The end of free Thursday FOS tickets
Discussion
I wouldn't have said that the Kinrara was that busy Thursday, certainly not that it affected my experience, maybe they have higher insurance costs thanks to that flying wheel and a very lucky outcome this year! Also the travel delays coming in from Midhurst were due to a swimming pool delivery I was told, so not something to expect next year. Not sure I'll bother even with 50% off
GRRC member since 2001.
These days I just use the FoS Thursday tickets, GRRC Trackdays (1 or 2 a year) and Members Meeting weekend tickets.
Haven't been to the revival in a long time, but used to love the paddock access GRRC gave me, that's why I held membership for so many years.
My billing only goes as far back as 2012 but I see nearly £4k spent on membership in 10 years. I moved from family to individual membership as the cost vs. benefit was excessive.
Given Members Meeting tickets are easy enough to get hold of via other channels then with this change I think i'll bin it off entirely as it no longer represents value for the way I use it. Will use the £ saved for something else car related.
These days I just use the FoS Thursday tickets, GRRC Trackdays (1 or 2 a year) and Members Meeting weekend tickets.
Haven't been to the revival in a long time, but used to love the paddock access GRRC gave me, that's why I held membership for so many years.
My billing only goes as far back as 2012 but I see nearly £4k spent on membership in 10 years. I moved from family to individual membership as the cost vs. benefit was excessive.
Given Members Meeting tickets are easy enough to get hold of via other channels then with this change I think i'll bin it off entirely as it no longer represents value for the way I use it. Will use the £ saved for something else car related.
https://www.goodwood.com/motorsport/grrc-membershi...
I was looking to not renew this year as the benefits have been eroded over time and an increase in members also meant it was harder to attend some of the free benefits like driving tours and factory visits.
But after a great revival with friends I was going to renew for next year. But with the removal of the tickets it’s making me reconsider as it really isn’t good value for money anymore.
I was looking to not renew this year as the benefits have been eroded over time and an increase in members also meant it was harder to attend some of the free benefits like driving tours and factory visits.
But after a great revival with friends I was going to renew for next year. But with the removal of the tickets it’s making me reconsider as it really isn’t good value for money anymore.
Festival of Speed Thursday Tickets
Firstly, I want to take this opportunity to thank you all for your enthusiastic support at all three of our headline events this season, as we celebrated 75 years of motorsport at Goodwood.
I hope you all had a wonderful time at our 25th Goodwood Revival. It was good to see so many of you there, and I’m pleased to hear that your response to the new enclosures, and the easier road access, was so positive. I’m also delighted that you enjoyed our year-round events – 2023 was our busiest year to date – and that lots of you have already expressed interest in next year’s exciting calendar.
As you know, we also celebrated 30 years of the Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard this year. What began as a two-day event in 1993, grew to three days and then four, with the addition, in 2010, of the Moving Motor Show – a preview day for manufacturers to demonstrate their latest vehicles on the hill. Due to the low-key nature of the day, which was originally positioned as a standalone event rather than the official opening day of the Festival, we were delighted to offer complimentary tickets to all our Goodwood members. However, since 2017, the manufacturer content on Thursday has been significantly reduced, and instead we have focused on delivering a programme of activity on the hill that is much more befitting the opening day of the Festival. With this evolution, demand for tickets has grown enormously.
The results of the survey following this year’s event clearly show that the opening day has now become too crowded, with consequences to traffic, catering and other facilities. Despite the new Pit Stop and other on-event enhancements, it is no longer delivering the kind of experience that we aim to create for our members. Where previously we were able to absorb complimentary member tickets into the overall attendance number, this is no longer the case.
Having carefully considered all the options, we are left with no choice but to remove complimentary Thursday tickets as part of the membership benefits. This will also apply to the Kinrara Enclosure which, as many of you will be aware, had become overcrowded on Thursdays. These restrictions will not just be limited to the GRRC – we will also be suspending the Festival of Speed reciprocal arrangements with other Goodwood memberships. However, we will continue to offer complimentary horse racing tickets for GRRC members.
I understand this may be disappointing, and in order to phase in the change gradually, we will offer 2024 Thursday tickets to GRRC members at a 50% discount (two for adult members, four for family members). From 2025 onwards, Thursday tickets will include the recently increased GRRC member discount of 25%. An advanced booking information leaflet will be emailed to you shortly, and will include full details of all the ticket prices, including a special 2024 rate for the Kinrara Enclosure on Thursday.
We have all enjoyed celebrating the club’s 25th anniversary and I very much appreciate all you bring to our motorsport activities at Goodwood. I am determined, along with the GRRC team, to continually review and enhance the membership benefits such as those enjoyed at the Revival this year, as it is clear from your feedback that these are the type of benefits you value the most. There are some fantastic plans on the horizon, and I look forward to sharing these with you in due course.
I very much look forward to hopefully seeing a great many of you at our Christmas Balls in December.
Warm regards,
Firstly, I want to take this opportunity to thank you all for your enthusiastic support at all three of our headline events this season, as we celebrated 75 years of motorsport at Goodwood.
I hope you all had a wonderful time at our 25th Goodwood Revival. It was good to see so many of you there, and I’m pleased to hear that your response to the new enclosures, and the easier road access, was so positive. I’m also delighted that you enjoyed our year-round events – 2023 was our busiest year to date – and that lots of you have already expressed interest in next year’s exciting calendar.
As you know, we also celebrated 30 years of the Festival of Speed presented by Mastercard this year. What began as a two-day event in 1993, grew to three days and then four, with the addition, in 2010, of the Moving Motor Show – a preview day for manufacturers to demonstrate their latest vehicles on the hill. Due to the low-key nature of the day, which was originally positioned as a standalone event rather than the official opening day of the Festival, we were delighted to offer complimentary tickets to all our Goodwood members. However, since 2017, the manufacturer content on Thursday has been significantly reduced, and instead we have focused on delivering a programme of activity on the hill that is much more befitting the opening day of the Festival. With this evolution, demand for tickets has grown enormously.
The results of the survey following this year’s event clearly show that the opening day has now become too crowded, with consequences to traffic, catering and other facilities. Despite the new Pit Stop and other on-event enhancements, it is no longer delivering the kind of experience that we aim to create for our members. Where previously we were able to absorb complimentary member tickets into the overall attendance number, this is no longer the case.
Having carefully considered all the options, we are left with no choice but to remove complimentary Thursday tickets as part of the membership benefits. This will also apply to the Kinrara Enclosure which, as many of you will be aware, had become overcrowded on Thursdays. These restrictions will not just be limited to the GRRC – we will also be suspending the Festival of Speed reciprocal arrangements with other Goodwood memberships. However, we will continue to offer complimentary horse racing tickets for GRRC members.
I understand this may be disappointing, and in order to phase in the change gradually, we will offer 2024 Thursday tickets to GRRC members at a 50% discount (two for adult members, four for family members). From 2025 onwards, Thursday tickets will include the recently increased GRRC member discount of 25%. An advanced booking information leaflet will be emailed to you shortly, and will include full details of all the ticket prices, including a special 2024 rate for the Kinrara Enclosure on Thursday.
We have all enjoyed celebrating the club’s 25th anniversary and I very much appreciate all you bring to our motorsport activities at Goodwood. I am determined, along with the GRRC team, to continually review and enhance the membership benefits such as those enjoyed at the Revival this year, as it is clear from your feedback that these are the type of benefits you value the most. There are some fantastic plans on the horizon, and I look forward to sharing these with you in due course.
I very much look forward to hopefully seeing a great many of you at our Christmas Balls in December.
Warm regards,
ecsrobin said:
https://www.goodwood.com/motorsport/grrc-membershi...
I was looking to not renew this year as the benefits have been eroded over time and an increase in members also meant it was harder to attend some of the free benefits like driving tours and factory visits.
But after a great revival with friends I was going to renew for next year. But with the removal of the tickets it’s making me reconsider as it really isn’t good value for money anymore.
A lot of us will be thinking the same. A kick in the teeth for members who have been extremely loyal over the years. One dilution of membership benefit after another.I was looking to not renew this year as the benefits have been eroded over time and an increase in members also meant it was harder to attend some of the free benefits like driving tours and factory visits.
But after a great revival with friends I was going to renew for next year. But with the removal of the tickets it’s making me reconsider as it really isn’t good value for money anymore.
Previously I was seriously thinking about not renewing this year. I'm retired and membership is very much a considered purchase so this has done it for me. I'll forgo my membership and if I want to go to anything I'll buy secondary market tickets just before the event rather than buy in January.
Unreal said:
A lot of us will be thinking the same. A kick in the teeth for members who have been extremely loyal over the years. One dilution of membership benefit after another.
Exactly what I 'm thinking. I've been a member since mid 2000s but this year I only managed to get to members meeting and free Thursday as the Revival clashed with the first rugby world cup weekend. Very hard to see where the benefit of being a member is now so many "perks" have been eroded as well as diluted by the so-called Fellowship.Unreal said:
Festival of Speed Thursday Tickets
...the Moving Motor Show – a preview day for manufacturers to demonstrate their latest vehicles on the hill. Due to the low-key nature of the day, which was originally positioned as a standalone event rather than the official opening day of the Festival, we were delighted to offer complimentary tickets to all our Goodwood members.
However, since 2017, the manufacturer content on Thursday has been significantly reduced, and instead we have focused on delivering a programme of activity on the hill that is much more befitting the opening day of the Festival. With this evolution, demand for tickets has grown enormously.
The results of the survey following this year’s event clearly show that the opening day has now become too crowded,
it is no longer delivering the kind of experience that we aim to create for our members. Where previously we were able to absorb complimentary member tickets into the overall attendance number, this is no longer the case.
Having carefully considered all the options, we are left with no choice but to remove complimentary Thursday tickets as part of the membership benefits.
I very much look forward to hopefully seeing a great many of you at our Christmas Balls in December.
Warm regards,
My bold and edit....the Moving Motor Show – a preview day for manufacturers to demonstrate their latest vehicles on the hill. Due to the low-key nature of the day, which was originally positioned as a standalone event rather than the official opening day of the Festival, we were delighted to offer complimentary tickets to all our Goodwood members.
However, since 2017, the manufacturer content on Thursday has been significantly reduced, and instead we have focused on delivering a programme of activity on the hill that is much more befitting the opening day of the Festival. With this evolution, demand for tickets has grown enormously.
The results of the survey following this year’s event clearly show that the opening day has now become too crowded,
it is no longer delivering the kind of experience that we aim to create for our members. Where previously we were able to absorb complimentary member tickets into the overall attendance number, this is no longer the case.
Having carefully considered all the options, we are left with no choice but to remove complimentary Thursday tickets as part of the membership benefits.
I very much look forward to hopefully seeing a great many of you at our Christmas Balls in December.
Warm regards,
The other option presumably being to limit the public tickets and therefore cash-in being unpalatable?
I read that as 'we started something for the manufacturers then realised we can milk it for a bit more money'.
Whist I'm not a GW Member I do have great affection for the circuit etc. the first FOS I attended was the third run, my first Revival was the first run, did my ARDS
there bought my father membership a long time ago, (which he did not really make use of), I do see this as a complete cash grab which is something of a shame. Obviously I don't know however I doubt the whole show is run on margins that are that tight.
Crook said:
My bold and edit.
The other option presumably being to limit the public tickets and therefore cash-in being unpalatable?
I read that as 'we started something for the manufacturers then realised we can milk it for a bit more money'.
Whist I'm not a GW Member I do have great affection for the circuit etc. the first FOS I attended was the third run, my first Revival was the first run, did my ARDS
there bought my father membership a long time ago, (which he did not really make use of), I do see this as a complete cash grab which is something of a shame. Obviously I don't know however I doubt the whole show is run on margins that are that tight.
£300k in ticket sales or there about and then an additional day of kinrara sales and then the associated food and drink costs. Probably close to £500k they’ve just made there plus they still have the same club fees win win for Goodwood The other option presumably being to limit the public tickets and therefore cash-in being unpalatable?
I read that as 'we started something for the manufacturers then realised we can milk it for a bit more money'.
Whist I'm not a GW Member I do have great affection for the circuit etc. the first FOS I attended was the third run, my first Revival was the first run, did my ARDS
there bought my father membership a long time ago, (which he did not really make use of), I do see this as a complete cash grab which is something of a shame. Obviously I don't know however I doubt the whole show is run on margins that are that tight.
Part of a reply on the Goodwood members' forum (my bold)
'I work with an organisation filled with wealthy people who have wealthy people as our stakeholders and when they find out I'm a member they have a laugh and ask how the Festival of Greed is going these days'
Not the first time I have heard the event called this.
'I work with an organisation filled with wealthy people who have wealthy people as our stakeholders and when they find out I'm a member they have a laugh and ask how the Festival of Greed is going these days'
Not the first time I have heard the event called this.
It’s the ‘spin’ that is so frustrating. All the tosh about it being too busy on a Thursday now and not what us member should have to put up with!! I deducted this might happen after the Saturday at FOS was cancelled this year. The Duke needs to claw some money back somehow and the free Thursday tickets were the obvious way of doing it.
I look forward to hearing about the exciting plans for the GRRC members in the near future but I suspect I suspect the additional ‘benefits’ won’t be exactly tangible!
I look forward to hearing about the exciting plans for the GRRC members in the near future but I suspect I suspect the additional ‘benefits’ won’t be exactly tangible!
I'm normally a staunch supporter of Goodwood, however, on this occasion I'm firmly in the camp of this not being a good idea, the free Thursday tickets have always had a cost associated with them that I could quantify into the decision to renew, along with discounts on tickets for events I was going to attend anyway.
I seems that quite a few people were very vocal on various forms of social media after the FOS, as with all things people are more likely to comment on poor service than on good, so I'm not surprised that surveys, taken very shortly after the event, would have contained plenty of comments on the issues encountered last year.
I'm sure there is a long waiting list contained in the Fellowship, ready to take peoples places, though this does feel like a bit of a kick in the teeth after all the support from the membership through Covid.
We have to expect Goodwood to act as a corporate entity, it is a business, which is now very much a 'brand' as well, this announcement has pushed me to think about next years renewal, just before those go live next week.
I seems that quite a few people were very vocal on various forms of social media after the FOS, as with all things people are more likely to comment on poor service than on good, so I'm not surprised that surveys, taken very shortly after the event, would have contained plenty of comments on the issues encountered last year.
I'm sure there is a long waiting list contained in the Fellowship, ready to take peoples places, though this does feel like a bit of a kick in the teeth after all the support from the membership through Covid.
We have to expect Goodwood to act as a corporate entity, it is a business, which is now very much a 'brand' as well, this announcement has pushed me to think about next years renewal, just before those go live next week.
Has the Duke really written that email himself - with a straight face.
It is so insulting. It treats everyone as complete idiots.
Goodwood is a business and exists to make money - fair enough, but be straight about it.
Those 'free' Thursday tickets are not free - they are effectively included in the membership fees.
Simple enough to deal with overcrowding, just sell less public tickets.
However, I guess this is just part of a larger plan. Anyone who moans will go, leaving the GRRC as people with lots of cash, rather than actual enthusiats.
Goodwood won't lose out financially, but it does effectively kill the 'Club'.
GRRC Membership has really been replaced by Associates - or as Goodwood calls them Fellows - because they couldn't even get a conventional club/society heirarchy right without looking stupid.
It is so insulting. It treats everyone as complete idiots.
Goodwood is a business and exists to make money - fair enough, but be straight about it.
Those 'free' Thursday tickets are not free - they are effectively included in the membership fees.
Simple enough to deal with overcrowding, just sell less public tickets.
However, I guess this is just part of a larger plan. Anyone who moans will go, leaving the GRRC as people with lots of cash, rather than actual enthusiats.
Goodwood won't lose out financially, but it does effectively kill the 'Club'.
GRRC Membership has really been replaced by Associates - or as Goodwood calls them Fellows - because they couldn't even get a conventional club/society heirarchy right without looking stupid.
Just spotted this:
“Having carefully considered all the options, we are left with no choice but to remove complimentary Thursday tickets as part of the membership benefits.
This will also apply to the Kinrara Enclosure which, as many of you will be aware, had become overcrowded on Thursdays.
These restrictions will not just be limited to the GRRC – we will also be suspending the Festival of Speed reciprocal arrangements with other Goodwood memberships. “
Interesting use of words.
“Having carefully considered all the options, we are left with no choice but to remove complimentary Thursday tickets as part of the membership benefits.
This will also apply to the Kinrara Enclosure which, as many of you will be aware, had become overcrowded on Thursdays.
These restrictions will not just be limited to the GRRC – we will also be suspending the Festival of Speed reciprocal arrangements with other Goodwood memberships. “
Interesting use of words.
ecsrobin said:
Just spotted this:
“Having carefully considered all the options, we are left with no choice but to remove complimentary Thursday tickets as part of the membership benefits.
This will also apply to the Kinrara Enclosure which, as many of you will be aware, had become overcrowded on Thursdays.
These restrictions will not just be limited to the GRRC – we will also be suspending the Festival of Speed reciprocal arrangements with other Goodwood memberships. “
Interesting use of words.
Dear Robin, I apologise if you found the choice of words potentially worrying: there is no hidden agenda at work here. Complimentary Thursday tickets have been removed for all Goodwood Clubs. I'm sorry if I have caused you any confusion here. With best wishes, Sarah“Having carefully considered all the options, we are left with no choice but to remove complimentary Thursday tickets as part of the membership benefits.
This will also apply to the Kinrara Enclosure which, as many of you will be aware, had become overcrowded on Thursdays.
These restrictions will not just be limited to the GRRC – we will also be suspending the Festival of Speed reciprocal arrangements with other Goodwood memberships. “
Interesting use of words.
Mk2Jag said:
It’s the ‘spin’ that is so frustrating. All the tosh about it being too busy on a Thursday now and not what us member should have to put up with!! I deducted this might happen after the Saturday at FOS was cancelled this year. The Duke needs to claw some money back somehow and the free Thursday tickets were the obvious way of doing it.
I look forward to hearing about the exciting plans for the GRRC members in the near future but I suspect I suspect the additional ‘benefits’ won’t be exactly tangible!
Dear Mk2Jag, Whilst I anticipate your lack of faith in anything I say, I can assure you that this decision was not made in any attempt to 'claw back' money. We do understand the disappointment that this will cause those members who did make use of the complimentary tickets, but we hope that the many other benefits (which can be found here: https://www.goodwood.com/motorsport/grrc-membershi... ) will be taken into consideration. I look forward to hearing about the exciting plans for the GRRC members in the near future but I suspect I suspect the additional ‘benefits’ won’t be exactly tangible!
With best wishes, Sarah
Ean218 said:
Sarah,
Thanks for posting that list comparing "Fellowship" to member benefits, I can now quite clearly see how I have been taken for a mug by paying to be a member, especially as I do not live in Sussex.
Good afternoon, We do appreciate that for many, the Fellowship does now offer more suitable benefits than full membership: I'm sorry to hear that the membership benefits are not of value/appropriate, but I hope that you have been able to take advantage of at least some of them. It has never been our intention to make anyone feel like a mug: I am truly sorry if you feel that is the case. I hope that we've always been open about the different benefits of both membership levels. Thanks for posting that list comparing "Fellowship" to member benefits, I can now quite clearly see how I have been taken for a mug by paying to be a member, especially as I do not live in Sussex.
With best wishes,
Sarah
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