southwest meet?

chip · 18-02-2008, 16:58

Is there ever going to be one?

**CraigGreen** · 18-02-2008, 17:13

There was one once!

Me & Brett decided not to organise anything over the winter due to cold weather not enticing anyone/or enough people out in their cars.

Tbh there still seems to be an issue regarding the location. There isnt an agreement as to where to hold the meets & the impression I got from the last discussion was if the location is moved randomly, the attendance will be poor due to people kopping out when it isnt close enough.

chip · 18-02-2008, 17:17

Just take an executive decision, either Taunton or Exeter have both worked in the past, so name one of them, pick a decent pub, and set it up as a "1st sunday in the month" or something meet, that way everyone knows exactly when it is and where it is every single month without fail.

If people dont like it, then tough, they arent any worse off than they are now with no meet!

**CraigGreen** · 18-02-2008, 17:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by chip

Just take an executive decision, either Taunton or Exeter have both worked in the past, so name one of them, pick a decent pub, and set it up as a "1st sunday in the month" or something meet, that way everyone knows exactly when it is and where it is every single month without fail.

!

Thats actually what I was thinking after I posted my 1st comment. I'm going to suggest to Brett we meet up to organise something. Seeing as spring is around the corner. I'm keen to have meets somewhere like a pub but with a view to having a drive out somewhere, nothing too far but just to make use of these cars we all spend time perfecting & to avoid spending Sunday afternoons in a pub ogling whatever waitresses are working.
Print off a handfull of route sheets & warn everyone to arrive with sufficient fuel.

Thoughts?

slappycarp · 18-02-2008, 20:27

sounds good to me boys,

sorry was not out in weston last night but illness playin up and was stuck in bed most weekend : - (

think we should start doin a meet once a month at start of month as sounds brill now warmer weather is going to start coming,

WE HOPE,LOL

Galahad · 18-02-2008, 20:36

i think you should weigh up how many people from the Devon/Cornwall area are likely to turn up, if not many, then you should move the venue further up the M5!

chip · 18-02-2008, 23:34

Im of the (incredibally biased cause I live there) opinion that taunton is a good place to meet up, at the harvester by the holiday inn as its so easy to get to from the M5, have a quick (non alcoholic) drink there, then head off for a 10-30 mile drive to a pub somewhere rural to enjoy a drive, then have an evening meal there, make a real dayout of it, but with people having the option to just go to one of the pubs if they are short on time.

So maybe 2 hours at the first pub, drive of half an hour or less, then 2 hours at the next pub.

So start at 3pm probably.

Barnowl at exeter is equally valid, but harder for the bristol peeps.

Other good thing about taunton is that if its on a sunday, the real hardcore petrolheads amongs us can really make a day of it by going on from the second pub to weston supermare afterwards for the usual sunday evening meet there.

Im of the opinion that the 2 pubs chosen should ALWAYS be the same, so that its a firm meet that everyone knows whats going on, it will get too confusing if its a bloody orienteeering exercise every month.

kNeo_gHau · 19-02-2008, 02:25

Well personally i think cheddar gorge is a good place, plenty of pubs in the local area, between taunton and bristol.

I'm sure at least one other person here agrees with me

chip · 19-02-2008, 09:42

Cheddar is a fantastic setting, its just a bit of a bastard to get to, I think as the M5 runs straight through the north of the region and then connects onto the A38 and A30 that carry on south it really needs to be somewhere near that just to make it as accessable as possible.

Getting to cheddar when you are from plymouth is an absolutely massive task really.

**Brett** · 19-02-2008, 10:27

1 a year in the gorge is probably enough IMHO. Maybe another one towards the end of the year would be good, not sure. There are car meets up there every weekend these days, wasted some a group of BMW boys over the top on Sunday afternoon

Im up for Taunton really, all the Cornwall lot shout and scream when we do a poll asking saying its to far, but then hardly any turn up at Exeter when we hold a meet there... so taunton is a prefered location for me.

chip · 19-02-2008, 10:40

Taunton is doable from plymouth in not much over an hour, and from bath in about the same, and from gloucester in similar, and from exter and bristol in around 3/4 an hour, it does seem like the ideal place for most of the members.

And im not saying that just cause im from Taunton, I do so many miles a week anyway, that it makes no difference to me where it is really, I'll attend it wherever in the region it is TBH if I think some interesting folk are going

**Brett** · 19-02-2008, 10:52

meets always used to be held in taunton back in the day when we were getting 20 people at least attending.

chip · 19-02-2008, 11:00

To me the vauxhall scene online seems bigger than ever, and yet the number of people out and about in the southwest seems smaller than ever.

Too many people who only socialise with a keyboard in front of them these days rather than enjoying the face to face meets.

I reckon more people need to give it a try

Shall we set a "Xth sunday in the month" type date then, and start doing our best to actually drum up interest?

I vote for last sunday in the month, but starting with march as there isnt really enough time now before the feb one and the weather will hopefully have got a bit milder by the end of march.

And I dont think we should do what always used to happen and if castle combe is on like in april we cancel the meet and make that it instead, sod that, a meet a week after combe is the one time when people will have the most to talk about anyway

**Brett** · 19-02-2008, 12:22

sounds like an Idea. I'lll wait for craig to see this incase he has any thoughts.

If monthly meets are to work well long term though we will need to get numbers up and fast. I think also the single model clubs having meets takes away from our base aswel.

I'll invite astra-mk2.com as I co-ord the SW reigon on there to which is likewise dead, Im sure Craig might be able to get a few Nova lads along and Im sure there must be a few SW based VS'ers who would be wanting to come?

kazsymonds · 19-02-2008, 12:35

Why not join the mk3oc one again, the last meet i went to it was mig & mk3oc, was an awesome turnout.

I think their next one is Taunton, at the harvester!

Galahad · 19-02-2008, 13:21

I'm all for it, but not this month, i still need to rip the V6 out of my Astra and put the replacement in.

**CraigGreen** · 19-02-2008, 13:23

I'm in agreement that Taunton is ideal. Good base for drive-outs (Quantock Hills, Exmoor, Brendons, Smeatharpe etc), easy access from M5 & tempting for any Bristol folk.

1st or last Sunday is the way to go IMO. Brett we need to meet up & have a discussion perhaps?

**CraigGreen** · 19-02-2008, 13:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Galahad

I'm all for it, but not this month, i still need to rip the V6 out of my Astra and put the replacement in.

Likely we will begin the meets in March tbh Phil, as posted further up.

**Brett** · 19-02-2008, 13:39

could just do it as an open discussion if you want, we'll be at X pub on X night anyone who wants to tag along and float idea is more than welcome? we need to catch up one evening though and sort it out. The drive out sounds like it might be a good idea actually, its great on the quantocks and exmoor.

Joining with the Mk3 OC will be a good idea, when is the harvester meet kazy?

kazsymonds · 19-02-2008, 14:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brett

could just do it as an open discussion if you want, we'll be at X pub on X night anyone who wants to tag along and float idea is more than welcome? we need to catch up one evening though and sort it out. The drive out sounds like it might be a good idea actually, its great on the quantocks and exmoor.

Joining with the Mk3 OC will be a good idea, when is the harvester meet kazy?

http://www.mk3oc.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27422

Sunday 24th for anyone too lazy to read, "at the blackbrook or 'carvery' on the sign", so doesnt look like the harvester. Not a clue where any of the places i've just typed are tbh.

**CraigGreen** · 19-02-2008, 14:13

Blackbrook is off the other side of the motorway roundabout. Literally a stones throw off the M/way.

Only issue I see is that most good food 'type' pubs are busy as funk on a Sunday without a tribe of lairy petrolheads turning up, I'm not sure Blackbrook is such a good idea in that respect. I'd sooner choose a lesser known venue if its prely to meet up & down a coke before moving off.

chip · 19-02-2008, 17:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brett

sounds like an Idea. I'lll wait for craig to see this incase he has any thoughts.

If monthly meets are to work well long term though we will need to get numbers up and fast. I think also the single model clubs having meets takes away from our base aswel.

I'll invite astra-mk2.com as I co-ord the SW reigon on there to which is likewise dead, Im sure Craig might be able to get a few Nova lads along and Im sure there must be a few SW based VS'ers who would be wanting to come?

I think its only GP and Stupink I can think that are SW VS'ers more than MIGers anyway really everyone else is on both sites anyway, but im sure they will both turn up and they both have interesting cars IMHO

IF we need to boost numbers, providing someone can give me lots of lifts to and from my house, I can bring a few vauxhalls and a few non vauxhalls along from my driveway, LOL

chip · 19-02-2008, 17:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by kazsymonds

http://www.mk3oc.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27422

Sunday 24th for anyone too lazy to read, "at the blackbrook or 'carvery' on the sign", so doesnt look like the harvester. Not a clue where any of the places i've just typed are tbh.

Awesome carvery in there IMHO, I go there quite often, but as Craig says, lunchtime is likely to be mega busy on a sunday, which is why I thought we could meet after everyone has had their lunch, and then just have an evening meal instead at the 2nd pub we get to

chip · 01-03-2008, 10:50

Brett / Craig, can one of you name a final date/place for the next meeting please lads?

Or it'll go another month without one.

Last sunday in the month at the blackbrook at 3pm perhaps, then go for a driveout to somewhere?

**CraigGreen** · 03-03-2008, 11:58

I'll get on the case to Brett & we will sort something.