Brilliant day !!! We will never forget the sight of MX5’s as far as the eye could see !! sent a shiver down the spine ! Congratulations from all of the Yorkshire Ridings for a superb day !
I agree & Gaydon is only about 20 miles from Meriden, the geographic centre of England.
motorway access to all points of the compass is also close for people living long distance away.
The only trouble is that Wales/Scotland & N/Ireland would not be too happy because, quite rightly, they all like a turn.
Well I am from Scotland and am happy to drive down to Gaydon for an awesome event. I’d rather drive 250 miles every year for an event I know I am going to enjoy and is going to be well attended than 160 one year and 450 the next year… The centre of the country seems the fairest place to have the national. People from Scotland Wales and even the north of England appreciate that events need maximum attendance to survive and that means that they aren’t going to be held in the middle of nowhere, at least they shouldn’t. My Scottish vote goes to Gaydon - I’m all for the greater good 
…the greater good!
All for a yearly at Gaydon. Hell, might even stay for the weekend!
The spring rally could still be mobile, and the National in a fixed venue.
Hell all
What a weekend of fun with you all, I’m Terry from the SWM gang and I was on the main gate with my friend Dave saying hello to one and all.
Can I say a big thank you to Dave and to every one who came in with smiles on there faces and it was great to see so many friends from around the country.
I think Gaydon should be every other year, as I am worried that if we have a venue at the same place each year it will loos its appeal.
I love to travel around the country and see places that I may not have seen.
I also organised the southern run on the Saturday to Broadway Tower I hop that those who did that run had lot’s of fun.
I would also like to thank Ian I know how much work went into this and if anyone deserves thanks its Ian, I take my hat of to you
I hop every one got home save and sound and I hop I will see loads at the spring show next year.
Terry
David, you don’t know me and if you did you would know that I don’t “constantly complain”. Far from it, I have always tried to be positive about events be they MX5 related or other. But as a member I have the right to comment so no, I don’t think I will shut up if it’s all the same to you. However, if you want to make crass generalisations that’s your choice. I made an honest observation about one aspect of the event and have engaged Ian in healthy dialogue to the point where I have offered my support for future events. Have you, or are you happy to just sit back and let someone else do all the work?
Unlike Ian, who took my comments in good faith and responded calmly and eloquently, all you seem able to do is tell me to “shut up and stop whinging.” Clearly you’re not someone who can accept that other people may have a different view of the world. Thank goodness Ian is organising the events rather than you.
Just to throw a spanner in the works
The centre of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
A position “in the middle of Morecambe Bay”, approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) off the coast at Morecambe, Lancashire, at Ordnance Survey grid reference SD4157566760
I have to say it was a good day in the end, i was a bit miffed when i entered that i was told to go to the gravel overflow carpark, with lots of other 5s too.
I was led to believe that all the mx5s were going to be parked together up the bank etc.
I understand that people with the passes got good spots, but i could not commit until late on.
As it turns out, the entrance verification was shocking, a quick detour following a few others got you in for free, in 4mins at most, a lot of revenue must have been lost.
The best part was seeing the dent guy, he charged me £20 to get a dent fixed, (great job too), so i went back to the entrance & told them and they said no probs, just drive down, this was at 11:00 :), my slot was for 15:30hrs so i parked up close for 4 or so hours next to all the other white ones…
what a result.
I did join the OC though
Best rally ever
Had a truly fantastic day, thanks to everyone involved in the organisation.
In the past I’ve taken part in national and international rallies with a number of vehicles ranging from a 1946 Triumph Roadster to later a Triumph Stag. I came along to Gaydon (my first MX5 rally with my recently acquired Dakar) to give her a good run out from the Peak District and to get a feel for the MX5 motoring peer group. I’ve been to Gaydon before and especially like the promotional films they show as I served my apprenticeship on such wonderful(ly dreadful) British Leyland ‘icons’ like the ‘new’ Allegro, Maxi and Princess. Anyway, what I’m getting round to saying is… of all the rallies of all the marques I’ve been to over many years, this was the best. The organisation was excellent and I especially felt a great deal of effort had gone into meeting the wide age range of owners. Everyone was so friendly and keen to engage in petrol head related memories and stories which are endemic with any visit to Gaydon. The camaraderie between owners on the drive in was quite astonishing as 5’s funnelling in from side and slip roads. The way home saw 5’s peeling off and couldn’t fail to make you want to drive on past your home and keep on keeping on.
So, thank you for a great all round event and sense of good feeling!….there!
“As it turns out, the entrance verification was shocking, a quick detour following a few others got you in for free, in 4mins at most, a lot of revenue must have been lost.”
It was laughable too.
When I arrived at 9:15 I had a colour coded parking pass so was right near the front of the display parking in front of the Museum, along with the other Le Mans cars.
Around lunchtime I took a long walk up the grass bank and round all the overflow parking areas taking photos, planning to walk down the main drive back to the museum entrance and my car - but got stopped by two Gaydon security people at the top of the avenue, who asked to see my entry ticket.
When I explained I was an ‘exhibitor’ and my car was down in the display area I was then asked for the mirror hanger, which I’d handed in to register/get the Souvenir Pack. When they realised I couldn’t produce the hanger they asked to see the pack itself, which was in the car - of course. Next tack was to ask for the Rally Plaque (so they must have known about it!)…which was in the Souvenir Pack…which was in the car - of course.
Luckily, I thought, I had my club membership card but that apparently wouldn’t get me past them!
At this point I thought I was going to have to retrace my steps through all the overflow/public car parks to be able to get back to my ‘legally parked’ car in the show area, when another member of the Gaydon staff wandered over to see what was going on and finally let me through.
Meanwhile, with the two security staff occupied with me both vehicle and pedestrian traffic was passing through unchecked.
I prefer the rally to be in different locations around the country.
Gaydon was great, but I wouldn’t bother to visit again a second year running.
We enjoy driving to and exploring new locations, and the rally destination makes a great focal point for a weekend (or long weekend) away.
Well the positves well out weight the negitves thank god, although even without negitive feed back, things cannot be put right for next time, but…
The problem here Peter and Gerry is when we read this kind of feed back and negativity,we just think, why bother next time, Peter as much as it hit a nerve ?, i agree with the statment…stop whinging and moaning and get involved in some way next time as extra hands ,ideas and help is always needed to make these events a great day for fellow owners to enjoy to.
The more i personally have gotten involved over the years the more you can see just what hard work goes into all this and what it takes out of you for her members from owners that love and have a passion for a make of car made of metal and plastic that we love and care about, so stop thinking negative, we should be thankful for what we have not for what we want. after every event more ideas are thrown on the table to make the next event even better ,and that is always on going, we will be thinking twice about it for the rest of the events now Peter and Gerry, i hate more than anything wasting my time.
M-m
I agree it was a great Rally and we thoroughly enjoyed it. I can understand all the reasons for re-visiting Gaydon, but for 1700 members cars the parking is just not adequate. We were lucky enough to be in the colour coded area, but I would have been very disappointed to have had to park “over the hill”
The National Rally is for all members and I think we should all be able to park in the same general area - after all the parked cars are very much part of the show.
Otherwise it was a brilliant show, the weather turned out ideal, and it was even warm enough to ride home still in our T Shirts - result!
Many thanks to all involved.
Steve & Gay
Fantastic event as said before.
However the museum was so good it kept me away from the MX`5 for far too long.
Same with the Brooklands Spring Rally.
Hardly a problem though.
Thank You once again to all the people behind the scenes for ALL your hard work.
Before this goes much further, lets just consider the practicalities of parking. Gaydon attracted 1,700 plus cars, that’s a lot of cars. If the weather had been constantly wonderful up to the day then those numbers could have exceeded 2,000, if it had been horrible, the numbers could have been as low as 1,000. That is the nature of MX-5 drivers and people in general.
Irrespective of all this, to get everyone a nice parking spot then you are looking for a venue to park 3,000 plus cars, by the time you have space for the other stuff you want and need to do, that is a very big venue, you are talking NEC levels of parking. With that big parking comes a venue that is expecting a lot of trade, so to make it an “exclusive” event you then need a very big wheelbarrow full of money to hire it.
In all practicality I doubt many Tesco’s car parks could take 3,000 cars. You could find a multi story car park, but then you wouldn’t get to park on the floor you wanted and probably someone will have wee’d in the lift. Even when you get the car park big enough then some will still have to park at the back. It’s a lot like Easy Jet, if you want the best seat there is no option but to get their early.
Those commenting about the holding car park or ‘dust bowl’ clearly did not read the many posts by the organisers who said time and time again that anyone not exhibiting, competing, being part of the organising team or taking part in the colour coordinated parking should NOT arrive before 10.30 as the gates would be closed and you would be diverted to the holding area.