Discussion
456mgt said:
OH and I debated whether or not to cancel the room, but decided to do it anyway, and still going to stay there on the Sat night. She bought a new dress for it too so if anyone wanted to do an impromptu black tie dinner, we'd be up for it. I'd add myself to the list up there, but can't be arsed with the formatting.
| Member | Action |
| airbrakes | hopefully still going, black tie |
| Cotty | cancelled |
| Fish | cancelled |
| Dazren | cancelled |
| rviant | cancelled |
| TonyHetherington | cancelled |
| spikeyhead | hopefully still going |
| wattsie_2004 | cancelled |
| 456mgt | still going, black tie |
PoleDriver 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.
burriana said:
That is the one I am scratching my head at. We have always had a hard core of at least 50 people that have been going every year.
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.
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.
the ones that get slagged off elsewhere in the forums for ruining it every year for being childish & cliquey you mean?Most were still going, only aware of 3 that could not. Few logos, but the intention of going was there! I told one of them last night it was canceled & he was as shocked as we are, although hadn't bought his ticket yet!
But what of the rest? They are only a 1/3 of those that go.
I know a couple of others need to spend the £1k (with dress, petrol, beer, hotel, tickets etc) elsewhere (that's what it cost me the year before last). I did £500 last year & was meant to be driving home!
Me - I'm not going anywhere other than the Hospital/Mum's.
A couple of others always leave buying their tickets to the last moment!
I dunno - last years was the best yet, even if the free bar was crap!
The last few years there hasn't been the frenzy of buying tickets on the day, it's been a fast start but not the sell out in hours it used to have. Tickets on sale so late hasn't allowed that. Everyone has got complacent & not got round to it yet.
PH have accommodated demand for tickets by moving to a bigger venue, losing that exclusivity of the logo & being there - maybe use the smaller room at the venue next year (as I'm guessing our return there is part of the cancellation deal?); & bring back some of the excitement of getting a ticket back?
I think it's just down to poor advertising on when the tickets were on sale, IMHO down to the very sad departure of Stuart.
Edited by ali_kat on Tuesday 29th October 07:35
ali_kat said:
garyhun said:
I can fully understand why people 'outside' of the hardcore would not be interested any more. No idea about the rest though.
Go on then G, share please!Unless you are in the 'inner sanctum' you get pushed onto a table in the far corner of the room as though you are a second class citizen.
The last one I went to, 2 years ago I think, my other half won a really excellent prize (driving day). When she had walked from the back of the room to collect, someone at the front had claimed the prize with a non winning ticket (if you remember that was when they sold 2 lots of tickets with the same numbers so had to go by the code on the ticket). That was just the icing on the cake for me.
I'm sure it's still a fab night out for many, but for me it had become like a big private joke that, unless you were in on it, you would not get.
As I said, just my opinion.
garyhun said:
Basically, it's become very cliquey Ali. IMO of course.
Well, looks like the "clique" decided not to go then. This year could have been the best yet by that measure only... oh. Careful what you wish for.
garyhun said:
Unless you are in the 'inner sanctum' you get pushed onto a table in the far corner of the room as though you are a second class citizen.
I know that was posted 'IMHO', but IMHO I think that's complete rubbish. | Member | Action |
| airbrakes | hopefully still going, black tie |
| Cotty | cancelled |
| Fish | cancelled |
| Dazren | cancelled |
| rviant | cancelled |
| TonyHetherington | cancelled |
| spikeyhead | hopefully still going |
| wattsie_2004 | cancelled |
| 456mgt | still going, black tie |
| bigburd | cancelled |
| Member | Action |
| airbrakes | hopefully still going, black tie |
| Cotty | cancelled |
| Fish | cancelled |
| Dazren | cancelled |
| rviant | cancelled |
| TonyHetherington | cancelled |
| spikeyhead | hopefully still going |
| wattsie_2004 | cancelled |
| 456mgt | still going, black tie |
| bigburd | cancelled |
JonRB said:
garyhun said:
Basically, it's become very cliquey Ali. IMO of course.
Well, looks like the "clique" decided not to go then. This year could have been the best yet by that measure only... oh. Careful what you wish for.
garyhun said:
Unless you are in the 'inner sanctum' you get pushed onto a table in the far corner of the room as though you are a second class citizen.
I know that was posted 'IMHO', but IMHO I think that's complete rubbish. For me it came down to (amongst other things) cost and familarity. The hotel is OK but unless you are with your own group of mates why would you go back to the same place 4 years in a row? For a couple staying two nights the minimum spend is £350 ignoring fuel, (some)drinks and a meal on the Friday night - elsewhere that pays for a weekend break with a far better meal so the only reason to go is to meet your mates and take advantage of the included drinks. My guess is that did not appeal to enough people this year.
James P said:
For me it came down to (amongst other things) cost and familiarity. The hotel is OK but unless you are with your own group of mates why would you go back to the same place 4 years in a row? For a couple staying two nights the minimum spend is £350 ignoring fuel, (some)drinks and a meal on the Friday night - elsewhere that pays for a weekend break with a far better meal so the only reason to go is to meet your mates and take advantage of the included drinks. My guess is that did not appeal to enough people this year.
I agree. I think the other issue is that there isn't the same impetus to 'catch up' with friends these days; there's quite a social scene outside of PH now. Most of the people I would look forward to seeing are also now on my Facebook, so I feel like I know what is going on in their lives already. I even meet up with some of them face-to-face occasionally too.
Also, as you say, it can get very expensive. And if you're travelling on your own, like I would be now, there is the additional worry of being ok to drive the next day.
garyhun said:
Basically, it's become very cliquey Ali. IMO of course.
Unless you are in the 'inner sanctum' you get pushed onto a table in the far corner of the room as though you are a second class citizen.
The last one I went to, 2 years ago I think, my other half won a really excellent prize (driving day). When she had walked from the back of the room to collect, someone at the front had claimed the prize with a non winning ticket (if you remember that was when they sold 2 lots of tickets with the same numbers so had to go by the code on the ticket). That was just the icing on the cake for me.
I'm sure it's still a fab night out for many, but for me it had become like a big private joke that, unless you were in on it, you would not get.
As I said, just my opinion.
Unless you are in the 'inner sanctum' you get pushed onto a table in the far corner of the room as though you are a second class citizen.
The last one I went to, 2 years ago I think, my other half won a really excellent prize (driving day). When she had walked from the back of the room to collect, someone at the front had claimed the prize with a non winning ticket (if you remember that was when they sold 2 lots of tickets with the same numbers so had to go by the code on the ticket). That was just the icing on the cake for me.
I'm sure it's still a fab night out for many, but for me it had become like a big private joke that, unless you were in on it, you would not get.
As I said, just my opinion.
how you can say that when you haven't been for years? Despite repeated 'nags/requests' from me 
My table last year was right on the edge at the very back of the room, yet by many I would be considered to be in that 'inner sanctum'
I don't see it as cliquey, or any inner sanctum.Did you say anything at the time? Mistakes made were rectified IIRC.
I've been attending BTaP since 2004, since then the whole vibe of the event has changed for me, I remember when the members donated the prizes for the raffle and the auction, this alone generated much chatter and interest as the main focus of the event was to raise money for charity, this aspect seems to have sadly been eroded, last year the event fell flat for me as nearly every who I didn't recognise was not a pistonheads member/poster, they seemed to be there on some company jolly and had little or no interest in cars.
Having it's own forum potentially also means it escapes some people, depending on how you have you favourites set and how often you refer to the home page, the logos have always generated interest, are they visable on phone browsing?
The event now always falls on bonfire night so that causes a clash for me.
Having it's own forum potentially also means it escapes some people, depending on how you have you favourites set and how often you refer to the home page, the logos have always generated interest, are they visable on phone browsing?
The event now always falls on bonfire night so that causes a clash for me.
JonRB said:
garyhun said:
Basically, it's become very cliquey Ali. IMO of course.
Well, looks like the "clique" decided not to go then. This year could have been the best yet by that measure only... oh. Careful what you wish for.
Although last year was said by everyone to be the best so far! (apart from the free bar
)James P said:
IMO It probably had become cliquey but that's almost inevitable when you have approx 180 people attending the same event specifically to meet up with their group of mates. Whether one "clique" decided to attend or not should not decide the fate of the whole event.
For me it came down to (amongst other things) cost and familarity. The hotel is OK but unless you are with your own group of mates why would you go back to the same place 4 years in a row? For a couple staying two nights the minimum spend is £350 ignoring fuel, (some)drinks and a meal on the Friday night - elsewhere that pays for a weekend break with a far better meal so the only reason to go is to meet your mates and take advantage of the included drinks. My guess is that did not appeal to enough people this year.
Agree James with the cost & familiarity; although Friday night is hardcore, Sunday night sensible!For me it came down to (amongst other things) cost and familarity. The hotel is OK but unless you are with your own group of mates why would you go back to the same place 4 years in a row? For a couple staying two nights the minimum spend is £350 ignoring fuel, (some)drinks and a meal on the Friday night - elsewhere that pays for a weekend break with a far better meal so the only reason to go is to meet your mates and take advantage of the included drinks. My guess is that did not appeal to enough people this year.
Clique is the wrong word I think... although I'm at a loss for a different description other than group of friends - as most of the regulars know each other VERY well now. A clique is a small exclusive group of friends ie excluding others - no one gets excluded at BTaP, if you are on your own/look new someone comes to talk to you, to find out who you are, introduce you around to others - give you a drink & get you involved in drinking games.
JRB - being able to drive the next day is just like any other party, entirely under your own control
garyhun said:
As I said that's just my view. You never know, maybe I just grew out of it
What does surprise me though is why the normal hardcore are not interested in going. Maybe it's time for a smaller, more intimate gathering?
What do I know
At your age What does surprise me though is why the normal hardcore are not interested in going. Maybe it's time for a smaller, more intimate gathering?
What do I know
xxBut to the best of my knowledge they were planning on going; a couple couldn't make it, but the rest were going when I spoke to them recently!
James P said:
IMO It probably had become cliquey but that's almost inevitable when you have approx 180 people attending the same event specifically to meet up with their group of mates.
I agree.A lot of people have known each other for 10 years or more, so it's not really a clique - it's mates getting together.
It's not just "people from PH" anymore - there are groups of people who go on holiday together, Le Mans (and the Classic), have been to weddings, funerals, birthdays and other events together...
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