THE 21ST NATIONAL

[Kev]

Although the sun shone and the surroundings were pleasant the turn out was very poor indeed,to my knowledge we have approx 1200 members who i assume have cars so why did less than 5% attend on Sunday?
I have attended 8 nationals with each one drawing less and less attendance................are the days of the national a thing of the past??
These events take a lot of planning and preparation and i thank george and the team for the effort they made on Sunday and a well done to all that attended.
Maybe at the forthcoming p5 owners club meeting the lack of attendance will be a topic for discussion.
Big Kev.

[David]

Bigkev

My thoughts for what it's worth.

• Bank holiday?
• Weather forecast (BBC online) for Sunday was wet

• Perhaps Nationals should offer more than 'just' a display of fine vehicles. All Rover National with other clubs for example.
• Something else to entertain the family/children.
• More 'aggressive' advertising of the National from the club/committee.
• Optional camping/caravaning facilities. We tried to book in calling all the sites around Horsham and they were all full.

Considering the initial problems Ray and the group were up against I think they done a fine job. It's not easy doing one of these - i know from experience (organising the 2004 National at Cranmore Steam Railway) what effort goes in to these events. So if anyone would like to offer constructive suggestions then I will be delighted to forward these at the next committee meeting.

David

PS • We have approx 900 members.

[Roy of the Rovers]

I don't know about anyone else but I thoroughly enjoyed the day. I bumped into so many people! People from the forum, well knowns from the club, Graham Rigby who I have only spoken previously to on the phone for advice on the convertible, old friends and finally the lovely couple all the way from australia who just happened to be good friends with 'Bruce' the aussie owner of the panelcraft convertible. I had a lovely long chat with all of them. What a great day... I even managed to get some photos taken..eventually!
;D ;D ;D

Thanks to all who attended and well done to the people voted as winners.

[Kev]

I acknowledge that Ray and others put in a lot of effort but as i say not many attended to see it.The weather always plays a big part in any outdoor event but the forecast i saw was fine with rain in the evening (and it did).
So 900 members...........ok..so lets say less than 6.5% turned up, not very good is it?
I agree that it's not for everyone but i thought it was a celebration of the model and a chance to meet fellow owners.
What happened at nationals gone by? from what Ive heard the event was always well attended so whats happened?
Anyway Ive said my bit......................what does everyone else who attended feel?
Big Kev.

[Deleted]

We were unable to attend the National this year, for a number of reasons.
A) Bit too far to do in a day and overnight stay not an option.
B) Bank holiday weekend - with expected traffic congestion.
C) Wife not very interested in seeing more P5s, a variety of other cars (in great numbers) might have made a change.
D) Even I can overload on Rovers sometimes !!!!

At last years National I heard comments that the turnout was lower than expected too.

Having said all of that, a poor turnout is scant reward for the efforts of all those who organised the event and I hope that they do not take this personally. Well done to them for their efforts.

Adrian

[DaveCole]

I have attended all Nationals since joining the club in 2000 and last year we attended with 2 P5B`s. If you consider the rising costs of fuel etc, I think the arranged hotel costs meal etc are extortionate (not a criticism of the organiser just the trend) and that we do not have the money. We worked out that for 2 adults meal and accomodation plus fuel is £200 and we cannot afford that.
If you consider it was bank holiday on the main road to Brighton we decided to give it a miss this year.
Are we not entitled to miss 1 year`s rally? Or is it really a crisis?
And of course I congratulate the organisers who , if I remember had to make late changes to dates etc.
I also believe that attendances have gone up if anything, but I maybe wrong.

My last point Big Kev and all due respect.
How are we to discuss 5% turn out at National rally when only 1% of members turn up to the AGM!! Which is all we ever get!

Regards and happy Roverings

David

[Phil Nottingham]

I am sorry it was not an unqualified success as I am sure GP and his helpers put must put a lot of effort into this. I could not attend mainly for health and work commitments but its really time that the club thought about where and when and who with the National is held. A central location with something more than P5's is in my view the way forward

The days of 100's of P5's in a field are well and truly gone and newer members may think this is an exaggeration but its not. I have seen the number drop and drop since I joined in 1992

In any event how do you measure success - its not just attendance numbers surely.

[Andy - SE London]

I have to agree with Phil's last comment "In any event how do you measure success - its not just attendance numbers"

This was the first national I had attended since joining a couple of years ago, and would like to say a big thank you to the organizer's for a great day out.

You do not need quantity to see quality, from what I saw at the national the standard of car is getting better and better.

I must also say the surroundings and walk was excellent.

I personally had a great day, and can only imagine the hassles it must cause to organize such an event.

[dorsetflyer]

I think there were around seventy cars there, which to me, taking in all the other shows around, and being a Bank Holiday, was a good turnout in the circumstances. I can gel with the those who say they couldn't afford it. Neither could I thirty years ago. Especially when I worked out that my petrol bill for August alone was just under £600. But then I do enjoy travelling long distances to shows etc.
Well done to the two lads parked next to me who made a day trip from Torquay in Devon.
I at least was able to talk to members from this 'Forum' who I had never met before.
I agree that sometimes it might be better to hold it more central, but that won't still suit everyone.
This years setting was excellent, and what with the weather and the facilities close by it made a most enjoyable day out.
Well done to all those who made it possible.

[Multi-Tech]

I agree with what people are saying, but as others have said being a bank holiday and i believe 2 other local'ish shows on may have made a difference.
I don't know if being so far south had a lot to do with it or not, or are lots of owners in the middle of restoring there P5's so as for can't bring them?

Lets take the note Dave made and make the effort to go to the AGM then maybe we could all put are suggestions together and make next years national bigger?

A big thanks must go out to GP and all the others that helped with this years national, i had an excellent day

[lagain]

Thanks for the kind comments, but Ray and Mary Pickett are the ones who who deserve congratulations for what I though was an excellent day. Although my name was on the form they did most of the work in organising the national. Thanks also go to the other members of our area for their assistance.

In the end we had about 65 cars, which I think was very good considering our location in the far south ! Other long term members will remember those magnificent RSR rallys at Myton Fields in the early 80s. There were rows and rows of all sorts of Rovers. Now their events attract very few.

It would be interesting to know how many members cars are on the road and how many undergoing 'work' . Perhaps some one can tell us which has been the best attended national over the past 21 years. I would be very surprised if there has been one with over 100 cars, so our 65 is pretty good !

[Smallfry]

It was my first Rover National too, and I managed to put a few faces to names..........isn't it strange how people are never how you imagined them to be ?

While I had an enjoyable day, I must say I was a bit disappointed with the turnout too. Having been involved with other car clubs in the past and present, I would have thought a good few more people and cars would have turned up.

I do not subscribe to the view that a bank holiday would affect attendance, on the contrary, I would have thought it would increased it. Incidentally, I had absolutely no problem with traffic at all. As for not bringing the car out in the rain ? Whats the point in having it then ?

I am also suprised that no traders are there with stock to sell, as when I go to other events, this is one of the major attractions, seeing things before you buy, and saving money on shipping charges as well ! Probably its just not worth their while to attend, as it would appear that the majority do not want to spend anything on their car ?

Whichever location is chosen It really only suits those who live locally to it, but a more central location would be better. However, as Manchester is about the centre of the country, I would think it is still to far for northern or Scottish members, and the same for those of us down south, but having said that, If a really good turnout is assured (25% plus) and maybe some traders were there, I would be happy to make the trip. Maybe it would be good to join forces with another club, so that there is something different to look at too ? I know for a fact that one of the major influences of non attendance is the other half moaning that its boring !

[Deleted]

I thought Meriden was the centre of the country, or is the place furthest from the sea?


Ady

[Geoff Arthur]

Well I too, very unusually, missed the national. I would have gone to the original venue on the original September date but the move to the bank holiday made it, not only a difficult weekend to travel from the depths of Cornwall, but also it clashed with other pre existing arrangements. I think I have only missed a couple of nationals in 16 years and that was due to distance or work commitments on the appropriate weekend. The attendance at Gaydon last year was good and I don't think this is a terminal problem, just people with busy lives. Perhaps we should combine our national with a couple of other Rover clubs and go somewhere outrageous? Suggestions on a postcard please.

[Deleted]

Why not one National rally for all the Rover clubs, P4, P5, P6, SD1, etc
This would give all of us some variety at least and should guarantee a much better turnout than one single car type.

Do the Ford clubs suffer poor turn outs, say 100e club ?

Answers on a postcard please............

[PatMcCoy]

Freddy
We have a 1957 Ford Anglia 100e
As far as I'm aware there ain't no meets
It comes under the side valve club
And they don't have any pub meets in my area

[dorsetflyer]

Why not tie up with the P4DG and invite them along to our Nationals? or the RSR. I know the P4DG always invite P5 members to their 'National' and we are always made welcome.

This also goes for the local clubs who organise their events like the one at Quainton, again we are always welcome.

I know of two members from Weymouth didn't make it ,but that was purely for personal reasons, nothing more.

By the way, the Rover P5B Caravanette, was spotted by several people yesterday going into Weymouth. So the hunt is on.

[Phil Nottingham]

The RSR has suffered falling attendances for the last 140 years and now its getting at the P4DG so a combined National is surely a good idea?

P6's and SD1's seem to fare a little better and Land rovers are a class on their own

[Geoff Arthur]

This all sounds like good ideas. Rover Clubs getting together to do things has been an idea for some time. Why not raise it at the AGM? I am sure you will all attend!

[Deleted]

A mixed car 'National' - all Rover models National Rally HAS to be more interesting than just a single model National Rally doesn't it?
The greater numbers in attendance might also tempt the rover specialist suppliers to turn up and offer their wares too.
(Can't remember when I last saw JRW at a Rally (might have been the 10th National?)

I wish every success to a multi model Rover National !!!

Regards

Adrian

[dorsetflyer]

It could also spark off some competitiveness too, like seeing if we can outnumber the others.

[Smallfry]

Exactly !

An we can have candy floss, and a funfair, and a wet tee shirt contest, and...... ;D

I have been to shows where you can have a tuning service, and a lubrication service, and even tyres fitted.

You can have a few traders present, plus a small area for a Rover related autojumble...........even refreshments, which would have been handy for me on Sunday. I resented having to pay £1.20 for a small soft drink at the restaurant.

[Phil Nottingham]

Traders did used to go to the National but they, like its becoming at the RSR and P4DG shows, cannot realistically bring all their range and there is no incentive to either what with fuel, insurance and pitch fees when they can stay at home to man the phone for orders and disptach them

[partviking]

As with any idea like this it does come down to one club to organise it but have to say the 100 anniversary at Ragley Hall was superb. RSR organised I think but wall to wall Rovers.

[Deleted]

Though I read this board, look at the website, and read my Take 5, I didn't go the rally. No reflection on the organisation, or where it was (actually it was pretty convenient for me).
I am a member of a re-enactment group called 'The Vikings' and we were doing a show that weekend. Bank Holidays are always congested, there must be quite a few people who have other interests that clash!
Like the idea of an all-Rover rally, as I love the P4s and P6s too.