The increasing costs of exhibiting your vehicle.

[jon1739]

So in effect you were paying 12-15quid to exhibit your car so that non paying members of the public could look at them for free? And what did you get in return, a nice brass plaque, show guide, entertainment worth watching??

[ASL642]

The £12 entrance fee covered not only entrance to the Rally but also to the House as well.

[Judge]

This is one of the reasons I suggested that the Club combine their rallies with well established events wherever possible. This reduces costs and the organisation required. It also increases the variety of attractions, and, with a wider exposure to the general public, the possibility of gaining new members.

The previous two Southern Regional rallies, held in conjunction with the White Horse Show at Uffington, are a good example of this. The entry fee to the rally was less than to the show alone. All entrants received a plaque, and prize winners an engraved glass, and the attendance was around 30,000.

[jon1739]

But you are still paying to show your car, assuming you didnt want to visit the house and had gone purely for the show thats a lot of money to pay out. Many of these other shows previously mentioned may have other attractions linked to them which are also covered by the admission fee.

[Judge]

I think that this will always be the case when it is a solely Morris Minor event, where in general the only people that attend are the ones that bring their cars.

In my view no amount of advertising will bring a sustantial number of the general public to such a show, and therefore those that come have to pay for the attractions. However if the rally is part of a well established event, not only is there more general interest, but also an almost guaranteed income from the visitors to cover the costs.

[jon1739]

Am I wrong in thinking that the MMOC National is run as a money making event? I heard that last years cost 12k to stage but brought in 20k from entrance fees and traders fees etc. Surely with those sort of figures more could be put on or even a subsidised or free entry to MMOC members, especially those that are coming in their cars to provide the shows exhibits? Then again I could be completely wrong....

[Judge]

As a member of the MMOC, why not put this question to the club.

[jonathon]

Might I just say 'can of worms' opened if you do Jon. A free rally was arranged a few years back and resulted in several resignations, so go for it !! .
Its always seemed a little odd to me that we have to pay for a National Rally already covered by our subs, and we are also asked to run it on a voluntary basis whilst the revenue disappears into the savings pot, reserved for who knows what.

[jon1739]

If only I was still a member......Decided not to renew because I was disgusted at the way I was treated whilst trying to bridge the gap between the club and Minor Monthly magazine, seems that some members of the commitee do not want to progress forward and try to promote the club, just happy to sit back and watch the membership slowly die away.

[Peetee]

I heard that last years cost 12k to stage but brought in 20k from entrance fees and traders fees etc

Is this not detailed in the financial returns viewable by all members?

[Judge]

It should be in this years Financial Report.

[pgc520]

Bill, Jon,

Entry Fees are allways difficult, the TVR club entry to Duxford three years ago was £30 for one day, £12 to £15 for a car seems to be about the going rate.

The National Rally held at Stanford Hall will be in the 08/09 financial year. The accounts that are confirmed at this years AGM are for 07/08 financial year and will cover the Rally at Kelmarsh Hall. Which is the one where it rained for 2 weeks prior to the event and we had to lay a road to gain access, when many events around the country were cancelled!!!!

The National Rally attempts to break even, over a number of years in order to balance out the profit and loss element from different events. Not sure where you get £12k from as that was the cost at Scunthorpe two years ago, where the site fee was very reasonable.

We have been discussing ground sharing with other venues but in many cases the event is not big enough to cope with an additional 2 to 3000 people and 1000 + associated cars / traders. The Camping area generally needs between 7 and 10 acres, the show field typically 10 to 15 acres. The number of commercial venues that can accomodate the club is quite restricted on space grounds alone. The White Horse show was cancelled this year at quite short notice, most Nationals take upto 18months to plan so the venue has to be an estabilshed site with a firm contract.

Regarding membership, this is holding up well and this years activities have increased the number of previous and new members rejoining.

Finally if you read CCW this week it has an excellent two page article on our event at Stanford Hall and Nick Larkins assesment of the club and its activities sums it up for me!

[Judge]

We have been discussing ground sharing with other venues but in may cases the event is not big enough to cope with an additional 2 to 3000* people and associated cars.

Interesting, particularly as when I raised the subject at committee it appeared to be deemed as a non starter. Almost as interesting as the article in the latest issue of MM relative to basic servicing etc for newcomers. Something else that didn't seem to get much response when I suggested it some considerable time ago.

*By the way were there not only around 1,200 at the National.

Perhaps you could enlighten us on the current membership numbers. As when I was on the committee there seemed to be great concern over falling numbers.

PS 1.If you read the posts I think you will find that I was refering to the 2007 National when I mentioned the finacial report.

2. Did Nick Larkin attend the National?

[bpr81a]

1200 minors, not people

[simmitc]

Regarding the "free" rally a few years, EVERY club member paid a levy on their subscription to fund it, whether they could attend or not. Hardly a free event !

[Judge]

Did I say otherwise?

Incidentally I seem to recall considerable support for our last Southern Regional from both yourself and Lou

[bpr81a]

What's that got to do with anything?

[pgc520]

If you read CCW it he attended on Sunday! His article is a good read!

On membership i was relaying the positive feedback from the office about membership enquires, I don't know what the exact numbers are at the moment, but we are printing the same number of Minor Matters as this time last year which is a good indicator of the membership numbers.

[Judge]

I think it brings a bit of balance to the topic. It just strikes me as strange that many of the suggestions I made that were apparently not deemed worthy of consideration, now that I have resigned, are being considered.

[bpr81a]

I still don't see what our attendance at a rally has to do with anything