I would pay fifteen quid to watch you do that !

Well, it was great weather, superb cars, decent trade stands, good-ish food in the main bar very cheap, well-marshalled and only a tenner per car to get in if you booked in advance.

Moan if you want, it does make me laugh when people complain about what happened years ago under different people (like blaming David Cameron for something Edward Heath did wrong), but you are entitled to your opinion.

It's not every day you see someone run out of talent and spin a 917.

I thought it was pretty well done this year. I've been a critic in the past but for a tenner it really wasn't bad value.

Duncan

Apology accepted - thank you. Glad you enjoyed yourself. My criticism was based on the previous 5 PCGB annual events, all of which I did attend. Not this one. Regards XFtdr

emmmm....... Chairman of the club today is ? ........... oh thats right .... the Director of Club Communications for the last event. Not quite Cameron and Heath is it?

I made the 228 mile round trip yesterday in the Touareg, leaving east Berkshire in beautiful sunshine and arriving in Bromsgrove to coludy skies and light rian. To be honest, the venue is hardly a `Chateau` (English sp.) Being in a non-Porsche vehicle, thank God that I used the 4x4, as the muddy field that I parked in was a challenge for the 30 or so of us to park in.

Having chatted with Chris from the PCGB Motorsport secretariat, with the beautiful green 997 3.8 GT3RS, I was amazed that the cars in the `Decade Display` including some pretty preiceless machinery were made to drive through the same field to access the same terrace, Bonkers? The lovely 964RS display were luckily on the main drive, so got away without the field trip.

The rest of the offer was on par with expectation, good to see Josh from Autofarm with interesting dispalys, Centre Gravity and their set-up, the trade stands were pretty good (even if no one seemed to be taking much £££) The porsche car park was way below my expectation (in content terms) for the members day... Not sure about the knitware and crochery area on the mezzanine level.

I felt sorry for the 924, 944 and 968 boys in a location that looked like the general car park for other hotel guests

On the way back to sunny Berkshire, I saw several other Porsches on the M40 includind a lovely Silver/Red CGT, so maybe I picked the wrong day? All in all, a bit dissapointed about the size and content of the event. It has been way bigger in previous years, but I guess that this a sign of the times.

In closing, for me the track venues of Brands Hatch and was it Castle Coombe? Where we can watch the cars being used, that do it for me.

Just my 2p worth.

Sorry we didn't catch up David. All in all I think the weekend was a success. A little quieter on Saturday admittedly but today a lot more activity, lots of great cars, and the 917 replica which came too close to the 964RS Display and the general public for comfort!

To answer a couple of points you raised: Chateau? accirding to wiki that's what is was built as by a British chap for his French wife. English sp? Okay, I know it should have a 'hat' on the a: Château, but forgiving British keyboards there's no denying its a beautiful backdrop.

Do you own a Porsche? Why didn't you bring it? With this type of show the cars on display rely on owners bringing their pride and joy. A female friend parked her skoda in the public field with no issues or comment.

You're right that attendance could have been even higher. And I agree it's a sign of the times but forum negativity based on experiences of the past doesn't help to get people through the door.

Yep. But you can't stop the selfish people, who feel they are too important to park their non-Porsche car outside the displays, from leaving their flippin Shoguns and Passats in the middle of an anniversary line-up. Luckily we 944 owners really don't care, and are happy to welcome the odd "lost" Boxster or 997.

@ xftdr, sorry but I can't call you by your name as you don't use your real name. I know you can find fault, pick holes, criticise, and you do it very well. I also know it's a boring answer. But...why try to run down an event you didn't go to, a Club you aren't a member of, something you obviously don't like or want to be a part of? We do, and some others might like the chance to try it out. It's a real shame if you put people off by comparing the current Club to previous incarnations or events, when you probably don't know how things have changed.

As a simple example, I was the first person on site at Ragley Hall, and know full well the problems. But, I also know it was a great venue, and the problems weren't Club issues; for instance the food was all organised by the venue, who failed to provide enough. Or, in fact, any. The problem is that PCGB organise too much, and tend to try to do please everyone from the hardened track boys to the bearded polishers. You are being unfair if you criticise everything, it's better to have tried and failed than never to have tried IMO.

As you say, you've been to five annual events you didn't like, and won't be going again. I guess that you should have given up after two or three, it's not your thing. You don't need a car club, and car clubs will probably survive without you. Give it up and move on!

Oh come on Paul. You were one of the first people to post on here last year when I relayed my tale. You expressed sympathy and shared my annoyance and if I can recall even suggested you had thought about leaving the club because of its disasters through the years.

For a premier car club that charges membership fees, that receives massive sponsorship from Porsche and which has at least 100s of thousands of pounds turn over year and maybe more it has proved singularly incapable of organising decent events. Maybe this year was different - frankly its about time. But don't try and rewrite history as if its not the clubs fault a la your Cameron and Heath analogy above. You were at the infamous AGM as was I. You know what has gone on, that which has not appeared on this forum, as well as I do. I now happily belong to TIPEC - a car club and not a business. But after the horrendous experience of last year and the 'not interested' attitude of the club to an active and multi-event organiser member (me) of over 15 years standing please don't expect me to roll over in forums such as this and please don't suggest that the problem is 'me'. My complaint to Trading Standards last year was additionally signed by 7 other club members. A club has to be accountable to its members and it has to serve their best interests. A good 2012 show does not necessarily mean those fundamental issues have been resolved and all the time the club is run as a profit making business the tensions will almost certainly linger.

I don't believe that in one year the club has completely changed - not least as the very same people are on the board as were post last years event.

Nothing personal Paul.

You're right, except I was ready to give up based on the disasters over the "year", not the "years".

We struggle with the fact that we are expected to have a massive national event that never pleases everyone, and sometimes goes seriously wrong. But, to put it in to context, Tipec have held their National event at Gaydon, where we are expected to hold small regional events every year. No wonder they achieve a lot, but we have to go so much further. We do set ourselves up to fail, but let's be honest here. £10 per car in advance isn't an expensive event, and this year was great.

Anyway. I swore I wouldn't get in to another annual "we didn't go, but we thought it was rubbish" Pistonheads arguement. Failed miserably.