so they can easily set up and knock down (in their own time). They can also make late calls on the weather/ground conditions if they are not far from it. If they cannot do that, the quality of the event would suffer. While it is not the most attractive of locations, there are established contacts and processes set up that is the major part of the battle in location selection and it does tick all the boxes (hardstanding, camping, indoor area, cost, facilities). I am not sure there would be a huge increase in numbers for the sole reason it was moved 20-30 miles south. The event itself will always lose money based on ticket sales alone, its the membership fees that mostly fund it.

Agree with this….. !!

cheeky gets. for me it was perfect. now ive been and seen how good the show was id travel to scotland if needed. well done organisers.

funk-star said

Ok well more central midlands. Ie brum, leicester, Coventry. Buckinghamshire ;-)

I agree.

I understand the point Dubboy made but do think is should be a little more South & I'm not saying it has to be in the South just south of Birmingham.  I know a lot of southern Mk1er who are put off by the 3+ hour drive.

And yet there are people travelling from Scotland, Ireland and outside of UK who also attend who have to travel further and at more expense, plus giving up time off work.

The drive to and from the event should be half the fun if you organise a convoy.

My suggestion would be to do 2 events per year - maybe a second one further south. Start off as a day only event (so little organisation needed) and focus on show and shine plus swap meet to buy/sell parts. If successful look at doing camping, etc

I feel I must reply to funk-star on his comments
regarding the location of our annual AGM meeting.
I say this every year, Uttoxeter IS central, & fair
to all our members ( don't forget our members
north of the Border ), & a great venue.
I have to travel 180 odd miles  along one of the busiest motorways to Uttoxeter, & I ain't complaning.
Keep the AGM at Uttoxeter.

The problem with doing 2 shows per year is costs.
As you pointed out the AG is a money loser, so adding another isn't going to help unless it's funded and organized privately.

The logistics in sorting Uttoxeter out are big enough.

But isn't it going to be better having 1 mega show then 1 large & 1 medium/small show?

I know there will be a few from Scotland & Ireland but their would be a larger amount in the south that would go & it would also help the ones from outside the UK being a little closer to Dover

I known geographically it's central but did anyone ever work out where was central based on members?


I known it will stay at Uttoxeter as it's tried & tested & will make it easier for the people who spend a lot of time & effort working on the event & well done to all that do help organize it :clap:  but I'm just giving my option.

i think there is some valid arguments all round my understanding is that we are contracted for uttoxeter next year any way and i am sure various other venue's have been considered but perhaps a change of location could be considered for 2014, and see what reation it gets in terms of numbers and tickets sales etc?

With regards to another show down south , Malvern towards the end of the year is getting bigger and bigger from the mk1 guys and probably the second largest gathering after the AGM, and i am also trying to make Bristol Volksfest in June each year bigger and bigger

perhaps if the club did think that a potential change of venue could be considered for 2014 they could ask members to do some research themselves in terms of venue's , facilities and approx costs and we could feed that back to the board?

If it aint broken dont fix it  :dontknow: …..

James_W said

But isn't it going to be better having 1 mega show then 1 large & 1 medium/small show?

No, because 1+1=2>1 and it gives the chance for more people to attend.

James_W said

I know there will be a few from Scotland & Ireland but their would be a larger amount in the south that would go & it would also help the ones from outside the UK being a little closer to Dover

I known geographically it's central but did anyone ever work out where was central based on members?

Is that fair on people coming from Scotland, Ireland who have to drive further than people coming from the South to attend Uttoxeter? Is that fair asking the unpaid committee to give up more of their time and expense to travel further to set it all up/knock down? 20-30 miles is not going to make much difference in a decision to attend or not but makes a massive difference to the organisers who have to travel there more frequently and earlier/later in the day when everyone else is at home.

chortle said

The problem with doing 2 shows per year is costs.
As you pointed out the AG is a money loser, so adding another isn't going to help unless it's funded and organized privately.

The logistics in sorting Uttoxeter out are big enough.

I would assume a day only event would not be anywhere near as expensive or require as much organisation as a well refined weekend camping event, and if the club has £19k assets (I assume mostly cash) it could easily afford another event.

I just put it out there as a suggestion.

As dubboy says, ease of preparation is essential.

As kaykay3 says, its central to the whole of the country.

Cast your minds back to Coombe Abbey in 2009. The logistics for that show were massive. Fencing had to be errected for security and to stop sneak ins without paying. Water supplies were poor, the electric supply wouldnt run the showers and they kept tripping. A marquee had to be errected for the meeting and disco. No hard standing for the show and shine.

The racecourse - in the committee's view, is an excellent location. The ease of which the management deal with our situations is brilliant. Coombe Abbey wouldn't have coped with the weather on Friday and the event would have been cancelled. The mixture of field and hardstanding for show organisers is a dream that some hold dear. We have it.

As far as travelling goes, its once a year for most people. Personally I did the return journey 4 times, November, March, May ashings needed tweeking etc and the AGM itself. If I'm sorting it out for you guys I'm not travelling for a whole day on a round trip each time the management and I need to discuss the arrangements. An extra 20-30 miles north equates to about half an hour in travelling time. As Dubboy said, the getting there should be half the fun with your mates.

If you don't like driving then you're in the wrong club!!!!!  :mrgreen:

Re the point of running at a loss, we had around 114 cars present on Sunday. In 2004 at the 21st Anniversary, one day event at Gaydon we had 147cars. There is a current total of 721 members so where is everyone else? Tell your mates, get them along for camping or book into a local B and B - the crucial bit is GET THERE!!!
The effort put in by the committee is the same if 114 cars turn up or owners of 721. Owners of projects that are off the road are more than wlecome in daily driver, non Mk1 Golf cars. There is plenty o room for everyone.

For those sugesting further south is madness IMO, I think a great location would be in the pub car park opposite my house lol

Seriously though could the venue not change every year?

If funds are a problem, I'd pay more than £30 for a weekend ticket! By doing this is would generate more people attending in the long run, I nearly didnt come because of the distance, but, once people had been to 1 AGM which is fairly close to them they might attend again…..?

This would also give the regional hosts a job to do when the show is near them, i.e. Putting the word out for trade stands/auto jumbe etc…

This would let other trade stands attend giving us, the members more contacts in the trade.

Just a thought

dubboy said

Is that fair on people coming from Scotland, Ireland who have to drive further than people coming from the South to attend Uttoxeter? Is that fair asking the unpaid committee to give up more of their time and expense to travel further to set it all up/knock down? 20-30 miles is not going to make much difference in a decision to attend or not but makes a massive difference to the organisers who have to travel there more frequently and earlier/later in the day when everyone else is at home.

but in the same way is it fair for the people from Cornwall & South Coast which is also over a 4hr drive.   

I'm sure there is other people who would help the organisers.  Like if it was in Berkshire (which I known is to far south) I know I would help & I'm not ever a mk1 owner/member anymore.

Yes according to Google:
Inverness-Uttoxeter = 424 miles, 7h39mins
Penzance-Uttoxeter = 306 miles, 6h

So it is already south bias if anything