Billing 2018 'Vauxfest'

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Re: Billing 2018 'Vauxfest'

Postby edgoose1 » Wed Sep 05, 2018 8:55 pm

Vaux fest was the fist year. they did have a few club stands. Caviliar club was one. i am sure that it will be improved next year and club stands welcome like at any other car show. Anyway its good to have both MH and Billing. Nothing wrong in supporting both. But Billing is far better facility wise and traditional :)
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Re: Billing 2018 'Vauxfest'

Postby cooperman » Wed Sep 05, 2018 9:52 pm

I'll throw in my two penneth worth.
I really liked the Billing site, it was interesting in respect to landscape with tree lines to provide shade and reference points, permanent toilets and showers, lakes to walk around and amusements if you have the family with you. The downsides were that those permanent facilities weren't fantastic or particularly clean, it was in danger of becoming stagnant, as everyone knew what would happen and where to go before the next years show was announced, there was nothing new happening. Many people had said that the autojumble wasn't as good as it used to be.

Market Harborough is council owned and I believe it costs the sponsors about £30k to hire it, if the venue is used more then there are discussions for a permanent toilet and shower block. There were more amusements last year but my feelings are that it was more club based this year, whereas last year the sponsors were trying to pull in the public. The grounds are just a flat field with no shade or reference points and I can't see that changing. The autojumble I was told was quite small but the layout of the show was much improved with entertainment on Friday and Saturday evening.

After Billing dropped the car shows and the sponsors were prepared to stump up the cash, I believe it's only right to support the show at Market Harborough. On saying that I am guilty of dismissing Vauxfest because of the organisers at Billing, which is wrong. Vauxfest has been set up by a Vauxhall enthusiast at Billing (which sacked the old management) and so is a completely new and different show, and as such should be supported.
Rant over.
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Re: Billing 2018 'Vauxfest'

Postby lord13 » Thu Sep 06, 2018 7:33 am

Some good points there.. I'm not going to 'copy/paste' everything so I'll probably miss a few out...
Anyway...toilets ..I've never had a problem with the toilet facilities at Billing, they're just like any other campsite toilets, and yes, sometimes there are a few issues, but on the most part they are pretty fine. MH toilets on the other hand were more akin to a boozed up music festival, terrible *Bleep* soaked floors, and the 'ladies' toilets were absolutely abysmal, I couldn't let my daughter in them for fear of her contracting cholera or something... absolutely disgraceful.

Autojumble... well it was pretty rubbish at both events to be fair, not much at all ( i think you may recall I struggled to find a fan belt at MH this year)

Shade . . . buy a hat! but seriously, the layout at Billing is far superior and the trees do help to provide some shelter from the sun, the whole layout at billing is better, good flat fields, actual roads around the site, MH is what it is, a field on the outskirts of Leicestershire.

What is there to do? .. What you say is all well and good Fred, there is the agm and everything else....but I prefer to keep myself to myself at these social events, so I just float around on the outskirts. I'm not good in social situations of more than about 2 or 3 people...I prefer to be a faceless voice on here to air my views...I'll put my hands up to it in public if that is required but put me in a room of people and I'm pretty quiet . . .that's just me.

Also the 'entertainment' is not really to my taste at MH, I mean live music? nope I don't want that, Billing was chilled, and if I wanted to go to gig I would... but to be forced into it? nope. That's why I wont camp at MH. Too damn loud.
Now that paints me as being an old 'fuddy duddy' ( so does that phrase i guess;) ) but I assure you I ain't, I play guitar, bass, and I sing. I've played live at many venues, and the music I play is loud, obnoxious, noisy and screechy for the most part ( think early Mudhoney, John Spencer, Unsane, Dinosaur jr, and many other city slam/blast first/sub pop/AmRep style bands ) so I'm no stranger to live music...I just don't want it forced down my throat.

I just like Billing I guess.... MH is a cop out, the V.B.O.A. should get their act together and book a proper venue, and we as a club should not put up with second rate facilities for our national show. We should be moving forward not backward.
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Re: Billing 2018 'Vauxfest'

Postby lord13 » Thu Sep 06, 2018 7:35 am

. . . I'll get me coat ;)
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Re: Billing 2018 'Vauxfest'

Postby Fred Dukes » Thu Sep 06, 2018 9:27 am

Everyone is different and that's what makes the world go round Mitch :wink:
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Re: Billing 2018 'Vauxfest'

Postby droopsnoot » Thu Sep 06, 2018 10:25 am

lord13 wrote: . . .that's just me.


No it's not. I'd rather hang back when I can, too.

I hear mixed messages - lots of people supporting Market Harborough because it's the official show and because of the shoddy way we (and all the other car show organisers) were treated a couple of years ago by Billing management, but lots of people also conceding that the facilities at MH leave a lot to be desired, and that they prefer the familiarity and established site at Billing. I haven't been to MH at all, and I really didn't like Billing so haven't been there for ten or more years, so I don't have an opinion.

The diminishing sizes of autojumbles is a concern for me - the late Tatton show being a good example of an autojumble that used to be much better than it is. Some people cite eBay as a reason for it, stall-holders can sell the same amount, all week long, and not have to travel to a showground and risk it chucking it down all weekend. I think that's a pity - I'll often hang back on buying something on line if I'm going to a show reasonably soon, in case I see the same thing there and don't have to pay postage. Equally, I buy loads of stuff at autojumbles that I didn't know I wanted, and certainly wouldn't have searched eBay for, so I hope this is a glitch.
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Re: Billing 2018 'Vauxfest'

Postby Fred Dukes » Thu Sep 06, 2018 11:28 am

Profound words Mike - sounds like a Judge Rinder summing up :!: :lol:
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Re: Billing 2018 'Vauxfest'

Postby psl » Thu Sep 06, 2018 5:08 pm

I loved my annual pilgrimage to Billing. One did try MH last year but cringed each time I spotted a wheelchair user / mother and pushchair struggle through the long stubble. One didn't like the live band (each to their own) either. I didn't attend this year, so possibly couldn't comment on improvements. There are plenty of positives though for MH, its still a well supported show.
Those of you who may support other car brands will be aware that other classic car clubs struggle to get anywhere near the same numbers as Vauxhall, VW or Ford. Don't take it for granted what the VBOA do. Other classic car clubs can put on amazing club stands, have top insurance sponsors, at amazing venues................... and they get less then 100 cars turn up lol.
Support and enjoy each show, at the end of the day its only one weekend a year. The more shows on offer the greater the option each classic car owner gets
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Re: Billing 2018 'Vauxfest'

Postby kriswalsh » Thu Sep 06, 2018 6:40 pm

lord13 wrote:Some good points there.. I'm not going to 'copy/paste' everything so I'll probably miss a few out...
Anyway...toilets ..I've never had a problem with the toilet facilities at Billing, they're just like any other campsite toilets, and yes, sometimes there are a few issues, but on the most part they are pretty fine. MH toilets on the other hand were more akin to a boozed up music festival, terrible *Bleep* soaked floors, and the 'ladies' toilets were absolutely abysmal, I couldn't let my daughter in them for fear of her contracting cholera or something... absolutely disgraceful.

Autojumble... well it was pretty rubbish at both events to be fair, not much at all ( i think you may recall I struggled to find a fan belt at MH this year)

Shade . . . buy a hat! but seriously, the layout at Billing is far superior and the trees do help to provide some shelter from the sun, the whole layout at billing is better, good flat fields, actual roads around the site, MH is what it is, a field on the outskirts of Leicestershire.

What is there to do? .. What you say is all well and good Fred, there is the agm and everything else....but I prefer to keep myself to myself at these social events, so I just float around on the outskirts. I'm not good in social situations of more than about 2 or 3 people...I prefer to be a faceless voice on here to air my views...I'll put my hands up to it in public if that is required but put me in a room of people and I'm pretty quiet . . .that's just me.

Also the 'entertainment' is not really to my taste at MH, I mean live music? nope I don't want that, Billing was chilled, and if I wanted to go to gig I would... but to be forced into it? nope. That's why I wont camp at MH. Too damn loud.
Now that paints me as being an old 'fuddy duddy' ( so does that phrase i guess;) ) but I assure you I ain't, I play guitar, bass, and I sing. I've played live at many venues, and the music I play is loud, obnoxious, noisy and screechy for the most part ( think early Mudhoney, John Spencer, Unsane, Dinosaur jr, and many other city slam/blast first/sub pop/AmRep style bands ) so I'm no stranger to live music...I just don't want it forced down my throat.

I just like Billing I guess.... MH is a cop out, the V.B.O.A. should get their act together and book a proper venue, and we as a club should not put up with second rate facilities for our national show. We should be moving forward not backward.


I'm with you, mh with a 5yo was a nightmare, billing is a better venue as you say the mh toilets! went to vauxvest, yes there wasn't many cars but my daughter enjoyed the rides/train and had a ride in a hovercraft, billing is more a family venue. I guess we are just used to it as been going since 1994.

They just need to find a venue that's more family friendly. No disrespect to lmf as I'm sure they done their best.
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Re: Billing 2018 'Vauxfest'

Postby lord13 » Fri Sep 07, 2018 6:52 am

Um . . .I don't think LMF are particularly blameless in this, I believe they saw a commercial opportunity and pounced on it. In fact I believe that if LMF hadn't got involved then we would have had a V.B.O.A. show at either Newark or Peterborough...
LMF are based in Market Harborough, they were not going to push any other site other than the one on their doorstep were they? Nope. I don't know which came first, the choice of site or the partnership with LMF, but either way, they are out to make money . . . which I assume they do from this show or they wouldn't do it.

For me, as Billing is totally off the table for the V.B.O.A. annual rally, Peterborough showground is the ONLY choice. It has the facilities and the road connections.

Maybe we should have more say, as club members, in where the show will be held. I have read comments from other clubs that were supposedly consulted in some vote or other, that picked MH as a venue... none of them or their club V.B.O.A. reps were consulted, or asked to vote on this issue....were we? Did we get a say?
Did you know that the MH field is used EVERY MONTH during the summer as a car show venue? I think it's the last sunday in the month, entry is £3 and you just park up on the field and have a chat etc. Maybe we should boycott the actual V.B.O.A. show and just turn up on one of those sundays and have our own show :D
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