What the heck is PistonFest?
Discussion
bobfather said:
Garlick said:
The lack of a PF event is not about lack of profit as BTaP is run at cost level (genuinely).
The main reason for not continuing with PF is the apparent lack of interest, yes we have 30 or so folk who are keen to attend but it was on a slow decline towards the end of it's life and the decision was made to not renew in 2008. I guess it has been off-radar since then, with the effort being put into arranging the monthly Sunday Service meets instead.
I am talking with two of our partners to explore the possibilities of a PF style event in 2011, but it is just a discussion at this stage, although there are some good possibilities being raised.
As an attendee of every PF I see that the slow decline resulted from organisational changes rather than PHer enthusiasm. The simple PF at Shakespeare Raceway was fantastic. Ted then spoiled this simple event by thinking we needed additional entertainment like bungee jumps, team challenges and the like, we didn't, all we wanted was a camping field at a race venue. This hit Ted's pocket badly and PF became a problem rather than an opportunity in the eyes of PH. The last PF was a washout, rain and wind at Snetterton did not make for a good weekend. Snetterton was chosen not for PHer's but because that was the venue where Ted's 2CV 24 hrs race was being run. We need the focus to be on PHer needs not PH needs, that's business thinking, give the customers what they want, not what PH thinks they should have. Shakespeare Raceway was a great venue; I would also suggest one of the MotorSportVision circuits during a classic/armature race weekend.The main reason for not continuing with PF is the apparent lack of interest, yes we have 30 or so folk who are keen to attend but it was on a slow decline towards the end of it's life and the decision was made to not renew in 2008. I guess it has been off-radar since then, with the effort being put into arranging the monthly Sunday Service meets instead.
I am talking with two of our partners to explore the possibilities of a PF style event in 2011, but it is just a discussion at this stage, although there are some good possibilities being raised.
Ted actually canvassed PHers prior to the last Shakespeare event to see how many members would take part in things like bungee jumping, that's always going to result in a skewed response. People say one thing on the forum and do another in reality; any event organiser will know that.
Make it simple and let PHers watch motor sport and entertain themselves. This doesn't need to be difficult, it needs to be simple.
A field near some racing and some beers is all that is needed. We will put up with the weather (but summer might be a good idea
)To be honest we were considering avoiding racing altogether.
A nice private camp site with good driving roads to reach it, large camp fire, big BBQ and perhaps a band for Saturday night.
Relaxed, informal, friendly and can be done cost-effectively keeping ticket prices low.
Think countryside, rather than trackside
A nice private camp site with good driving roads to reach it, large camp fire, big BBQ and perhaps a band for Saturday night.
Relaxed, informal, friendly and can be done cost-effectively keeping ticket prices low.
Think countryside, rather than trackside
Garlick said:
To be honest we were considering avoiding racing altogether.
A nice private camp site with good driving roads to reach it, large camp fire, big BBQ and perhaps a band for Saturday night.
Relaxed, informal, friendly and can be done cost-effectively keeping ticket prices low.
Think countryside, rather than trackside
And somewhere quite central? A nice private camp site with good driving roads to reach it, large camp fire, big BBQ and perhaps a band for Saturday night.
Relaxed, informal, friendly and can be done cost-effectively keeping ticket prices low.
Think countryside, rather than trackside
Garlick said:
To be honest we were considering avoiding racing altogether.
A nice private camp site with good driving roads to reach it, large camp fire, big BBQ and perhaps a band for Saturday night.
Relaxed, informal, friendly and can be done cost-effectively keeping ticket prices low.
Think countryside, rather than trackside
Sounds good to me! A nice private camp site with good driving roads to reach it, large camp fire, big BBQ and perhaps a band for Saturday night.
Relaxed, informal, friendly and can be done cost-effectively keeping ticket prices low.
Think countryside, rather than trackside
Garlick said:
To be honest we were considering avoiding racing altogether.
A nice private camp site with good driving roads to reach it, large camp fire, big BBQ and perhaps a band for Saturday night.
Relaxed, informal, friendly and can be done cost-effectively keeping ticket prices low.
Think countryside, rather than trackside
Garlic, why would you want to change a good thing. I doubt you attended the first PF but the simplicity and the venue were the key to its success. Having the event at a race circuit gives people choice, they can go to watch racing or mingle with other PHers. The race circuit venue campsites are no different to the type of campsite you have in mind. Watching racing isn't mandatory, it's optional. Why not keep this option, after all PH is supposed to be a motoring community, petrol running through our veins.A nice private camp site with good driving roads to reach it, large camp fire, big BBQ and perhaps a band for Saturday night.
Relaxed, informal, friendly and can be done cost-effectively keeping ticket prices low.
Think countryside, rather than trackside
The idea that the only day time entertainment for our hung-over campers is to hoon around on country road where the local police are bound to be very active seems misguided.
Sounds good to me , and let me know if you need any help moving tents !!! 
1. madbadger
2. Vixta
3. _dan_
4. filski666
5. 51mes
6. Kermit Power
7. C2james
8. Deev
9. Dan_1981
10. Becca (if accessible)
11. dirty boy
12. Dupont (I like moving tents, watching him have a paddy even when he walked past it half a dozen times as I may have put it next to the bar entrance)
13.
14. Bahnstormer
1. madbadger
2. Vixta
3. _dan_
4. filski666
5. 51mes
6. Kermit Power
7. C2james
8. Deev
9. Dan_1981
10. Becca (if accessible)
11. dirty boy
12. Dupont (I like moving tents, watching him have a paddy even when he walked past it half a dozen times as I may have put it next to the bar entrance)
13.
14. Bahnstormer
Edited by Bahnstormer on Thursday 28th October 10:07
bobfather said:
Garlick said:
To be honest we were considering avoiding racing altogether.
A nice private camp site with good driving roads to reach it, large camp fire, big BBQ and perhaps a band for Saturday night.
Relaxed, informal, friendly and can be done cost-effectively keeping ticket prices low.
Think countryside, rather than trackside
Garlic, why would you want to change a good thing. I doubt you attended the first PF but the simplicity and the venue were the key to its success. Having the event at a race circuit gives people choice, they can go to watch racing or mingle with other PHers. The race circuit venue campsites are no different to the type of campsite you have in mind. Watching racing isn't mandatory, it's optional. Why not keep this option, after all PH is supposed to be a motoring community, petrol running through our veins.A nice private camp site with good driving roads to reach it, large camp fire, big BBQ and perhaps a band for Saturday night.
Relaxed, informal, friendly and can be done cost-effectively keeping ticket prices low.
Think countryside, rather than trackside
The idea that the only day time entertainment for our hung-over campers is to hoon around on country road where the local police are bound to be very active seems misguided.
Racing was good and so was the beer and company.
bobfather said:
The idea that the only day time entertainment for our hung-over campers is to hoon around on country road where the local police are bound to be very active seems misguided.
Many car events happen away from racing Bob, it doesn't have to be that way to be a success. Most PH meets are away from an 'event' these days and attract hundreds, more often than not thousands, of people. For every chap who likes racing (you) there will be someone else who is happy to be away from it (kermit), if I have gained anything from being on PH, it's learning that no single event will please all 3.2 million on the site. As I say, this is all rather hypothetical at the moment as we don't actually have any plans yet, as we speak it's all just an idea for next year. Don't worry too much just yet.
Dupont666 said:
Cause if you remember the Snetterton one it had no protection from the elements, was too far up north so absolutely bloody freezing, the weather... well I wont mention the weather and the flying tents and gazebos...
Racing was good and so was the beer and company.
Agreed, I was one of the unfortunate people who had their tent destroyed due to high winds. As I said earlier Snetterton was not chosen with PHer needs in mind, it was chosen for Ted because he was racing there that weekend. The Shakespeare Raceway venue was great, we camped in a sheltered area that was ideal for camping.Racing was good and so was the beer and company.
Anyway, this appears to be a non-issue now, Garlic has already rejected the idea of using a circuit venue. PH management really does now recognise that non-petrolhead membership has been increasing and the high ground is now held by the non-petrolhead, what a shame.
filski666 said:
if I want to go sit in a field, drink beer and watch a band I will go to Reading, or Download festivals, thanks.
I assumed this would be car related, not really interested otherwise.
Likewise. Keep the car/racing content, KISS otherwise. I assumed this would be car related, not really interested otherwise.
From my POV (as someone who's been over for TiTT3, Goodwood FoS with the PH Tiv gang, Chelsea Auto Legends etc. etc.) reading (not so much) between the lines the main incentive for people to go to the non-car related PH events seems to be to get utterly and comprehensively pi55ed, which surely must limit their appeal to more people than just yours truly?
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