BROOKLANDS CLASSIC BREAKFAST 15 1 2012
Discussion
Despite a number of discussions on here about why Brooklands feel the need to charge for this event, I went along on Sunday to check out my first breakfast meet, sadly it was very disappointing! I've been to a number of larger Brooklands events before and the museum so I know it well and know its potential. I also go to regular meets at Ace Cafe and Goodwood, not to mention SS all of which are free and very well organised and attended.
So £13 to get in, lovely crisp morning, got there early. We went straight in for our complimentary breakfast, that was cold and undercooked but I can handle that. Lots of staff and everyone was very, very warm and helpful. Came outside into the main square which had a handful of cars parked around, reasonable selection but I assumed that the rest would be on the banking.... but that was it. By 9.30-10 it was apparent that no one else was turning up and people were starting to leave.
This just seems bizarre, it could be such a good event as it has all the right elements: Close to London and home counties, excellent museum, MB world & track next door, steeped in history, loads of places for P&J photo ops...yet only 20 or so classics? The only benefit was that I spent 2 very enjoyable hours in the museum which was very quiet. However, I can do this anytime but what I really wanted was a buzzy, diverse, morning classic car meet maybe not as big as Goodwood but certainly as good as the Ace.....especially when I have to pay!
The staff are wonderful and the venue is unparalelled but they really are missing a huge market.
So £13 to get in, lovely crisp morning, got there early. We went straight in for our complimentary breakfast, that was cold and undercooked but I can handle that. Lots of staff and everyone was very, very warm and helpful. Came outside into the main square which had a handful of cars parked around, reasonable selection but I assumed that the rest would be on the banking.... but that was it. By 9.30-10 it was apparent that no one else was turning up and people were starting to leave.
This just seems bizarre, it could be such a good event as it has all the right elements: Close to London and home counties, excellent museum, MB world & track next door, steeped in history, loads of places for P&J photo ops...yet only 20 or so classics? The only benefit was that I spent 2 very enjoyable hours in the museum which was very quiet. However, I can do this anytime but what I really wanted was a buzzy, diverse, morning classic car meet maybe not as big as Goodwood but certainly as good as the Ace.....especially when I have to pay!
The staff are wonderful and the venue is unparalelled but they really are missing a huge market.
yep i went on sunday - mine was the white pagoda parked at the front. Had the breakfast - which i thought wasn't too bad.... then went around the whole museum - cars, bikes, bus collection, Concorde etc, as the £13 gets you the breakfast and full admission to the whole museum i thought this wasn't bad (if you haven't seen the collections!)
Only one point.... wanted to get a photo of my car in front of the Brooklands sign near the Concorde. Got told off "no photos allowed without prior permission " - which i thought was a bit strange and none too friendly....
Got there at 9am, left around 12 noon - only about 10 cars there! pity..... could be good otherwise.
Only one point.... wanted to get a photo of my car in front of the Brooklands sign near the Concorde. Got told off "no photos allowed without prior permission " - which i thought was a bit strange and none too friendly....
Got there at 9am, left around 12 noon - only about 10 cars there! pity..... could be good otherwise.
[quote=s
thotfast]
Only one point.... wanted to get a photo of my car in front of the Brooklands sign near the Concorde. Got told off "no photos allowed without prior permission " - which i thought was a bit strange and none too friendly....
[quote]
Interesting, we just helped ourself to a picture under concorde with the car, got told off and was told that had we asked then he would have let us...obviously not!
Saw your white pagoda, very nice. Assumed it was from MB world as I saw it parked up later round the back towards the MB side but you were obviously lurking for a photo opportunity.
thotfast]Only one point.... wanted to get a photo of my car in front of the Brooklands sign near the Concorde. Got told off "no photos allowed without prior permission " - which i thought was a bit strange and none too friendly....
[quote]
Interesting, we just helped ourself to a picture under concorde with the car, got told off and was told that had we asked then he would have let us...obviously not!
Saw your white pagoda, very nice. Assumed it was from MB world as I saw it parked up later round the back towards the MB side but you were obviously lurking for a photo opportunity.
yep... sounds like it was a "jobs worth" situation.... its not exactly MI5 headquarters there.....
Glad you liked the pagoda, had it about a year or so, one lady owner from new! was a bit dented and "used" - she drove it most days in Chelsea, but nearly fully sorted/restored now. Hopefully it will serve as my pension in years to come !
next time you are there or goodwood - say hi !
Glad you liked the pagoda, had it about a year or so, one lady owner from new! was a bit dented and "used" - she drove it most days in Chelsea, but nearly fully sorted/restored now. Hopefully it will serve as my pension in years to come !
next time you are there or goodwood - say hi !
I went in the Mk2 Escort with friends in Lotus Elan & Silver Bullet (prototype Vauxhall). Considering breakfast was free at £6.50 I thought it was good value at £13 all in. Very knowledgable and friendly staff everywhere. First time visit to the new bus museum and got chatting to one of the guys there for about an hour. Peter's dad was a navigator in a Wellington bomber during the war and we got talking to a guy about some of his stories. I found it fascinating.
Brooklands is a magical place!
Brooklands is a magical place!
Just thinking, i live near Brands Hatch circuit, its a fantastic place, and allways wondered why there`s not a meet there once a week during the closed racing months, i did spk to J Palmer once and he thought it would be a great idea, they have a great resteraunt/cafe there, the Pentagon, any thoughts on the idea, or would it be yet another classic/sports car meet ?
RichB said:
People saying £6.50/£9.00/£13 or whatever is good value are correct if it's your first visit for a while but it does not encourage repeat attendance at these events. Goodwood is crammed every month and clearly Brooklands is not. Still I'm sure they'll suss it eventually 
I think this hits the nail on the head. This month was the first time I visited, and for £13 for a full day at the museum and the breakfast was good value. However, now I've spent a day at the museum, a second visit seems less appealing as I don't want to walk around the same museum once a month. I'm also not sure I'll want a cooked breakfast every time I visit.
That said, I realise the museum can't be seen to let some people in for free when only a couple of hours later people will be paying £11 entrance fees.
Instead, I think they should charge a lower fee per person entering before 10am (say £5 adults £2.50 kids). This way it's a cheap day for whoever is visiting, but importantly, they get the cars through the door and improve the specticle for other visitors. This in itself should attract other visitors to the museum to spend their money and geneerally increase the turnover of the day all round, plus encouraging repeat visits from car owners.
I think there are some Brooklands volunteers on here or certainly some people who have very stromg views on keeping the charges in place. I'm sure they'll be along soon...
Either way, yes it would be good to get these points across to someone who has some authority at Brooklands. They are clearly wanting to emulate some of the success at Goodwood. I see there is a 1940's themed day in the style of The Revival plus the Double 12 event etc.
Either way, yes it would be good to get these points across to someone who has some authority at Brooklands. They are clearly wanting to emulate some of the success at Goodwood. I see there is a 1940's themed day in the style of The Revival plus the Double 12 event etc.
exkay said:
Just thinking, i live near Brands Hatch circuit, its a fantastic place, and allways wondered why there`s not a meet there once a week during the closed racing months, i did spk to J Palmer once and he thought it would be a great idea, they have a great resteraunt/cafe there, the Pentagon, any thoughts on the idea, or would it be yet another classic/sports car meet ?
I'm sure it would go down well. Probably monthly better though? Has there been a Sunday Service there? I'd be up for that.swerni said:
The point is, they could make far more money if they didn't charged for entrance.
They could charge those who did want to see the museum
Charge for food and beverages etc.
They would have far bigger attendances and they could continue to charge for the blue ribbon events i.e. Auto Italia.
Exactly.They could charge those who did want to see the museum
Charge for food and beverages etc.
They would have far bigger attendances and they could continue to charge for the blue ribbon events i.e. Auto Italia.
I went to one of the meets last year - and it was excellent! But can I justify going again and again and again, like I do to Sunday Services and Goodwood? Not really, no. £13 to look around a museum and breakfast is OK - once every few years (unless the museum dramatically changes each year), but not regularly.
Goodwood have got this concept 100% right. Brooklands have missed the benefit of having regulars turning up every month - that creates much more of an "event" and will most likely increase revenues.
All the ingredients are spot on at Brooklands - truly fantastic. They just need to understand their market better and make more of it.
well......how about you get a membership to the Museum, which is £30 per year (I can't remember what the family membership price is), this then enables you to go to the Museum EVERY DAY of the year without paying anything more. I think the only thing you woul dpay extra for inside the Museum, is a 'trip' on Concorde, which is £5 or £6.
I usually get my £30 back inside January and February.
I usually get my £30 back inside January and February.
lotus72 said:
well......how about you get a membership to the Museum, which is £30 per year (I can't remember what the family membership price is), this then enables you to go to the Museum EVERY DAY of the year without paying anything more. I think the only thing you woul dpay extra for inside the Museum, is a 'trip' on Concorde, which is £5 or £6.
I usually get my £30 back inside January and February.
Does the membership get you into the breakfasts?I usually get my £30 back inside January and February.
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