Discussion
Mrs Fish said:
Fish suggested picking a sunday service that has surrounding fields or something and have a relaxing BBQ evening the night before and camping beforehand? But its always nice to get proper dressed up and have a proper Doo.
I think Fish will be happy with anything that gives him an excuse to buy a new car. 
James P said:
Ali
As I have said before sorry to hear about your mother, that obviously takes your priority over every else.
I may have rather missed the point of what you were trying to say and how you were saying it, in which case I apologise. However I do suspect that you are not aware of everything that has gone on since your birthday party in July 2011 but this is not, if anything ever will be, the time or the place for that to be aired.
Apologies all, can we get back to BTaP now?
Wow, now I'm intrigued! I've obviously missed a lot!As I have said before sorry to hear about your mother, that obviously takes your priority over every else.
I may have rather missed the point of what you were trying to say and how you were saying it, in which case I apologise. However I do suspect that you are not aware of everything that has gone on since your birthday party in July 2011 but this is not, if anything ever will be, the time or the place for that to be aired.
Apologies all, can we get back to BTaP now?
burriana said:
I truly am gobsmacked that ONLY TWENTY-ONE people put their names down for what has, for the last eleven years been the PH social highlight of the year.
WTF happened?
My observations.WTF happened?
Back in the old days there was a separate web site from an easily found link on PH that put a bit of effort into the promotion of the event, as well as lots of banter and promo on PH in general too. BT&P was common knowledge for PH'ers whether they attended the event or not. Now BT&P is almost unknown, like some sort of secret that only the old guard would know about.
When you went to the PH shop it was easy to buy the tickets and book the rooms too, but now there is no longer a PH shop but a link to an outside T shirt retailer and no mention of BT&P.
Trying to find out about BT&P let alone trying to purchase a ticket has not been easy, I looked for it a few times and also scoured the BT&P forum too, but I couldn't find anything whenever I looked. I only finally stumbled across a purchase link a couple of weeks ago.
I also wanted to make a weekend of it, but whenever I searched the hotel for availability there were no rooms for Friday, so with a combination of no room for Friday, hardly any info about the event and not being able to find or buy a ticket easily then unfortunately my interest waned.
In short, IMO the event was barely promoted and the purchase mechanism required the sleuthing of Sherlock to find.
And of course, it's always down South, rather than the Midlands or up North. Not a big deal for me, but I know it was for some.
Edited by Balmoral on Tuesday 29th October 19:43
My comments for what they are worth are: The event was advertised to late, no chance for hype and excitement.
its always down south. Not much fun for us Northerners to commute every year.
I would prefer to pay more money for the meal and have a nice meal not a pie.
Having Met My Hubby (Jimbro1000) at BTAP I have very fond memories of the event and meeting up with like minded people.
It is more of a corporate event.
I think the demographics overall of Pistonheads has changed enormously since it's conception and that is the reason why Btap this year was not a hit...
DISCUSS.
markmullered said:
DEVIANT said:
AFAIK RWR will talk to anyone, but they might force you to do a strawpedo 
Or 6PoleDriver said:
burriana said:
WTF happened?
2) News got around that a certain 'hard-core' section of PH weren't going.Why did they decide not to go? Is it simply a case of hard times (doubtful), or is there some other random reason. I would love to know out of sheer curiosity what the reasons were for all the no shows.
Mrs Fish said:
Shnozz said:
A long while back we "exchanged" BTaP for an xmas night out with a PH group and booked a fantastic restaurant, had limos drive us around all night and spent far too long in the casino after dinner in what became an annual alternative event with similar spend.
We were never invited to that! WinstonWolf said:
I've been to a couple of BTaPs back in the day when PH was all about the banter. Nowadays, there's a lot of new arrivals I wouldn't want to share a drink with...
Blunt but fair.
Not so sure I'd call myself a new arrival, however this would have been my first BTaP. But thanks for the welcoming sentiment. Blunt but fair.
Impasse said:
WinstonWolf said:
I've been to a couple of BTaPs back in the day when PH was all about the banter. Nowadays, there's a lot of new arrivals I wouldn't want to share a drink with...
Blunt but fair.
Not so sure I'd call myself a new arrival, however this would have been my first BTaP. But thanks for the welcoming sentiment. Blunt but fair.
selym said:
Podie said:
Tumbler said:
I also really miss the old auction...
One of my enduring memories of BTaP is Shady bidding on that photo, and handing it to Burriana.Which was the one (2007/8) where Jamie was wondering around filling ladies' glasses with pink Moet, and that was just the Saturday afternoon session. He ran up a bar bill of £2500 before 6pm
However, the year in question; are you sitting comfortably?
The year was 2004. BTaP followed about six weeks after the very first PH EuroHoon road trip (which was awesome). We made some great friends that trip. Anyway, this particular year Ted (Petrol Ted) decided to run a competition for the "most coveted car" in the car park.
Obviously Shadytree's sublime new Aston Martin DB9, only recently launched, was a clear cut favourite, by some margin. However, this year there was a particularly large Yorkshire contingent and, by means of some enthusiastic, if not strictly unbiased canvassing, a rather grubby, bestickered yellow Ferrari romped home the surprise winner (by some margin) of a rather splendid trophy, which was awarded during the dinner.
Obviously I had gotten wind of what was going on and upon receiving the trophy and after thanking my canvassers, promptly presented it to Stuart (Shady) as the rightful winner. I believe I used the term "my fellow EuroHooner and good friend", which holds true to this day.
Anyway, during EuroHoon a month or two earlier we had aboard a photographer and, one of these superb images had been framed as a PH/EuroHoon/general cool car shot pic. It was the last lot to be auctioned off at about 1am in the morning when everyone was in a generous and giving mood (drunk). As the pic was of my car, I had already decided that it was the right thing to do to bid and, set myself a limit of £100. The auction went something like this:
"Ok, last lot of the night, a great image, superb shot, a yellow Ferrari in the Alps.. what am I bid?..
£500? Sold!"
Bang! Just like that. I didn't even get chance to bid. On looking around the pillar I was gobsmacked to see that it was Stuart that had the picture. I walked over, gave him a hug and told him it was fantastic... but why?
He handed the picture to me and simply said; "there's only one bloke this picture was going home with, it's yours".
Even though the Cancer charity was a cause close to Stuart's heart (I believe we raised over £5000 that year) it was still an unbelievable act that I will remember for the rest of my life. I look at that picture every single time I walk down our stairs.
That, my fellow PHers, is a prime example of the true spirit of PistonHeads
Almost brought a tear, did that. 
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