Miniworld sold to Kelsey and Monty Watkins resigns

[mab01uk]

MiniWorld magazine editor Monty Watkins has resigned amid moves by IPC Media to sell the title.

MiniWorld has been targeted as one of around 28 titles to be sold off by publishing giant IPC, as part of a major restructuring of the company’s operations. According to industry journal Media Week, IPC Media is in consultation with staff at a number of its specialist titles, including MiniWorld. Media Week named Monty Watkins as one of those in consultation and said all relevant staff had been made aware of the possible sales. Sources have since told Mini Magazine that Monty has left his position as a result of these talks.

Moves to sell MiniWorld follow IPC’s launch of a ‘strategic review’ in April, which will see the company close or sell a range of print titles to invest more in its ‘multi-platform brands’. Among the other titles for sale is iconic men’s magazine Loaded.

As we went to press, Kelsey Publishing had been identified as the likely buyer of MiniWorld, but no official announcement had been made. Kelsey specialises in producing low-budget niche magazines, and has a range of motoring titles including Modern MINI.

http://www.minimag.co.uk/page/minimag?e ... world_sell

http://loveminimag.blogspot.com/2010/09 ... world.html

[tomkidd]

Oooff. I only had an email off him last week, he's been there years. I wonder where they stand with the project car that Minisport have just built for them?

[mk1]

Unfortunately it's inevitable.

As the Mini purchaser base shrinks the need for the two Mini magazines is only likely to shrink further.

I have always been a supporter of the "Dark Side" Mini Magazine, but I imagine that they are thinking the same thought at the moment too!

I sincerely hope that the new publisher makes a realistic go of things.

[Pete]

To be honest considering the depleting number of Minis on our roads over the years, the cost of MW and the info/websites/forums available on the net for free, plus the plethera of books and club magazines available I'm surprised it's lasted as long as it has. I do remember being really excited (sad or what) when it first appeared and buying copies regularly but I haven't bought it regularly for years. One thing they shoulda done years ago is wrap it to stop tight wads like me speed reading it in WH Smith !

[guru_1071]

i hope the new owners insist that mini world drop the annoying habit of calling the mini 'mini' all the time.

it really gets my goat, a mini, the mini, my mini, your mini, a collection of minis.

its

'the mini has been going for 50 years'

not

'mini has been going for 50 years'

its a quantity of cars, not a singular brand

tossers

[mk1]

Well said Rich,

I couldn't agree more.

[tomkidd]

Ha ha, I can't say it bothers me The Guru

I wonder if they do it because they are writing about, what is essentially, BMW's product that is called MINI?

[mk1]

No,

they do it to specifically pi55 rich off.

[Pete]

No,

they do it to specifically pi55 rich off.

You say that like it's a bad thing .

Yup 'Mini' is very feckin irritating. I also got bored of reading the same resto story after resto story with lots of shiny chromed up cars but they're so reluctant to cover cars 'as found' or talk about the history of a car which many do actually like reading about. There's a piece about a load of photos of 60's club racing for example in the latest issue (Eddie Whitham's) which could have made a good read but the attached text is utter generic waffle.

[Richspec]

No,

they do it to specifically pi55 rich off.

Or maybe just people called Rich, cos I really, really hate it too.

[JC T ONE]

I also got bored of reading the same resto story after resto story with lots of shiny chromed up cars but they're so reluctant to cover cars 'as found' or talk about the history of a car which many do actually like reading about. There's a piece about a load of photos of 60's club racing for example in the latest issue (Eddie Whitham's) which could have made a good read but the attached text is utter generic waffle.

I totally agree, some of the best articles were in the early years, I especially remember the articles regarding Bob Freeboroughs Rally car, and the visit to Works collector Guy Smith.
But Mini W is not the only mag, that "jump the fence" and take the easy way out, other mags also just show "after" pics, and dont share all the cars story.
I for one, also think there is TOO much "bling" and big wheels, I really dont think it would sell less copies if they did a 50/50 on old 60ies & 80-90 custom Minies.
Personally I only buy a mag if there is a REALLY interesting article.

[Austin Costin]

Mini World certanly knows where their market is directed though, its the big chrome wheel brigade that would have kept the mag boyant over the years with a few decent articles thrown in for the likes of us lot.

[chris-pilling]

Ive not read mini world in a long time... Mini world has a REALLY annoying thing when they feature a car and the questions they ask the owner like "favourite drink" etc.. its so "chavtastic" its a shame. Really lowers the tone somewhat

[mab01uk]

roll on stanford hall-least i can look round the nice cars and autojumble than having to weave through hundreds of mini citys and sprites with cooper bonnet stripes and big wheels

ooooooooo,,i can hear thier timing chains rattling already

So you were never a young first time Mini 850 owner with questionable taste and modifications/improvements you would rather forget , a limited budget and a rattling timing chain!
Aren't some of these youngsters likely to be the future old git Mini enthusiast owners of 'nice cars' reliving their youth with immaculate showroom standard restored Mini Citys and Sprites when we are all long gone?

[coopertim]

Yeah!! Good point mab. I remember my first mini as a spotty teenager very well....Antique Gold and brown vinyl a set of GB Minilites, a pair of Hella thin spot lights and rotten sills with plenty of filler in the doorsteps and the obligatory Paddy Hopkirk steering wheel Ahh happy days....

Tim.

[coopertim]

Again very true brook. A mini is a mini is a mini and i think its nice that enthusiasts span teenagers to people in their 80's and different people get different things out of the mini scene.

I must admit that i cant be doing with the big arches, mirrors on the floor or massive sound systems. i hate cheap repro parts and it does dissapoint me if i go to the shows and see a sea of uninteresting cars. What keeps me going is the amount of great people i have met over the years who are so passionate about their cars and who talk at length about them...especially in the pub in Brockenhurst of a Saturday night in June

I used to be the pillock at Stanford Hall on his back at 8 in the morning cleaning sheep s..t from underneath my white Cooper and missing the early morning bargains.....only to be pipped by a vision in pink .....I have long since seen the light and will now enjoy my car (when its finished) for what it was intended to do.

On the subject of the magazines, i had my old 998 Cooper featured in 1996 by Mini Magazine before it was restored on a very cold January morning. Gerrard Hughes did the feature and very good it was too, in my opinion because Gerrard was a real enthusiast. Mini World then did a feature post restoration in 2004 after i bought it back again and Peter Barker again did a cracking feature. I was just luck to get good people to feature the car. I agree now though that both magazines seem to have lost their way which is a real shame.

Tim

[coopertim]

I always remember John Kelly in one of his marvellous rants in the MCR magazine a few years ago when he was talking about the cars that you don't see at Beaulieu any more and it's very true for most shows now. The interesting old stuff seems to be getting more scarce. That is a real shame. This year I am going to join the DEWS club and the HRCR to satisfy my passion for old interesting minis which you can really get worked up about!

[mab01uk]

Yeah!! Good point mab. I remember my first mini as a spotty teenager very well....Antique Gold and brown vinyl a set of GB Minilites, a pair of Hella thin spot lights and rotten sills with plenty of filler in the doorsteps and the obligatory Paddy Hopkirk steering wheel Ahh happy days....

Tim.

My 1st car in 1974 was a tweed grey 1965 Morris Mini-Minor 850.............I pop riveted on some coversills over the crumbling outer sills, filled the gaps round the edges of them with filler, liberally coated them with Holts Underseal and gained my first MOT pass. Next the red vinyl interior was completely painted in black using Holts upholstery paint while nearly choking to death on the solvent fumes inside the car. Later additions were Karobes black padded rally seat covers and slip-on head rests, 10" steering wheel and spray-on black tinted windows which scratched badly if anyone wiped a misted up window with a ringed finger! Also left clouds of oil smoke under acceleration and magic wand had to be held in third gear to stop it jumping out. Later in 70's fitted a Mk3 998 engine and 4-syncro box and started to do things properly as money and newly learned diy mechanic skills allowed.

[mk1]

Thats one of the joys of Mini ownership, there are many aspects of owning a Mini that apeal to different people.

I tend to agree that if the young folks aren't encouraged & made to feel included there will be no one willing to buy my cars when I'm old & my pension is worth about 50p a week.

Blinged up cars a re not my cup of tea, but each to their own is my motto.

[rolesyboy]

Guru- your e bay ad for BMC Rocking Horse poo made it in to Mini World top 3 e bay items this month!!! Did you keep the bag?