As opposed to the more glossy and arrogant Classic Car Bias Weekly, complete with Ben Heath's Contempt section, which has featured a few Microcars, as well as Invalid Carriages, over the years.
National - Now hearing about the additional work created by the on site eccentricities. Like locking the access gate at 8 pm so a micro guard had to be on hand to get folk in, for instance. Its this hidden running about behind the scenes that tends to sap the energy of our dear organisers.
Other comment was the unacceptably low Messerschmitt turnout, again. Now I happen to know there is a bit of a Schmitty gang not far to the north of that area. So there should have been a core group of them, supported by more far flung cars. I met quite a few of them, but they had not bought their cars along. Several could have pushed them there! There seems to be a mental block between Schmitters and the National Rally, unfortunately. The MEC historically did much to combat that, but since their hibernation, and the lack of a whipper in, things have drifted back to disappointingly low attendance. But then several Micronauts suggested they were happy that there were not to many Schmitters there, as they found them 'unfriendly', for want of a better term. Oh dear, the fression continues.
Discussion turned to the number of rare cars present. Disappointment was expressed, but then mitigated, as the very success of a massed rank of Friskys put them out of mind as rare. It is probably the case that a good half of the Frisky owners could have bought some other rarity along, instead. So there was not a shortage of rare cars, it happened that quite a few were the same sort of car. If anything the shortage of rare cars is possible due to the underlying fact that rather than a lot of people owning one or two rare cars, a fewer number of people now own a lot of rare cars. The same might be said of the main types, but many more have been restored. So I am not sure.
Such was the busy nature of the day I met no one who had counted up the cars. It looked like over a 100 to me, and there will have been some turnover of cars during the weekend, due to other commitments. But then an event is not just judged on the number of cars. We remember some previous Nationals for the numbers of cars, but others for that much sought inflaming of enthusiasm that can happen, when the many gather to celebrate a thing they have a passion for. If it were easy to light that touchpaper, then every event would be brilliant. Clearly the news coming back is that this last National was meeting those credentials, and would seem to have sent folk home with some enthusiasm to get out into the garage and get some work done.
This is, or was, an event to build on. My belief is that its in the right area, The Cotswold, the old stamping ground, is now considered South. Not least with the South West not attending in any numbers, confused by the availability of Beaulieu, Dorset Steam Fair and the new dominant feature down the coast, Goodwood, pressing the dates foreword from mid September into the August Bank Holiday. If these events are on the same weekend then being 'South' is not the attraction that will gain extra cars. I fear a National v Beaulieu clash is going to become a common and unavoidable situation. Therefore the centre of gravity shifts North, and Hatton becomes effectively about as South, as perhaps, one wants to go.
For me the venue was good. But I was not present for a weekend, which is really the test. But I heard no complaints other than another on site eccentricity of closing the Toilet block at, 10 pm, I believe. Quite bizarre and while unhelpful to the ladies, an inducement for chaps to take to the hedge. Is that really a sensible policy on Hatton's behalf? Makes the venue edges a bit, eer, tacky! If I had kids I would be rather put off going for any event there!
A note on Beaulieu. As had been expected there was a shortfall of stall holders. This was resolved by offering Irish jumblers a discounted trip over. The PR trumpet well claim all sorts of nonsense, as a result. So the friends of friends who were down there were a bit miffed to have paid in full, only to see preferential treatment offered to a fair few 'newbies'. Also the quality threshold dropped, and there was more 'car boot'/ephemera stalls to car parts stalls, than ever. The telling comment was it is now possible to walk the jumble in a day, as you can discount so many stalls as not selling car parts. That would have been impossible during its heyday. Like the Veterama, you needed a weekend to know you had been in every box. Goodwood has attracted the top end and professional stalls to its international event. It seems to be dictating the weekend booking in the year as the premier attraction around that time, not Beaulieu any more. Most of those who attended Beaulieu reported finding little they wanted. But I bet the attraction, and tradition, of going means many will continue to go, come what may.
All food for thought