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MG MG Y Type - Spring Run 2014

Interesting to see that the current UK inflation is currently shown 2.7%.
Next years Spring Run is up 20% for both the car entry up from £15 to £18 and the cost of hotel from £75 to £90 a night.
I fail to see how such price rises can be justified in times of austerity. Route map (Described as road book) can be provided by electronic distribution at no cost, does a rally plaque cost £18?
As local Y Type owner I'll be sticking to the local Owners club runs which cost £10 a year membership included are evening run on the last Tuesday of the month with route published at the time on the web site for driver to download for cost it takes to print to paper.
These are just my own views on what seems another example of unnecessary price rises.
R E Knight

Richard you clearly have no understanding that the price of a hotel is not within our remit. If you can find a hotel in Winchester that will hold 25 -30 cars overnight, provide us with a room to ourselves for our meal and include bed and breakfast for £90 then please let us know. The meal at £25 ahead is the same price as last year. Last year we visited a National Trust Property and most of those involved were NT members and therefore had a free entry.

The price of £18 includes entry fees, rally board etc. Also it may have escaped your notice that prices are rising in general for the supply of most goods and in some instances well above the 2.7% inflation rate that you refer to. After all the rate is based on a shopping basket of 150 items as far as I am aware

You must also factor in the cost of an MSA licence required for any event with more than 12 cars, also many of our older members do not have access to a PC and we have to meet their needs. Furthermore, the organisers have to visit the area where the event is being held to arrange accommodation and discuss arrangements with the hotel. Moreover, they have to check the route and arrange a suitable venue for the completion of the event. Any charges have to be factored in including parking arrangements, entry costs etc.

So hopefully you can appreciate the costs involved that will impact on the final entry price. We also have to include VAT, some of which may be reclaimable from the main club.

The Owners Club organises excellent events and for £10 a year that is great value. Though I would suggest that they have more folk to organise and arrange trips. Moreover, local runs are of course easy to arrange and organise if you live in the area.

As you mentioned the comments you make are your views. I hope that this note provides clarification of the why's and wherefores of organising and running an event. Something which I would imagine you have no experience of.

Sincerely

Jerry
J P BIRKBECK

I was updating my contribution and the edit period came and went!

Perhaps you might consider entering as this is a new geographical area for us and we are keen to encourage all Y owners both old and new. And especially those whom we don't see because recent locations have been perhaps been too far to travel for owners in the South East.

So let's see a record number of Y's attending an event specifically arranged for the Y Type. Surely, that is something to celebrate rather than sniping from the touchlines with some generalisations?

I look forward to seeing you in Winchester in May 2014 Richard!


Sincerely

Jerry
J P BIRKBECK

Jerry thanks for the reply.
I wish to take the opportunity to reply to couple of your points. I understand the hotel prices are set by the hotel, and I accept Winchester is pricey area in which to stay as it has limited large size hotels so supply/demand will dictate higher price.

I accept your comment about my lack of experience in organising an event so cannot comment on the exact cost of MSA licence, perhaps you may be able to advise, but I believe it is under £30.

A Spring Run event with record number of Ys would be remarkable achievement. The question is how do you achieve it? To start with lower the cost to realistic fee of £5 a car, unless my calculation of MSA fee is well below figure I’ve quote above, it wouldn’t take more than just every committee members entrance fee to pay this figure the other entrants being bonus.
I imagine a road book and rally plaque costs a fair amount to post to attendees. I suggest be innovative and perhaps print this as part of the safety fast notes which will be incorporated at no extra cost to the car club when producing the magazine, an electronic pdf or word version can be emailed for free to any non-club members or those with access to a computer. For those that can’t access the last two options they can pay extra for hard copies to be sent by post. I believe an envelope A4 with stamps is requested with payment so this cost is not having to be covered by the entrance fee.

Your comment “Furthermore, the organisers have to visit the area where the event is being held to arrange accommodation and discuss arrangements with the hotel. Moreover, they have to check the route and arrange a suitable venue for the completion of the event. Any charges have to be factored in including parking arrangements, entry costs etc.”...
May you advise on what the organisers claim for this in expenses? I thought it was organised by volunteers and unpaid as per the quote on contact us page of the register site I quote;
“The Y Type Register is a register of the MG Car Club. It is run by a committee, all of whom are volunteers and are unpaid. All members of the committee freely give of their time, and expertise with the express aim of, hopefully, assisting and helping MG Y Type owners worldwide”
Finally I appreciate you cannot have something for nothing, but it doesn’t stop something being competitive. Other towns may offer more affordable accommodation. I guess next years run must be quiet short if it ends at 1230 hrs and is likely to start around 11am based on my assumption of past events. My point here is "Does £18 for an hours drive represent value for money.
The MG Owners club organised their cobweb run and use venue of Hilliers Garden Centre, I believe car owners got free entry, and there was not payment to participate, except encouraged to contribute to clubs chosen charity.
I am unsure if I can attend next year’s event yet, as I hope to go to the Sommertreff again in Germany, clearly the distance will be more costly but the event was spot on last year, had full day of driving 80 miles and 40 odd miles on the second day around lovely country side. The hotel accommodation was special rate 45 euros per night including breakfast.
My comments are not intended to be snipping from side lines more to address my perceived view that things could be done for smaller budget.
Again I solely represent my own views and I only speak as an owner of two Y types offering an idea of what might encourage me to attend the event, perhaps other owners too may be encouraged if the cost were less too!
R E Knight

Richard
I had enough. I do not claim any expenses for any event or run that I organise, never have done, never will do. When I volunter to do something I fully appreciate this will cost me some money. With regard to the hotel price it is always cheaper to get a low cost room for one person than it is for 25 rooms. The bulk of the cost for the Sunday road run is the entry price into Milestones, which is outside my control. The remaining money is for the Rally plaque, photo-copying the road book and the MSA permit. Rather than snipping from the side line; prehaps you can volunteer to help fellow Y typers on the run. As it was moved to Hampshire following your comments last year.
C P Callaghan

Chris
Nil desperandum!!
For what it's worth, I'm very happy with your arrangements. I've booked the hotel, and my cheque & booking form are in the post.
Bill Bennett
W M (Bill) Bennett

At the risk of perpetuating this thread can I add that in the past reduced entrance fees have made no difference to attendance. Our first Autumn Run was free, only the entrance fee to the air show was charged. We had about a dozen cars. The Diamond Jubilee Run was subsidised but would probably have attracted the few extra entries it had anyway. The average fair minded Y owner appreciates that these events take time, effort and money to organise and accept that a few pound rise after a long period of no rise is perfectly acceptable.
Richard, if you do not realise that your comments are perceived as sniping from the side line you probably are also unaware how offensive your comments re expenses are to genuine volunteers. I suggest you call it a day on this thread.
Peter Vielvoye
Chairman MGCC Y Type Register
P W Vielvoye

Chris, never suggested you did claim expenses, I merely made reference to what Jerry had referred to about cost to visit the route beforehand etc.

Bill, Sorry I'm not one to "Trust God" or the cities footie team using it as a motto!

Peter, the maths are 20% I'm not sniping it's fact! I've given my alternative suggestion of cheaper way to cut distribution and costs.
Like BALLS and OSBORNE we could debate it all day and are unlikely to agree so I'll end by wishing you all the best with the run, it's unlikely I shall be there, but I look forward to the report appearing on the IMGYTR site unlike this years "no report" despite promises there would be one.
R E Knight

This thread was discussed between 22/10/2013 and 23/10/2013

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