Goodwood Full Membership

[ecsrobin]

hotpowner said:

Amazing how Sarah replies here
But doesn’t or no one from Goodwood / GRRC replies to the many unhappy members on the GRRC forum

I think her post to me above is very clear and the traditional Goodwood approach which I’ve mentioned before. Batten down the hatches and ride the storm, they’ll forget about it soon enough.

Funnily enough though she has replied on the forum yesterday to clarify what we all knew on PH that you can buy MM tickets before you cancel your membership, and to say that when she said to me on PH:

“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”

That apparently she had no part in writing and it was all the Duke’s words so I’m not sure why someone would use the words “I’m sorry if I have caused you any confusion here.” I think it’s actually made me more angry about the whole matter knowing those words did come from the top man himself and not just putting a name to something.

Quite funny when the reason I was moaning was for the ambiguous wording, she replied with some precise wording and it turns out that was incorrect too!

Sorry Sarah, I know you’re just trying to do your job but as the internet spokesperson for Goodwood it’s missing the mark for me and I’m sure others.

[No ideas for a name]

The wording of mutch of Goodwood's communication is somewhat strange and leads to ambiguity. There are several posts on the GRRC forum trying to determine what is actually meant in terms of what can be purchased, when, and if you need to renew your membership before hand.

One particular posting where Sarah said;

We will honour 2024 Members' Meeting tickets purchased by members who do not renew their membership.

Paraphrasing the OP;

I don't get the 'honouring' bit.
You don't need to be a Member to attend the MM, only to buy the tickets.
As a Member could be buying for others and even excluding himself, there is no 'honouring' to do.
The tickets would have been bought 'correctly' by a member. That is when the contract is made (actually when a 'consideration' is made - i.e. when they are paid for) not when they are delivered or used.

It was likened to going to Tesco and buying a tin of beans and using your ClubCard. If you subsequently ripped up your ClubCard, Tesco don't need to 'hounor' your purchase when three months down the line you decide to eat them.

It is all a bit mad and unprofessional.

[Martin315]

No ideas for a name said:

The wording of mutch of Goodwood's communication is somewhat strange and leads to ambiguity. There are several posts on the GRRC forum trying to determine what is actually meant in terms of what can be purchased, when, and if you need to renew your membership before hand.

One particular posting where Sarah said;

We will honour 2024 Members' Meeting tickets purchased by members who do not renew their membership.

Paraphrasing the OP;

I don't get the 'honouring' bit.
You don't need to be a Member to attend the MM, only to buy the tickets.
As a Member could be buying for others and even excluding himself, there is no 'honouring' to do.
The tickets would have been bought 'correctly' by a member. That is when the contract is made (actually when a 'consideration' is made - i.e. when they are paid for) not when they are delivered or used.

It was likened to going to Tesco and buying a tin of beans and using your ClubCard. If you subsequently ripped up your ClubCard, Tesco don't need to 'hounor' your purchase when three months down the line you decide to eat them.

It is all a bit mad and unprofessional.

Wholeheartedly agree. Nothing really to add but want this thread to remain prominent on the website so Goodwood don’t snare any more gullible fools (as they did me).

[ecsrobin]

Text from the new newsletter:

TEST DAYS AT THE CIRCUIT
The Members' Meeting and Revival test days were available exclusively to GRRC members to come and spectate for the first time this year. It was great to see so many of you come along and have a look behind the scenes ahead of the events, and we will be doing this again next year. The dates will be announced soon, and members can book to come and view from January. Please keep an eye on upcoming e-newsletters.

This should read members and fellows (though anywhere else in the world it would read fellows and members).

[No ideas for a name]

ecsrobin said:

Text from the new newsletter:

TEST DAYS AT THE CIRCUIT
The Members' Meeting and Revival test days were available exclusively to GRRC members to come and spectate for the first time this year. It was great to see so many of you come along and have a look behind the scenes ahead of the events, and we will be doing this again next year. The dates will be announced soon, and members can book to come and view from January. Please keep an eye on upcoming e-newsletters.

This should read members and fellows (though anywhere else in the world it would read fellows and members).

It is from Goodwood's Department of Confusing Writing (The GDCW)...

In Goodwood speak, when the say 'members' they include Fellows and Members (the grade).
So both Members and Fellows are members of the GRRC.

Of course members that are Fellows are at the level of Associates.

It all makes sense - to someone.

[No ideas for a name]

Of course, also to add to the clarity, The Members' Meeting isn't refering to members of the GRRC.

Goodwood web site said:

The origins of the Members' Meeting go back to 1948 when the 9th Duke of Richmond opened the circuit and held the first in a series of meetings for members of the British Automobile Racing Club.

The members in the Members' Meeting refers quite plainly to be members of BARC, not members of the GRRC.
It was an opportunity for members of the BARC to race against each other.

The fact that members of the GRRC can now go to a recreation of the BARC Members' Meeting is co-incidental.

So, members, being Members or Fellows - which should really be Members or Associates are allowed to buy tickets to go - along with anyone who isn't a Member or Associate - to the new Members' Meetings.

[Yes, I know... most of the above, though technically correct, is just for 'sport' and amusement]

[Hedgedhog]

Are the attendance figures for the Members meeting ever published?

[ecsrobin]

Hedgedhog said:

Are the attendance figures for the Members meeting ever published?

GRRC mentioned this week its 17,000 tickets sold and the remainder of the tickets upto 20k is sponsors, competitors and teams.

[No ideas for a name]

ecsrobin said:

Hedgedhog said:

Are the attendance figures for the Members meeting ever published?

GRRC mentioned this week its 17,000 tickets sold and the remainder of the tickets upto 20k is sponsors, competitors and teams.

For clarity, in reply to someone suggesting a limit of 20,000

sarah said:

Yes, xxxxxxxx, that is correct - although the Members' Meeting ticket capacity is actually set a little lower than that, around 17000 per day. With staff, drivers, teams etc, we may reach 18500 or 19000 people on the Saturday, and slightly fewer on Sunday.

So as Rob says above, but with the note that those are daily figures.

[Hedgedhog]

Thanks both, how does that compare to the Revival?

[No ideas for a name]

Hedgedhog said:

Thanks both, how does that compare to the Revival?

Revival 2022 has 150,000 over the three days
141,000 in 2021

[Hedgedhog]

No ideas for a name said:

Revival 2022 has 150,000 over the three days
141,000 in 2021

Thanks, based on those numbers the members meeting really should feel less congested that it has done in recent years. I'd love to see a break down of how many tickets are sold to members and fellows themselves and to their "friends and family".

[No ideas for a name]

Hedgedhog said:

Thanks, based on those numbers the members meeting really should feel less congested that it has done in recent years. I'd love to see a break down of how many tickets are sold to members and fellows themselves and to their "friends and family".

There are 13,800 Associates and the last guess was 8000 Members
So theoretically if everyone bought their own ticket they would be up around that capacity.

Of course, not every member (small 'm') goes, so the balance would be for non-members i.e. friends/family/public.
I don't think any more data than the above is published.

[Petrus1983]

I've been a member for over 20 years (maybe 25?? - Sarah would know). As a family we've decided not to renew this year - but it's not a slight on the GRRC whatsoever. When we joined we had the time and proximity to attend the events, the fabulous Christmas parties, some low key events etc. We never did some of the impressive tours but never really had the machinery needed either.

GRRC has changed massively over the last few decades - but it's essence is the same - if you ever need to phone the club there's always a friendly and helpful person at the end of the phone and usually have the answers available.

What we've decided to do is owing to the fact we can at most now do an event a year (I've moved to south Wales and my parents are getting older) is to leave the GRRC and then when going to an event at Goodwood spend the money on hospitality instead. Overall it will cost a little more - but should be fun.

If you've been offered the opportunity to join do I feel you should take it? 100% - just use the membership to make it worth it.

Edited by Petrus1983 on Thursday 26th October 14:01

[CKY]

No ideas for a name said:

Also got an invite to the Battle of Brittain 75th aniversary 'scramble', and saw 20 odd Spits and Hurricane's take off.

BUT, bar John Surtees who was in the Paddock - none of those were related to being in the GRRC.
All available to an interested 'ordinary' punter.

Reading the above reminds me of the 'good old days' at The Revival 20-or-so years ago, being stood in The Spitfire Bar as the pilots got scrambled. Getting to see Ray Hanna & Co dogfighting and diving to maximum 100 feet directly over our heads was an experience I still cherish. Firstly the pilots started getting bked for being too low, then the boring anorak brigade saw to it that The Spitfire Bar had to be evacuated during air displays Just grateful I got my fill before the events became overcrowded and Goodwood went on a money grab.

[ecsrobin]

Hedgedhog said:

Thanks, based on those numbers the members meeting really should feel less congested that it has done in recent years. I'd love to see a break down of how many tickets are sold to members and fellows themselves and to their "friends and family".

Members meeting numbers haven’t changed so if you’ve been before it will feel the same. Similar with revival numbers haven’t changed really in quite a few years.

[No ideas for a name]

ecsrobin said:

Members meeting numbers haven’t changed so if you’ve been before it will feel the same. Similar with revival numbers haven’t changed really in quite a few years.

I feel the numbers might not have changed, but maybe the character of the event and the type of people may have changed.
Maybe there are more people in the main areas near the entrance, or at least that side of the circuit.

I am pretty sure that this year it was noticably 'thin' around St.Mary's - this was the Friday at Revival, but still I seem to remember it being busier in the past.
If the numbers are constant, it follows that those numbers were hanging about on the other side.
Maybe this means more are interested in other things than the actual racing.
To me if does feel very much busier (than it used to be) at the entrance side of the circuit. To the point of me really not liking it - and in fact Mrs NIFAN refuses to go as she doesn't like the crowds.

It is another thing that ruins my enjoyment.

The percentage that go to see the racing has in my opinion, diminished, and the percentage that go for the 'show' maybe increased.
It is what it is... it is more theatre than a race meeting.

I know that the infield has been developed (opposite Lavant Bank), but still I don't think most attendees make it that far. At least it is an attempt to spread people out a bit. Same goes really for the area by the new bridge at Madgwick, it does get people to circulate a bit better though.

Edited by No ideas for a name on Thursday 26th October 16:53

[Hedgedhog]

ecsrobin said:

Members meeting numbers haven’t changed so if you’ve been before it will feel the same. Similar with revival numbers haven’t changed really in quite a few years.

I've been attending the Revival since the first and the MM since it was relaunched. It could of course be rose tinted spectacles but my perception certainly is that there was a golden period for both events before numbers got to the levels where it started to detract from my experience.

[ecsrobin]

Hedgedhog said:

I've been attending the Revival since the first and the MM since it was relaunched. It could of course be rose tinted spectacles but my perception certainly is that there was a golden period for both events before numbers got to the levels where it started to detract from my experience.

Received numbers obviously have increased from the early days but capacity is capped by the council so hasn’t changed in a while and one of the reasons showing your ticket over the road was introduced as you’d find many going just for that and unofficially increasing the numbers.

Regarding members meeting I think weather plays a significant part in the spread of people.

[No ideas for a name]

Hedgedhog said:

I've been attending the Revival since the first and the MM since it was relaunched. It could of course be rose tinted spectacles but my perception certainly is that there was a golden period for both events before numbers got to the levels where it started to detract from my experience.

Someone told me it was all my fault! I sort of agree with this.
I wasn't there in the beginning and came along after about ten years.
Apparently there were many who did, and made a second wave.
Those then joined the GRRC and started the problem.

I accept that, and maybe I as a second wave arrival, shouldn't be complaining about how it was, when those in the first wave have every right to complain about me!

However, it is really up to Goodwood to mange the event and more relevant to this thread, manage the club. The event is there to make money, they have to manage the event to SUSTAINABLY do that (I don't mean sustainably in terms of 'green' or environment - I mean keeping the 'magic' and the event popular). That might mean doing things that a purist enthusiast might not like.

However, the club was supposed to be the element that WAS for the enthusiast. That part can be managed to keep those people engaged, and still make a profit. It has been diluted year on year, but every year the loss has only been 'small' so people keep with it. It has now got to the point where members realise they have been had.

I wish the GRRC would see this - as I do want to stick with it.
But, they only see short term £££, so they won't.