by 1972nail » Mon Jul 08, 2019 4:57 pm
Well Mitch, thank you for the kind words about our own club's efforts, much appreciated. To be able to sustain the quality we need willing workers and committee members to carry it on to the next generation, maybe you would consider that instead of making an unannounced flying visit?
As far as the other comments, weren't the stands always roped off with bunting at Billing? Weren't the tents mixed amongst the stands at Billing too? I certainly remember trying to fight my way through the Cav Owner's club stand/campsite at Billing, just as I did at Sywell this weekend. One of the main complaints about MH was that the camping area was divorced from cars with the associated feeling of lack of security of the car at night.
Roping off is a necessity when setting up stands of this type to avoid arguments but I do agree it is very inconvenient for those who are browsing between stands, I remember falling flat on my face into a muddy puddle at Billing while trying to straddle some of the bunting, at least MH and Sywell don't flood!
Totally free movement of people (not Brexit related) also means free movement of vehicles and that cannot be safe in a show like this. Most shows do not allow access after a designated time and no movement of vehicles until the show is over. The VBOA have decided to allow us move our cars about quite freely and very safely all day because of the restrictions made by the bunting. If it were not there, yes, people could walk freely in all directions but vehicles could also drive across stands in all directions too, without regard to any modicum of manner, respect or safety....and they would!. That is exactly what happens when we are clearing up on Sunday afternoon when the bunting is removed, thankfully there are much fewer cars and pedestrians around.
My understanding is that the layout of the club stands within their designated areas and where they decide to set up camp was the responsibility of each individual club, maybe your comments should be directed at the clubs that offended you rather than the VBOA on that one. However, if a stand is bounded on 3 out of the 4 sides with other clubs areas there will always be at least one boundary with tents pitched on it and causing obstruction to those who want to take the shortest route. Our's this year had only one adjoining boundary and our layout worked better than most because of that fact.
Trade stands? Well you can invite all and sundry but cannot compel them to attend. I don't know what arrangements and demands were made or what invitations were sent out but I do think the reduction in costs for autojumblers made for a very good mix of pre-owned parts and new tat that was absent from the last 2 Billings and both MH events. By that you can guess that I much prefer rummaging through greasy boxes rather than buying new stuff that I will never need.
My own thoughts on the weekend are a well prepared event that addressed many of the complaints that arose from the MH site. The entrance could have been better sign posted and embellished, and that can easily be addressed, however, I don't remember any elaborate embellishment at Billing or MH either.
As far as finding a venue where there is an already made public audience like Billing.... there probably isn't one within the reach of most attendees apart from Billing and that now seems to have been deemed unsuitable because of the new layout of the site and the reduction in space. There are a couple of ones here in N Ireland which would be fantastic and if you watch the British Open Golf Championship in a week or so you will see one of the best in the UK. The total number of people in the whole of N Ireland is expected to increase by almost almost 75% during the Open championship and most of the additional bodies staying in the immediate area! The venue has been used by F@#d, VW and Mini clubs for years with many overseas visitors.....but how many Vauxhall owners from the mainland would come? Move the VBOA venue from the Midlands and few will attend.
From talking to and gauging the response from many people who were there all weekend, rather than just a short flying visit, I think Sywell has been very well accepted across the piste and will attract a lot of support for a future permanent venue.
Editor of the VVOC Magazine ReVival
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