Best & Worst things about BBWF ?
Discussion
OK
So another BBWF has finished.
So what do you think the best and worst things were at the Fest.
I sometimes think of it like a wedding - so many good things packed into one day that it goes too quickly to enjoy them all.
Are there anythings that we are getting a bit bored with / do we pack too much into one day / perhaps a longer day .. etc.
So another BBWF has finished.
So what do you think the best and worst things were at the Fest.
I sometimes think of it like a wedding - so many good things packed into one day that it goes too quickly to enjoy them all.
Are there anythings that we are getting a bit bored with / do we pack too much into one day / perhaps a longer day .. etc.
I found I missed a lot collecting but under the circumstances I didn't mind too much. Seemed pretty good to me and nearly managed to get a free polish.
Er, ah, ahem........without wanting to sound ungrateful but the food was a bit raw, I know thats the hotel. Hog roast with a veggie option next year?
Er, ah, ahem........without wanting to sound ungrateful but the food was a bit raw, I know thats the hotel. Hog roast with a veggie option next year?
From my own personal thoughts (and Elaine has got a gun to my head!) I thought the following:-
BBQ - need chairs! it would have been good to have booked the BBQ in the other bit, around the other side of the hotel with the good seats and big umbrellas. All this sitting around on wet grass is no good.
Women - we need to get them more involved. A blokes enjoyment of a day like the BBWF tends to pivot around how happy his woman is - FACT.
I spoke to several blokes and asked them if they were staying in the bar after and they replied that they have to head back as his wife/girlfriend/lover or whatever didn't want him out 'enjoying' himself all day.
I also bumped into quite a number of blokes with their women in tow not looking too happy as well - the rain didn't help I suppose either.
At the end of the day the BBWF revlolves around a bunch of blokes kicking tyres in a car park full of TVR cars, and this may not be the ideal thing to keep women happy.
Elaine and the other women in our group enjoyed themselves (as they spent most of the day in the bar!) but if you were a woman accompanying your bloke to the BBWF for the first time then unless you already knew people at the event it could get a bit boring after a while?
Bored women = limited time for the blokes to have fun IMHO.
There are of course lots of women that turned up to the BBWF that throughly enjoyed themselves but I think that we need to incorporate something extra to include them more. Or get them organised maybe their own forum? - Don't laugh i am talking about you!
I am not suggesting something patronising like lets book a beautician or somebody who does their nails to keep them busy (a'la TVRCC Millenium Stadium event) while we kick car tyres but let's try to get them more involved.
The Xmas BBWF event should be a good starter for ten as it will be pitched as a more sociable 'bring your woman' sort of gig.
Just my two pence worth.
MikeB & Elaine (the boss)
BBQ - need chairs! it would have been good to have booked the BBQ in the other bit, around the other side of the hotel with the good seats and big umbrellas. All this sitting around on wet grass is no good.
Women - we need to get them more involved. A blokes enjoyment of a day like the BBWF tends to pivot around how happy his woman is - FACT.
I spoke to several blokes and asked them if they were staying in the bar after and they replied that they have to head back as his wife/girlfriend/lover or whatever didn't want him out 'enjoying' himself all day.
I also bumped into quite a number of blokes with their women in tow not looking too happy as well - the rain didn't help I suppose either.
At the end of the day the BBWF revlolves around a bunch of blokes kicking tyres in a car park full of TVR cars, and this may not be the ideal thing to keep women happy.
Elaine and the other women in our group enjoyed themselves (as they spent most of the day in the bar!) but if you were a woman accompanying your bloke to the BBWF for the first time then unless you already knew people at the event it could get a bit boring after a while?
Bored women = limited time for the blokes to have fun IMHO.
There are of course lots of women that turned up to the BBWF that throughly enjoyed themselves but I think that we need to incorporate something extra to include them more. Or get them organised maybe their own forum? - Don't laugh i am talking about you!
I am not suggesting something patronising like lets book a beautician or somebody who does their nails to keep them busy (a'la TVRCC Millenium Stadium event) while we kick car tyres but let's try to get them more involved.
The Xmas BBWF event should be a good starter for ten as it will be pitched as a more sociable 'bring your woman' sort of gig.
Just my two pence worth.
MikeB & Elaine (the boss)
dickymint said:
Lynda had the right idea - bake a cake........ouch i'm outa here
She knows where you live..............
The cake was a mare to get there what with buckets and a lot of soft drinks and a cool box with a packed lunch, something we will not bother with again (cool box). Takes up too much room.
Linda is quite happy with what went on but like me, out with a bucket, and at the moment cannot add any more thoughts from her point of view.
Michelle throughly enjoyed herself, but she was kept busy in the BBWSV whilst I kicked tyres. What's more she probably met and spoke to more people than me !!
Is there any way we can cook our own bbq or get some outside company in to do hog roast etc
Chairs would be usefull, as well as speaker system for music / announcements. Was thinking of backing the wsv up to the bbq to provide background music !
Someone must have some sort of PA system kicking about ? I've got the 2.5kva gennie to power one
Is there any way we can cook our own bbq or get some outside company in to do hog roast etc
Chairs would be usefull, as well as speaker system for music / announcements. Was thinking of backing the wsv up to the bbq to provide background music !
Someone must have some sort of PA system kicking about ? I've got the 2.5kva gennie to power one
The sound level compo was a good as was talking to the traders, some of these guys are great, very informative.
Also we should have made more use of the WSV especially if its got an awning on the side and a bigger fridge......
i think that maybe next year we should try and incorporate a 'doing' activity and then do the car park thing. Also maybe have it somplace like Blackpool?, do the factory, do the bars, do the big dipper, ride down the front?
Airstrip? Santa Pod?
MikeB
Also we should have made more use of the WSV especially if its got an awning on the side and a bigger fridge......
i think that maybe next year we should try and incorporate a 'doing' activity and then do the car park thing. Also maybe have it somplace like Blackpool?, do the factory, do the bars, do the big dipper, ride down the front?
Airstrip? Santa Pod?
MikeB
Fully agree with Mike on this, I dont think there were as many women this year as last yoer even through we had a bigger attenance. Perhaps we should start a womens comment on BBWF thread.
The whole thing from my point of view was excellent and i thank the organisers, Next year though we must get the bloody main convoy sorted properly once and for all, no ones fault just seems very difficult to organise.
Martin
>> Edited by redcar on Friday 5th August 13:47
The whole thing from my point of view was excellent and i thank the organisers, Next year though we must get the bloody main convoy sorted properly once and for all, no ones fault just seems very difficult to organise.
Martin
>> Edited by redcar on Friday 5th August 13:47
Strange comments about the Women - one of the big reasons for holding it at Ettington was the facilities :
Golf (3 holes)
Tennis
Swimming pool & Jacuzzi
Sauna
Gyn
Games room (pool snooker etc)..
OK - It's for guests but at least 50% were staying and no big reason why someone who was not staying could not 'blag' it for someone else..
Perhaps we did not push this enough ..
Bit like the drive out & Video .. did not want BIB getting wind of it.. should have emailed details defore the event and pushed it more but sometimes the event can get a bit over managed and so less enjoyable.
Golf (3 holes)
Tennis
Swimming pool & Jacuzzi
Sauna
Gyn
Games room (pool snooker etc)..
OK - It's for guests but at least 50% were staying and no big reason why someone who was not staying could not 'blag' it for someone else..
Perhaps we did not push this enough ..
Bit like the drive out & Video .. did not want BIB getting wind of it.. should have emailed details defore the event and pushed it more but sometimes the event can get a bit over managed and so less enjoyable.
I loved it. 
Best bits: Having a laugh with the parking, Loudest wedge compo, the run out, chatting with the traders and experts. Seeing so many wedges all together. The Dutch guys sense of fun.
Worst bits: The hangovers
Suggestions for BBWF06:
Air horn to signify a 5 minute warning to start engines for the runout. I was running round at the last second trying to find solo wedge pilots for Ali and Kirk from the White horse who turned up just as the run left. No luck though, the only solo drivers i found were continuing home from the runout
Sunday event at the nearest drag strip. Maybe time next BBWF to coincide with a run what you brung organised by someone else so it doesn't put too much pressure on us.
Keep the BBQ where it is (nice evening sun from there) but hire or borrow a pile of stacking chairs, or get the hotel to provide some? Or, those folding fishermans type armchairs are only a fiver each....
On the subject of the bbq, I couldn't understand why they didn't have a griddle so the burgers could be flashed up to fully cooked as people wanted them. At a tenner a head they should do better IMHO.
Best bits: Having a laugh with the parking, Loudest wedge compo, the run out, chatting with the traders and experts. Seeing so many wedges all together. The Dutch guys sense of fun.
Worst bits: The hangovers
Suggestions for BBWF06:
Air horn to signify a 5 minute warning to start engines for the runout. I was running round at the last second trying to find solo wedge pilots for Ali and Kirk from the White horse who turned up just as the run left. No luck though, the only solo drivers i found were continuing home from the runout
Sunday event at the nearest drag strip. Maybe time next BBWF to coincide with a run what you brung organised by someone else so it doesn't put too much pressure on us.
Keep the BBQ where it is (nice evening sun from there) but hire or borrow a pile of stacking chairs, or get the hotel to provide some? Or, those folding fishermans type armchairs are only a fiver each....
On the subject of the bbq, I couldn't understand why they didn't have a griddle so the burgers could be flashed up to fully cooked as people wanted them. At a tenner a head they should do better IMHO.
Mark TVR-Nut and I picked out two places for the shoot as a bloody great coach blocked the hotel frontage. I left Mark to it then but I think he just couldn't find the relevant owners to get group shots together. We just didn't have the space to drive cars in groups round to a shoot location earlier in the day. We were at capacity this year, but I think with some careful thought and preplanning, we'd be ok at E.C. again next year for a 'central' (to the distribution of ownership?) BBWF.
As you can all tell from my wedge, I'm a strong believer in the 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' principle. Extra regional events to which all are welcome is a great idea, but I think they should be additional to the BBWF as it would be anticlimactic to have a less well attended event on a regionally rotating basis.
Maybe the Welsh Xmas 'Turkey run' could be regarded as being the first of these extra events, to give the idea some momentum, and a Scottish 'Highland Fling' in early may before the midges hatch would be a great followup, and a precursor to BBWF06.
I for one, would love to head for the open roads of Wales and Scotland for Wedge events, bring it on!
Just my 2D
>> Edited by tallbloke on Friday 5th August 14:37
As you can all tell from my wedge, I'm a strong believer in the 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' principle. Extra regional events to which all are welcome is a great idea, but I think they should be additional to the BBWF as it would be anticlimactic to have a less well attended event on a regionally rotating basis.
Maybe the Welsh Xmas 'Turkey run' could be regarded as being the first of these extra events, to give the idea some momentum, and a Scottish 'Highland Fling' in early may before the midges hatch would be a great followup, and a precursor to BBWF06.
I for one, would love to head for the open roads of Wales and Scotland for Wedge events, bring it on!
Just my 2D
>> Edited by tallbloke on Friday 5th August 14:37
dickymint said:
Just remembered that the photo shoot did not happen.
Also I was asked wether it could be held in Scotland, Wales and England alternately? Not my idea but promised i would pass it on.
Yes - the photo shoot did not happen and it was planned for the from of the hotel but a dirty great coach was parked there and he could not move it because the car park was 'wedged'
sorry for the pun I think it crutial to keep the main event central - the car club event went off the rail because every one wanted to host it - the final stram IMHO was holding it on the Isle of Man - great place but £400 ~ £450 for a weekend is just plain stupid IMHO.
I agree about the BBQ - perhaps we should all just tramp around the corner to the local pub
dickymint said:
Rog - Maybe put all the traders on the grass which frees up the car-park ala 2004
by the way there is that field area(shortcut to pub)anybody got a marquee? traders pay for one?
I like your thinking Dicky. As long as the hotel is amenable to the idea. I'm sure they want to keep us though, especially as attendance, (and profits) are rising.
Marquee hire is expensive, but great to have if the weather turns crap. Can't see how we could finance it without charging for entry though, which is a
We could all chip in for the bbwsv to bring a dozen cheap Gazebo's and put them up in a block on the field near the stalls to stand and chat under if it persists it down again. Gassing Station | Wedges | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff