GRRC Fellowship

[No ideas for a name]

I don't think it is secret anymore...
What do we think? Just a way of increasing the revenues for Goodwood or is there something in this for enthusiasts?

=

From his Lordship...

The GRRC Fellowship is a new way into the Club, and is open to anyone to join immediately from 26th June, whether they’re waiting to one day become a Member, or plan on remaining a Fellow indefinitely. There are a limited and carefully selected range of Fellowship benefits which appeal to younger enthusiasts, Goodwood’s growing global motorsport audience and those who are waiting to become Members. This is great news for you as Members and for the Club as a whole, as it makes the GRRC more accessible and relevant to a wider audience, including young people, which will ultimately benefit everyone and ensures that the Club thrives long into the future.

[No ideas for a name]

Apologies to Ian if I jumped in first and you were going to draw attention to this yourself. I hope I don't get banned

I think my first view is the same lines as Aero8...

I was eagerly awaiting this announcement, and to be honest I am a bit disappointed.
I have been a member for a long time, and love the events (except FoS), the cricket match and I have also done a few laps of the track etc. It probably doesn't help that I am 200 miles away so don't get to use the Kennels like I would if I were a little more local.
But, there really doesn't seem to be much 'extra' for a member.
It looks like it is just a way to monitise the people on the waiting list.

I understand it is a business, and without profit, it would not exist. To me, it looks like the Members have just been diluted by those on the waiting list.
Don't get me wrong, I am sure they are fine and deserving people - I was on the waiting list too many years ago... This just dilutes the club they are waiting to get in to too.

More than a bit disappointed, though I really don't know what I thought the announcement would be.

[edited for typo]

Edited by No ideas for a name on Thursday 1st June 16:41

[No ideas for a name]

Yex 450 said:

So you now have to pay to maintain your place on the membership waiting list each year and get some benefits yet to be defined as part of this new Fellowship group.

I'll be interested in seeing these benefits when they are published and comparing them to those offered to me as a member and seeing what my significantly larger payment to Lord March's bank balance gets me above and beyond the Fellowship group.

Compare away...

https://www.goodwood.com/fellowship/benefits-compa...

[No ideas for a name]

I don't think this announcement is going the way Goodwood hoped.

I don't know why, but I am beyond disappointed, I am actually quite angry.
I have met Lord March before, and I think he has done a tremendous amount for historic motorsport, and for that I thank him.

I genuinely feel I have been done over here after many year's of being a member.

[No ideas for a name]

Lynchie999 said:

its a bit non news for current members is it not ?

Last week's email from GRRC.

We are thrilled to let you know that Lord March has exciting GRRC news, to be revealed imminently.
Look out for an email next week when you'll be invited to view a personal message from Lord March.



So... apparently it is exciting.

Edited by No ideas for a name on Thursday 1st June 16:57

[No ideas for a name]

Aero8 said:

I am massively underwhelmed. All I need now is another daffodil bulb in a fancy box arriving in the post.

To be fair, I did actually like that. Even though the postman wouldn't leave it when I was out so I had to drive to the delivery office to pick it up. That isn't Goodwood's fault though!

A nice touch - but not really a member benefit.

[No ideas for a name]

Ian Wegg said:

Eh? No apologies necessary. I'm one of the many GRRC members who don't receive emails so your post was the first information I saw.

Sorry.. my mistake - for some reason I thought you were actually from Goodwood rather than 'just' a member like myself.
Not quite sure why I thought that now.

[No ideas for a name]

RichB said:

When I saw the email I first thought, oh goody they have recognised that some of us are long term members and are promoting us to "Fellows" but then I realised that it's nothing like that! In fact Associate would be a far better term than Fellow which almost always means something more important than Member...

Yes, Most odd... in all other organisations a 'Fellow' would be a higher 'rank' than 'Member'. Just adds to the confusion. I did wonder if this good news for Members was say, after 10 years as a Member you get made a Fellow (with some other tangible benefit too). As you say, I think the term Goodwood were really looking for was 'Associate Member'.

Still looks like nothing in this for Members at all.

[No ideas for a name]

krusty said:

Lets be honest, nobody took the whole bulb thing seriously... How many pots were actually at the MM......... a Dozen? (The Vintage Shell one was nice) I wore mine in my lapel on the day and saw one other person wearing one..... And he was a judge on the pot stand...

I didn't take it too seriously... mine got planted and left on the garage window cill. This is how it looked before I left for 75MM. I didn't think I should bring it with me.

[No ideas for a name]

34053 said:

Oh dear. In a mood now you can't have your freebees?

As I recall, you don't get any 'freebees' whilst on the waiting list.
Could you clarify what these were?

[No ideas for a name]

RichB said:

I'd be interested in the figures for the Revival as that certainly seems to have got busier over the years... I used to use Friday as my looking round day and Sat & Sun to watch the racing but Friday is as busy as the weekend now.

I would be interested in the attendance figures too.

Again I know it is a business, and they have to have the numbers there to make it work - but there is a danger of having too many change the character of the event. There is the issue that many don't move from around the entrance side of the track, concentrating too many in one area... not much Goodwood can do about that - even the events put on at Lavant corner don't attract people to move around.

I have given up on the FoS. We (good lady and myself) went a few years ago on the Saturday - it was basically too busy to enjoy it. She hated it more than myself, but I hated it too. An odd crowd in my opinion too.

I have to go to the Revival on my own - it is again now too busy for her to cope with. I missed last year, partly because I thought I might give it a break as I am starting to not enjoy it. I am booked for all four days this year, so will go along (yes four - I count the Thursday, as this is starting to be the best bit). Previously like RichB, I have treated the Friday as my look around day - you used to be able to get around without too many crowds. Saturday has become almost intollerable due to numbers.

It is a bit of a no win. Goodwood need the number of people to generate the ticket revenues - and I am sure thet there will be an unlimited supply of people wanting to come. It just seems to push the enthusiasts away.

Whilst on the subject of tickets - rather oddly I am going to say it isn't bad value. Averaged out, about £70 for the whole day, which is around something like £7 per hour. Outside Goodwood's control, but a ticket that I pay say £200 for the weekend is great value compared to the £520 paid to PremierInn, £200 worth of Tesco's Finest Momentum.

I don't want Goodwood to put the prices up, but I can see there is scope for doing so.

[No ideas for a name]

RichB said:

ther than the cricket match at the house what happens on Thursday?

Just the Cricket match... rather less crowded (and I don't even like cricket).
No racing of course, but there is the vehicle display.

It means I can travel down on the Thursday without any hassle trying it on Friday morning and getting stuck in traffic, and have something to do when I get there.

And, a Spitfire at 50 feet.

[No ideas for a name]

ukaskew said:

Interesting that some of the key benefits are as follows:

As well as GRRC Members, Fellows will have the guaranteed chance to buy Members’ Meeting tickets, straight after the exclusive Member buying window.

Plus, Fellows are able to buy tickets to the sell-out Festival of Speed and Goodwood Revival before the public, after the exclusive Member buying window.

AMArchie said:

One area I'm wondering about is whether this will mean greater numbers that has been the case over the last couple of years at the Members Meeting.

They go on general sale every year as mentioned above, and iirc tickets have always been limited to a set number overall (25k?), so it should make no difference.


They were giving away thousands of free Friday tickets up until 2007/2008ish through the Times, but it was still reasonably relaxed and a genuine enthusiasts days with few (if any) named drivers. Friday is now basically an extension of Sat/Sun with air displays and star drivers.

Most importantly though, the general public have been squeezed year on year into smaller areas. Only last year they removed the viewing area on the paddock side at the top of the hill, apparently solely to create a safe drone filming area. Utter stupidity, particularly as it also meant walking the hill on that side took you to a dead end in the middle of nowhere with absolutely no warning.

Yes, I don't see a major benefit for being on the waiting list/being a Fellow. As stated above, I don't think it is really an issue obtaining tickets unless you leave it way too late.... in which case you won't get them as a member or fellow either. The only really issue here is if you wanted a particular grandstand - which may well sell out before offering to the general public.


I thought the MM was limited to 20k tickets - but the first year (72nd) that number was not attained. It looks a bit bare at the MM, but that is mainly as people don't move around.

The character of the FoS seems to have changed. It doesn't seem to be for the enthusiast anymore.

I am keeping paying my membership... otherwise I would miss out on this week's offer. GRRC tour in Italy - only £6250 each.
Probably a great tour - but I am not in that league of spending.

[No ideas for a name]

countzero said:

Does anyone know what the current bank balance of the GRRC is?

https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/0046617...download=0

No, but 5.8M profit last year.


Interesting figures:
FoS attendance: 197000
Revival: 149000
MM: 30000

Edited by No ideas for a name on Tuesday 13th June 16:41

[No ideas for a name]

Yes, but I don't think the club is a separate entity to the Goodwood road racing company.
No issues.. it is a expensive place to run... Has to be profitable. Interesting figures and comments in that report too.

[No ideas for a name]

shoestring7 said:

Saturday Festival of Speed is sold out according to this:

https://ticketing.goodwood.com/PagesPublic/UserCon...

SS7

You would be leaving it *very* late if you were trying to get tickets now!

[No ideas for a name]

edo said:

So are they saying if you dont join the fellowship you cant (or might as well not) be on the list?

As I understand it, there is no waiting list anymore. You either become a fellow and wait for membership... or you never get the chance.

[No ideas for a name]

Lynchie999 said:

if you were already on the waiting list and join you get extra stuff and cost refunded when you join anyway... not too sure what people are up in arms about... £40 a year for some goodwood swag (book and stuff) isn't really too bad!

I think the Fellowship isn't too bad for the actual fellow. I can't really see the issue with spending (I thought) £29 per year to get some club benefits, and to be on the waiting list - which as others have said you get 'back' if at some point you are offered full membership.

More of a 'problem' for me, is that those are really the only benefits that I am able to take up with full membership. However, it isn't Goodwood's fault I live some hundreds of miles away and therefore can't take advantage of the Kennels and other benefits that are easier to make use of if you are local.
Therefore Fellows 'dilute' the membership benefits... again, no issues with the individuals who choose to take advantage of what Goodwood is offering them. Good luck to them - take what is on offer for a low price.

If I wasn't a member I would certainally be joining as a Fellow.

Though I still think full membership has been diluted, I will be spending my £225 this year to renew (and that isn't a small amount of cash to me).

[No ideas for a name]

DeejRC said:

The FOS hasnt been worth attending since about 2001/2 when the numbers were ramping up to 150,00 over the weekend. The Revival reached that same "2001/2" stage about 3-4 years ago.

The MM took over from the Revival with the first event and everybody who was there recognised that fact immediately because we all had the same thought: bugger me, its like the first Revival again...thank God! Then the second thought...ahh crap Ray and Mark are dead, so we can't have THAT or THAT again

The same rule about Goodwood events holds true as it does for every other motorsport event...when the number of M3s in the car park becomes noticeable, its time to find a new event to attend as it means the branded clothing brigade have arrived.

Plus several million.

I understand it is a commercial operation, and there are plenty of takers for the events. Goodwood is now more of a media operation rather than a motorsports provider for enthusiasts. MM will be ruined in due course I am sure.


I am still going to spend my £225, and I will be at the Members'.... I might go to the FoS, but it will just be the Thursday. I think I will give the Revival a miss this year. It makes my Membership 'expensive' for the benefits.

[No ideas for a name]

RichB said:

What a bizarre post

My 'plus lots' post didn't really apply to the M3 bit either. But I didn't take it literally.

On my last visit to the Revival (this year), there was a fair mix of machinery in the car park (though I was only in the Members' parking). Quite varied, from new exotica through to older run-of-the-mill stuff. No one seemed to care what you turned up in. Of course, this year we were all equally stuck in mud.

The only time I have been to the FoS I did seem to think there was the branded clothing (i.e. Ferrari Jackets) brigade out in force.... It looks like that is what the event now attracts. Then again who cares what others wear - what I do care about is the attitude of 'me me me' that seems to go with it - it just isn't very civilised. I had two rude people stand straight in front of me when listening to Alain Prost being interviewed, and also when waiting to speak to JYS. Such behaviour ruined the day, and my Mrs (who is quite small) now won't go because she felt she was being pushed about by these people.