Classics & Sevens - Dealership
Discussion
oliwright said:
I certainly wouldn't decide whether or not to join the club based on some of the absolute b
ks on this and the other long running thread. I've been following both for a while and some of the comments made by ex-members with axes to grind baffle me. Your issues with the club are history. I've had a great times as a member in the 3 years since I joined it.
They are not "history" until those running the Club move on, and make way for an electorially appointed management team, instead of "best mates". If you are happy for your memebership fee to be wasted by their poor financial and startegic management, then that is of course your choice.ks on this and the other long running thread. I've been following both for a while and some of the comments made by ex-members with axes to grind baffle me. Your issues with the club are history. I've had a great times as a member in the 3 years since I joined it. IBDAET said:
oliwright said:
I certainly wouldn't decide whether or not to join the club based on some of the absolute bks on this and the other long running thread. I've been following both for a while and some of the comments made by ex-members with axes to grind baffle me. Your issues with the club are history. I've had a great times as a member in the 3 years since I joined it.
They are not "history" until those running the Club move on, and make way for an electorially appointed management team, instead of "best mates". If you are happy for your memebership fee to be wasted by their poor financial and startegic management, then that is of course your choice.ks on this and the other long running thread. I've been following both for a while and some of the comments made by ex-members with axes to grind baffle me. Your issues with the club are history. I've had a great times as a member in the 3 years since I joined it. 
Just when the thread was starting to become sensible, reasoned and accurate. Been on the
again Arnie? 
IBDAET said:
They are not "history" until those running the Club move on, and make way for an electorially appointed management team, instead of "best mates". If you are happy for your memebership fee to be wasted by their poor financial and startegic management, then that is of course your choice.
I am not worried about the use of my very small membership fee at all. I am grateful to those who are willing to put in time and effort for the benefit of the club and its members. Mistakes may be made by the committee, but those people are there to help out and they give a lot of their free time to do so, often for little thanks. Whether or not one thinks their fee is wasted by poor financial and strategic management is their own opinion. Personally, I don't. If I did, I would simply decide not to pay it and leave it at that.It seems that the people with the axes to grind are successful guys with plenty of disposable income and lovely sevens such as Nigel and Arnie. Could it be that they are used to being in charge and getting their own way in life and that anyone who dares to question them is going to get a hard time? It is a shame as they have a wealth of experience and knowledge, Arnie especially having built an extraordinary car and with a real do anything attitude to car building(Ferrari P4 replica as an example). We as a club need people with this type of experience but not if they are going to bad mouth every aspect of those still trying to run things.
I suppose all clubs start off with a group of like minded individuals with a common goal to enjoy events together and chat about their experiences and help each other out and when David started the club all those years ago that was probably his aim. As things have got bigger the structure has expanded and this is always going to create tensions in any club. The club now has over 2,500 members all different, most are successful like those mentioned above, so there are always going to be arguments. The old Blatchat was always good for entertainment but as Steve said it was probably best liked by those who dominated and if you were a newcomer it could be quite intimidating.
I do not think some past members on here will ever get over what happened to them and am sure they will continue to slag the club at every opportunity but I hope that we can all move on. With 2500 + members we can still have a good time with our cars, at monthly meets, events and other social gatherings. Shaun has made considerable progress with the website and forum, will it ever be as good as before, probably not as social media has changed our communication portals but it looks ok to me.
At the end of the day it's a car club and suppose to be fun away from work so lets get on with it.
I suppose all clubs start off with a group of like minded individuals with a common goal to enjoy events together and chat about their experiences and help each other out and when David started the club all those years ago that was probably his aim. As things have got bigger the structure has expanded and this is always going to create tensions in any club. The club now has over 2,500 members all different, most are successful like those mentioned above, so there are always going to be arguments. The old Blatchat was always good for entertainment but as Steve said it was probably best liked by those who dominated and if you were a newcomer it could be quite intimidating.
I do not think some past members on here will ever get over what happened to them and am sure they will continue to slag the club at every opportunity but I hope that we can all move on. With 2500 + members we can still have a good time with our cars, at monthly meets, events and other social gatherings. Shaun has made considerable progress with the website and forum, will it ever be as good as before, probably not as social media has changed our communication portals but it looks ok to me.
At the end of the day it's a car club and suppose to be fun away from work so lets get on with it.
Orange Blackbird said:
It seems that the people with the axes to grind are successful guys with plenty of disposable income and lovely sevens such as Nigel and Arnie. Could it be that they are used to being in charge and getting their own way in life and that anyone who dares to question them is going to get a hard time? It is a shame as they have a wealth of experience and knowledge, Arnie especially having built an extraordinary car and with a real do anything attitude to car building(Ferrari P4 replica as an example). We as a club need people with this type of experience but not if they are going to bad mouth every aspect of those still trying to run things.
I suppose all clubs start off with a group of like minded individuals with a common goal to enjoy events together and chat about their experiences and help each other out and when David started the club all those years ago that was probably his aim. As things have got bigger the structure has expanded and this is always going to create tensions in any club. The club now has over 2,500 members all different, most are successful like those mentioned above, so there are always going to be arguments. The old Blatchat was always good for entertainment but as Steve said it was probably best liked by those who dominated and if you were a newcomer it could be quite intimidating.
I do not think some past members on here will ever get over what happened to them and am sure they will continue to slag the club at every opportunity but I hope that we can all move on. With 2500 + members we can still have a good time with our cars, at monthly meets, events and other social gatherings. Shaun has made considerable progress with the website and forum, will it ever be as good as before, probably not as social media has changed our communication portals but it looks ok to me.
At the end of the day it's a car club and suppose to be fun away from work so lets get on with it.
Personally I have no axe to grind with the club, or any individuals either. I suppose all clubs start off with a group of like minded individuals with a common goal to enjoy events together and chat about their experiences and help each other out and when David started the club all those years ago that was probably his aim. As things have got bigger the structure has expanded and this is always going to create tensions in any club. The club now has over 2,500 members all different, most are successful like those mentioned above, so there are always going to be arguments. The old Blatchat was always good for entertainment but as Steve said it was probably best liked by those who dominated and if you were a newcomer it could be quite intimidating.
I do not think some past members on here will ever get over what happened to them and am sure they will continue to slag the club at every opportunity but I hope that we can all move on. With 2500 + members we can still have a good time with our cars, at monthly meets, events and other social gatherings. Shaun has made considerable progress with the website and forum, will it ever be as good as before, probably not as social media has changed our communication portals but it looks ok to me.
At the end of the day it's a car club and suppose to be fun away from work so lets get on with it.
Hence the reason why I am still a member, and still help people out who choose to contact me directly.
It's more certain other individuals within the club, or seem to have an axe to grind with me, despite ever meeting me personally or even having a dialogue with me on any subject matter relating to sevens or vehicle mechanics of any kind.
The only negative comment I made about the club have been relating to the fact that the original,blatchat was rubbish and kept having issues , and the fact that several years ago, the magazine had become so poor it was like a flyer that no one ever read.
As both of those items have now been revamped and completely replaced in the case of the club website, seems I was not far off the mark with my observations!
Right, so I finally got kicked off Blatchat because I tried to warn members that a well known engine supliers figures were often inflated, expecially in the example given.
While all this is going on the ex Chairman, briefed his buddy, the new Chairman on Barry's opinion and they refused to let me back on. I let my membership lapse. None of these people were elected to their positions by the membership.
Then, when I disclosed a discussion which I did not feel was in any way held in confidence with Barry Sweeney, he sent me the rudest email I've ever been on the receiving end of and decided to block my return to BC posting. The subject of that dsicussion was that if LF was published as a PDF it could not be copy protected. I pointed out that the Club was more than an outdated, costly to produce magazine, but it fell on deaf ears. Barry was also the person who persisted in making BC members only, instead of finding a workable mechanism to identify all registered users. Blinkered vision, non strategic.
I have issues with the people who ruin the Club as they are not democratically elected. The fact that the Club is now f*ck*d up is their fault, not the fault of the Club members at large.
Bring back Keith Jecks. He was the last person who actually ran the Club with a sensible head.
While all this is going on the ex Chairman, briefed his buddy, the new Chairman on Barry's opinion and they refused to let me back on. I let my membership lapse. None of these people were elected to their positions by the membership.
Then, when I disclosed a discussion which I did not feel was in any way held in confidence with Barry Sweeney, he sent me the rudest email I've ever been on the receiving end of and decided to block my return to BC posting. The subject of that dsicussion was that if LF was published as a PDF it could not be copy protected. I pointed out that the Club was more than an outdated, costly to produce magazine, but it fell on deaf ears. Barry was also the person who persisted in making BC members only, instead of finding a workable mechanism to identify all registered users. Blinkered vision, non strategic.
I have issues with the people who ruin the Club as they are not democratically elected. The fact that the Club is now f*ck*d up is their fault, not the fault of the Club members at large.
Bring back Keith Jecks. He was the last person who actually ran the Club with a sensible head.
How on earth did we get here again?
Right back to effing L7C/BC again and then another almost impossible to understand Arnie story of how he fell out with some people on BC again.
Outspoken bloke in "has another bust-up" shocker.
Bert
Right back to effing L7C/BC again and then another almost impossible to understand Arnie story of how he fell out with some people on BC again.
Outspoken bloke in "has another bust-up" shocker.
Bert
IBDAET said:
Right, so I finally got kicked off Blatchat because I tried to warn members that a well known engine supliers figures were often inflated, expecially in the example given.
While all this is going on the ex Chairman, briefed his buddy, the new Chairman on Barry's opinion and they refused to let me back on. I let my membership lapse. None of these people were elected to their positions by the membership.
Then, when I disclosed a discussion which I did not feel was in any way held in confidence with Barry Sweeney, he sent me the rudest email I've ever been on the receiving end of and decided to block my return to BC posting. The subject of that dsicussion was that if LF was published as a PDF it could not be copy protected. I pointed out that the Club was more than an outdated, costly to produce magazine, but it fell on deaf ears. Barry was also the person who persisted in making BC members only, instead of finding a workable mechanism to identify all registered users. Blinkered vision, non strategic.
I have issues with the people who ruin the Club as they are not democratically elected. The fact that the Club is now f*ck*d up is their fault, not the fault of the Club members at large.
Bring back Keith Jecks. He was the last person who actually ran the Club with a sensible head.
While all this is going on the ex Chairman, briefed his buddy, the new Chairman on Barry's opinion and they refused to let me back on. I let my membership lapse. None of these people were elected to their positions by the membership.
Then, when I disclosed a discussion which I did not feel was in any way held in confidence with Barry Sweeney, he sent me the rudest email I've ever been on the receiving end of and decided to block my return to BC posting. The subject of that dsicussion was that if LF was published as a PDF it could not be copy protected. I pointed out that the Club was more than an outdated, costly to produce magazine, but it fell on deaf ears. Barry was also the person who persisted in making BC members only, instead of finding a workable mechanism to identify all registered users. Blinkered vision, non strategic.
I have issues with the people who ruin the Club as they are not democratically elected. The fact that the Club is now f*ck*d up is their fault, not the fault of the Club members at large.
Bring back Keith Jecks. He was the last person who actually ran the Club with a sensible head.
rubystone said:
I wasn't aware the club had any case to answer re Arrowstar, beyond the fact Jack and Phillipa advertised in Low Flying? Did the club fail to act correctly? Aves, where are you?...
Sorry - bit late. I can unequivocally state that the 7 club did do the right think morally, and, yes, I am equipped to comment. If it hadn't been for the efforts of the club officers and their instructed professionals Jack & Pippa would have carried on trading unhindered and they certainly wouldn't have been prevented from being company directors by the Dti.Alas that was the old club under the stewardship of Slipperman when it was fun, informative and didn't pander to the lowest denominator.
Who is this James guy? seems a bit of a Wally
AVES said:
rubystone said:
I wasn't aware the club had any case to answer re Arrowstar, beyond the fact Jack and Phillipa advertised in Low Flying? Did the club fail to act correctly? Aves, where are you?...
Sorry - bit late. I can unequivocally state that the 7 club did do the right think morally, and, yes, I am equipped to comment. If it hadn't been for the efforts of the club officers and their instructed professionals Jack & Pippa would have carried on trading unhindered and they certainly wouldn't have been prevented from being company directors by the Dti.Alas that was the old club under the stewardship of Slipperman when it was fun, informative and didn't pander to the lowest denominator.
Who is this James guy? seems a bit of a Wally
How much was owed to the club and how did that breakdown?
It was posted on Blatchat that a member was owed for a car sold under SOR. Not sure if that was true and if so did they ever get the money for the car? As all threads were deleted there was never an outcome that I saw.
AVES said:
& suggesting that Mic doesn't know what goes on at Caterham is a bit like suggesting Tony The Brush doesn't - just madness
I suggested that he was rather rude, and arrogant in assuming that someone who doesnt know him should know exactly who he is. Rather than simply letting someone know which would have been the easier and politer way of interacting with strangers on a web forum 
As already said somewhere in this mass of crap I do know who he is but not everyone does.
james7 said:
The only issue I have is that they did not seem to keep members properly informed of what happened.
How much was owed to the club and how did that breakdown?
It was posted on Blatchat that a member was owed for a car sold under SOR. Not sure if that was true and if so did they ever get the money for the car? As all threads were deleted there was never an outcome that I saw.
Err - The club was threatened with a defamation action by a firm of solicitors because of what had been posted on the forum. Defamation actions are extremely expensive to deal with even if you are justifying a position correctly (the club could not afford to deal with an action if it was paying true rates).How much was owed to the club and how did that breakdown?
It was posted on Blatchat that a member was owed for a car sold under SOR. Not sure if that was true and if so did they ever get the money for the car? As all threads were deleted there was never an outcome that I saw.
While the allegation was rebutted and disproved and evidence collected the relevant threads were removed so as to prevent the production of a legal costs mire in the short term.
Once the evidence had been assimilated an article was published in the club magazine detailing the situation and what had happened. Arrowstar in all their forms backed down and were punished. The club disclosed what it was owed for unpaid adverts - not much as in those days a full page in Low Flying cost about 20 quid. Subsequently the statement linked to above was published in the magazine and put on the forum.
An ex-club member did suffer from the defunct company selling his car and pocketing the proceeds which , as far as I know, he never got back but the club wasn't involved with that other than to ask him to confirm the story evidentially.
The legal work done for the club at that time (pro-bono) had a value in excess of £20,000 even at provincial solicitors rates and that must have been 10/11 years ago.
You post in a somewhat aggressive and ill informed fashion and then accuse others of being less than adult?
Take a step back and try to see how others perceive your words.
AVES said:
Err - The club was threatened with a defamation action by a firm of solicitors because of what had been posted on the forum. Defamation actions are extremely expensive to deal with even if you are justifying a position correctly (the club could not afford to deal with an action if it was paying true rates).
While the allegation was rebutted and disproved and evidence collected the relevant threads were removed so as to prevent the production of a legal costs mire in the short term.
Once the evidence had been assimilated an article was published in the club magazine detailing the situation and what had happened. Arrowstar in all their forms backed down and were punished. The club disclosed what it was owed for unpaid adverts - not much as in those days a full page in Low Flying cost about 20 quid. Subsequently the statement linked to above was published in the magazine and put on the forum.
An ex-club member did suffer from the defunct company selling his car and pocketing the proceeds which , as far as I know, he never got back but the club wasn't involved with that other than to ask him to confirm the story evidentially.
The legal work done for the club at that time (pro-bono) had a value in excess of £20,000 even at provincial solicitors rates and that must have been 10/11 years ago.
You post in a somewhat aggressive and ill informed fashion and then accuse others of being less than adult?
Take a step back and try to see how others perceive your words.
If the amount owed was so little why was there a need for £20000 (albeit pro bono) of legal work? Surely a debt of sub £100 would not justify any legal work? While the allegation was rebutted and disproved and evidence collected the relevant threads were removed so as to prevent the production of a legal costs mire in the short term.
Once the evidence had been assimilated an article was published in the club magazine detailing the situation and what had happened. Arrowstar in all their forms backed down and were punished. The club disclosed what it was owed for unpaid adverts - not much as in those days a full page in Low Flying cost about 20 quid. Subsequently the statement linked to above was published in the magazine and put on the forum.
An ex-club member did suffer from the defunct company selling his car and pocketing the proceeds which , as far as I know, he never got back but the club wasn't involved with that other than to ask him to confirm the story evidentially.
The legal work done for the club at that time (pro-bono) had a value in excess of £20,000 even at provincial solicitors rates and that must have been 10/11 years ago.
You post in a somewhat aggressive and ill informed fashion and then accuse others of being less than adult?
Take a step back and try to see how others perceive your words.
Would it not have been better to have just written the debt off and not published any adverts?
Such a shame that the ex member never got his money returned. I am always amazed how apparently easy it seems to be for a company to "phoenix" and no comeback on any debts etc.
Apologies if you think my posts are aggressive. They are not meant that way at all.
I am/have been ill informed about the arrowstar thing and have never been satisfied with what I had read in low flying/blatchat. Thats not to say that I have not missed anything. Thats easily very possible. Its not one of those things which kept me awake at night. Just some things that stuck in my mind which seemed unresolved. But it would be good to finally understand it all.
One of the problems James is that you come across as one of the "the club is a bad place" crowd, when actually the problem is your lack of information, not the club's lack of giving info. And Aves has explained it again which is exactly as I recall it and I only have rank and file info just being a plebby club member. As Aves has described the legal work was to defend the defamation action, not the debt chasing.
Bert
Bert
BertBert said:
One of the problems James is that you come across as one of the "the club is a bad place" crowd, when actually the problem is your lack of information, not the club's lack of giving info. And Aves has explained it again which is exactly as I recall it and I only have rank and file info just being a plebby club member. As Aves has described the legal work was to defend the defamation action, not the debt chasing.
Bert
I am not anti club, but I feel it could be improved though (I could say the same about lots of things, myself included). However I have found the club to be a little lacking in financial info for some reason. And tend to be a bit blinkered in their way of doing things. The recent website changes is just an example of their lack of providing info and not liking to be asked for it. There seems to be a bit of a "it's my way or else" attitude.Bert
Earlier Aves said "If it hadn't been for the efforts of the club officers and their instructed professionals Jack & Pippa would have carried on trading unhindered and they certainly wouldn't have been prevented from being company directors by the Dti."
This made me assume it was a financial thing. Did the above happen during a defamation action then? Is that normal?
What stopped the others who were owed 800k from doing this?
Earlier it was said the club were threatened with action. Was it a threat or did it go somewhere?
It may surprise you to hear that I am not an expert in this field
how about getting out and enjoying a bit of driving ? Oh yes , forgot it's winter time and all the keyboard battlers are in session.
Mind you it is hilarious , so 11 out of 10 for entertainment. Makes the rest of us realise how much more interesting our lives are though. So thanks for that. As you were
Mind you it is hilarious , so 11 out of 10 for entertainment. Makes the rest of us realise how much more interesting our lives are though. So thanks for that. As you were
mad4amanda said:
So what have the Romans ever done for us eh?
No idea about the Romans, but Callum and the team were unfailingly helpful and informative as I was buying my 7 at the end of 2013. You could not hope to deal with better people. I have not read the whole random off thread ramblings here, I can only assume that mental illness, or thread confusion are rampant. Or maybe LSD is easier to obtain these days. In any event. 7's and classics are good guys and I like my little Caterham. 'Nuff said.
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