Bedford - facilities or lack of
Discussion
Got a free day at Bedford coming up, I'm aware there are no garages for use at Bedford so as I drive an open car, Caterham, was wondering whether it was worth bringing a gazebo type affair along as weather likely to be iffy at best.
Is the paddock a hardstanding area? Is there access to a grass area where said gazebo can be pinned down?
Thanks.
Is the paddock a hardstanding area? Is there access to a grass area where said gazebo can be pinned down?
Thanks.
There are garages at Bedford and every time I,ve been they,ve been hired out , If your towing a trailer you have to park it in a seperate paddock which is normally quite full and a five minute walk from the paddock next to the track . Dont think you can have anything other than your car in this paddock as its very tight on space once every ones there
This time of year it is likely to be a lot less busy than in the summer so you might just get a garage on the day but pre-booking would be smart if you can.
Palmer is not about to build any more garages there, it's a pretty small paddock but just the right size for the corporate stuff that they run there, trackdays are not a Bedford priority.
Palmer is not about to build any more garages there, it's a pretty small paddock but just the right size for the corporate stuff that they run there, trackdays are not a Bedford priority.
It depends what track you are on. If you do the GP, west, southwest there are the main garages and you will be able to prebook or reserve for smalll fee. The are big garages and laods of room for stuff.
If you are on north, northeast or northeast south like they use on the novice days then you are right, you will be in an open paddock BUT there is loads of room to use other areas inc grass areas to pin out a gazebo.
If you are on north, northeast or northeast south like they use on the novice days then you are right, you will be in an open paddock BUT there is loads of room to use other areas inc grass areas to pin out a gazebo.
Facilities at Bedford are simply awful. They are not really set up for track days.
We can't hire a garage as they won't let us take the trailer through to unload so we have to base ourselves in the outer area. That varies depending on what else is going on around the place as well. They can rather squeeze you into a small area even though there are acres of hardstanding free.
Then when you consider that fuel is some ridiculous amount per litre, there are NO catering facilities and minimal bogs, some staff are over officious and the time it takes to pass through the various checkpoints just to get in seems excessive.....makes you wonder why we keep going. I do enjoy the GT circuit though, and I guess that's it.
Could be so much better as a trackday venue though. Wouldn't take much.
We can't hire a garage as they won't let us take the trailer through to unload so we have to base ourselves in the outer area. That varies depending on what else is going on around the place as well. They can rather squeeze you into a small area even though there are acres of hardstanding free.
Then when you consider that fuel is some ridiculous amount per litre, there are NO catering facilities and minimal bogs, some staff are over officious and the time it takes to pass through the various checkpoints just to get in seems excessive.....makes you wonder why we keep going. I do enjoy the GT circuit though, and I guess that's it.
Could be so much better as a trackday venue though. Wouldn't take much.
this is interesting reading. I've been to Bedford many a time but in bog standard road cars (Civic Type-R, Impreza Turbo, MR2) so have never needed to use the garages and didn't appreciate it was this difficult for some others. I've seen trailers being told to take their cars elsewhere and seen the guys having to set up their cars elsewhere.
However, when I'm at the pitlane, I always see plenty of spaces in the garages with some guys fettling their cars there. Do you have to pay to use those?
Toilets do get a bit messy, but that's the same everywhere. At work, we have plenty of loos which are cleaned twice during office hours but still they get disgusting. I take it that this is normal in all gents.
Food, I always bring my own due to diet restrictions but I do hear the feedback from others "disgusting food", "extortionate pricing". I guess they need to make their profits.
Fuel seems to vary. Sometimes it's pretty much the same price as outside other times it's 10p/litre more.
I do enjoy the wide circuit but do hate the over officious marshalls. Slight drift and they pull you in even if you are nowhere near the noise meters.
However, when I'm at the pitlane, I always see plenty of spaces in the garages with some guys fettling their cars there. Do you have to pay to use those?
Toilets do get a bit messy, but that's the same everywhere. At work, we have plenty of loos which are cleaned twice during office hours but still they get disgusting. I take it that this is normal in all gents.
Food, I always bring my own due to diet restrictions but I do hear the feedback from others "disgusting food", "extortionate pricing". I guess they need to make their profits.
Fuel seems to vary. Sometimes it's pretty much the same price as outside other times it's 10p/litre more.
I do enjoy the wide circuit but do hate the over officious marshalls. Slight drift and they pull you in even if you are nowhere near the noise meters.
Edited by leef44 on Sunday 1st January 14:15
silverthorn2151 said:
...there are NO catering facilities...
They have a huge restaurant - how did you miss that? Food is pretty good although there isn't a massive choice.silverthorn2151 said:
Could be so much better as a trackday venue though. Wouldn't take much.
You mean if they dug it up and added some hills?!leef44 said:
Food, I always bring my own due to diet restrictions but I do hear the feedback from others "disgusting food", "extortionate pricing". I guess they need to make their profits.
Credit where it's due though, at Snetterton (same MSV group) the restaurant is great and serves good quality, homemade 'bloke food' for very reasonable prices. So it can't be a corporate policy to charge a lot for very little. Though having said that, the restaurant at Brands isn't nearly as good as Snet either.
We do most of our track hires at Bedford, I find if you get there early enough, have a word with one of the guys they have no issue with you decamping in the pits then removing the support to the hardstanding by reception.
Always get a garage but with the MSV days you do have to pay extra for it.
James
Always get a garage but with the MSV days you do have to pay extra for it.
James
spyderman8 said:
silverthorn2151 said:
...there are NO catering facilities...
They have a huge restaurant - how did you miss that? Food is pretty good although there isn't a massive choice. JP should employ the Snetterton model, as has been mentioned elsewhere.
silverthorn2151 said:
Could be so much better as a trackday venue though. Wouldn't take much.
spyderman8 said:
You mean if they dug it up and added some hills?!
Lol, no I don't mean that, as you well know. A variety of tracks to enjoy around the country is perfect so we have the option of hills elsewhere.The point about the garages is nothing to do with expense. Running a Radical on a trackday involves much more fettling than most other things and the trailer is equipped with everything that we need (apart from the inevitable widget that we have forgotten). Decamping all that from a trailer into a garage at the start of a day is a real PITA.
Don't mind being on the outside, although you miss out on some of the atmosphere, but they are not consistent about where to go and aome of the staff are over officious. That can be a bit tedious.
I've skim read this thread so apologies if I'm repeating what's already been stated.
If the staff at Bedford are guilty of being 'officious' it's only down to those trackday customers that, despite prior warning and plenty of notice insist on chancing their arm with excessively noisy motors.
Noise is an issue at Bedford, but when a small number of people take the piss the staff have to manage the event as if each and every one of us could jeopardise their livelihood. I've always found all of the staff professional and polite to deal with (and those of you that know me know I'm talking from an organisers viewpoint here)
I'm not about to comment on the finer points of Mr Palmers business model, but I'm pretty sure that, if it came to a toss up between running trackdays alongside his corporate stuff, or not being able to run at all, trackdays would get the chop.
With regards to facilities, every CD event we've run there has catering provided by Bedford, spectator facilities and garage hire.
Give the staff a break, they're having to make the best of severe outside influences from local council etc.
If the staff at Bedford are guilty of being 'officious' it's only down to those trackday customers that, despite prior warning and plenty of notice insist on chancing their arm with excessively noisy motors.
Noise is an issue at Bedford, but when a small number of people take the piss the staff have to manage the event as if each and every one of us could jeopardise their livelihood. I've always found all of the staff professional and polite to deal with (and those of you that know me know I'm talking from an organisers viewpoint here)
I'm not about to comment on the finer points of Mr Palmers business model, but I'm pretty sure that, if it came to a toss up between running trackdays alongside his corporate stuff, or not being able to run at all, trackdays would get the chop.
With regards to facilities, every CD event we've run there has catering provided by Bedford, spectator facilities and garage hire.
Give the staff a break, they're having to make the best of severe outside influences from local council etc.
I can appreciate the challange of dealing with the council, and you're quite correct about people seeking to circumvent the rules that we all know about. Last time I was there a chap turned up in a fabulous looking, and sounding F40. Rumour had it that it tested 120db! That can't possibly have been a suprise.
I tend to dispair when I read threads that suggest eople lift by the drive by microphones etc etc. That's missing the point and will eventually ruin it for all. On reflection the staff are pleasant and professional. My run in was with one individual and I'll put that down to experience.
What I can't agree with is the catering. Stuck in the outer paddock it is simply impossible to get a cup of tea or anything at all outside the lunch hour.
But I do enjoy the circuit, and that's really what it's about.
I tend to dispair when I read threads that suggest eople lift by the drive by microphones etc etc. That's missing the point and will eventually ruin it for all. On reflection the staff are pleasant and professional. My run in was with one individual and I'll put that down to experience.
What I can't agree with is the catering. Stuck in the outer paddock it is simply impossible to get a cup of tea or anything at all outside the lunch hour.
But I do enjoy the circuit, and that's really what it's about.
ringweekends said:
silverthorn2151 said:
But I do enjoy the circuit, and that's really what it's about.
Me too, although not as much as 'traditional' tracks.That chap with the F40 was on one of our events. He'd brought another car with him as he knew he'd be kicked off.
I also heard that the F40 chap made it on track in something else. It was a Circuit Days event we were on though...weren't we?
Amazed by this thread!
I think Bedford is the best facility in the UK for trackdays. I've raced at every circuit in Britain, and Bedford has ample garage space (on the main West/SW circuit), a large restaurant, plenty of places to get shelter, free water, coffee vending machines and polite professional staff.
The security at the entrance means it is one venue where I'd have no qualms about leaving stuff in the paddock, unlike Oulton, Silverstone or Donington.
Yes, the fuel is expensive, but it is the same at any circuit. Bedford has a Shell garage 2 miles away.
I think Bedford is the best facility in the UK for trackdays. I've raced at every circuit in Britain, and Bedford has ample garage space (on the main West/SW circuit), a large restaurant, plenty of places to get shelter, free water, coffee vending machines and polite professional staff.
The security at the entrance means it is one venue where I'd have no qualms about leaving stuff in the paddock, unlike Oulton, Silverstone or Donington.
Yes, the fuel is expensive, but it is the same at any circuit. Bedford has a Shell garage 2 miles away.
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