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coopertim wrote:I found it really strange that Paddy Hopkirk was on site tucked away in the mini sport tent but there was no reference to either him or EJB - the car and driver who really raised the profile of the 1071 in the early days. Shame really as it would have been nice to see him and his 'S' together in the arena.

Tim

Well said Tim!
Instead we get a tv chef and a Ferrari being the top attraction on the Cooper S 50th anniversary!
I know that Paddy Hopkirk and many others have done the circuits for many years, but it's still a joy to meet them and talk to them about their experience in the Mini.... that's why i love the Mini so much.
I would rather spend time and money talking to the Works mechanics/drivers than hear how someone has thrown a lot of money at the scene.
It's nothing to do with Mr Martin, it could have been any celeb, it's the organisers loosing touch and forgetting what they have in the MCR.... Mini drivers and mechanics from when the Mini was unstoppable..... Mini royalty in my eyes.
Regards
George

I didn't take that many snaps but...

Some 1070 action..........



T'other end of the line ........

mk1coopers wrote:We did look into getting 33 EJB down for the day, unfortunately it was beyond our budget as a club to do this.

This could have been mentioned in an article in the monthly MCR magazine, and some fund raising could have taken place by the members to get EJB there!?!?
Surely it wasn't that expensive to get the most famous 1071 S to the Cooper S 50th?
It would have attracted more gate sales and shown that the MCR was thinking what was good for the event.
Seeing Paddy and EJB going around would have been a total delight.
I'll shut up now!!!!
Regards
George

Everything aside, Beaulieu was as always my show highlight of the year. A fantastic day and was really well organised with some outstanding cars to look at. The Works stuff as always was really interesting and this year there were some great different cars. I really enjoyed the social aspect on Saturday evening although i think that next year, the tent will have to go in favour of a nice warm room!

Hopefully in 2014, VFF will make the journey from Lincolnshire......cant wait!

Tim

AustinSuperSeven wrote:

mk1coopers wrote:We did look into getting 33 EJB down for the day, unfortunately it was beyond our budget as a club to do this.

This could have been mentioned in an article in the monthly MCR magazine, and some fund raising could have taken place by the members to get EJB there!?!?
Surely it wasn't that expensive to get the most famous 1071 S to the Cooper S 50th?
It would have attracted more gate sales and shown that the MCR was thinking what was good for the event.
Seeing Paddy and EJB going around would have been a total delight.
I'll shut up now!!!!
Regards
George

Heritage were very helpful and gave us a quote for having the car, this was well into 4 figures for the day, I think you would be very surprised at the lack of interest we get when it comes to people helping or providing cars for Beaulieu, to then ask for a small sum of money to get one particular vehicle there would have relied on over 50% of the membership putting their hands in their pockets, and as no where near that percentage attend Beaulieu I don't think it would have happened, we would then have been in the situation of having to return funds ect, Even with a business sponsoring having the car there it would have generated very little return for them, some exposure in the magazines yes, but not enough to warrant the cost, and if we had got the money from BMW can you imagine all the comments directed at us saying 'what have they got to do with the Monte win, trying to steal our Hertitage ect.......

As for Jame's Martin, it's been said before that he is a paid up member of the MCR, he arranged for 2 cars to be on display at his own cost (as did the rest of the membership) bringing the Ferrari into the arena was not pre-arranged, and judging by the amount of people that came into the arena to see what was going on I would say on the whole his presence was appreciated.

Beaulieu is organised and run by a very small team, everyone expects it to happen every year, but very few are prepared to help (this is the case with lots of events out there) perhaps we should all have a year off for the next year or two and let other people run it instead, or not as the case may be, I know I didn't get a chance to speak to everyone I wanted to and lots of people would appreciate the break from organising it

I take my hat off to anyone who is prepared to put in the massive amount of time & effort it takes to put on a Show like Beaulieu. People who have not attempted this sort of endeavour would be staggered by the amount of obstacles that have to be surmounted & how reluctant anyone is to put their hands in their pocket to help out. Add to this the huge number of people who will tell you how things could have been better & how they would have done this like this & that like that & I wonder why anyone actually bothers

Well done Mark & everyone else who was prepared to put the time & effort in to make Beaulieu the foremost Mini event that it undoubtedly is.

M

Well done Mark & everyone else who was prepared to put the time & effort in to make Beaulieu the foremost Mini event that it undoubtedly is.

Here, here, after helping to organise the centenary event of our motor club I certainly appreciate the effort that goes into it!

Tony (ACE01) has been the driving force behind Beaulieu for the last 3 years, and has done a fantastic job on a very tight budget, I've organised the show in the past, and there are plenty of other MK1 forum members that have given up lots of their time to put on the show and displays over the years.

We always welcome suggestions on what people would like to see, but here's one for those that haven't helped out in the past, if you really want to see something happen, why not suggest it and say you will help to organise it

xvl24 wrote:

AustinSuperSeven wrote:

coopertim wrote:I found it really strange that Paddy Hopkirk was on site tucked away in the mini sport tent but there was no reference to either him or EJB - the car and driver who really raised the profile of the 1071 in the early days. Shame really as it would have been nice to see him and his 'S' together in the arena.

Tim

Well said Tim!
Instead we get a tv chef and a Ferrari being the top attraction on the Cooper S 50th anniversary!
I know that Paddy Hopkirk and many others have done the circuits for many years, but it's still a joy to meet them and talk to them about their experience in the Mini.... that's why i love the Mini so much.
I would rather spend time and money talking to the Works mechanics/drivers it's the organisers loosing touch and forgetting what they have in the MCR.... Mini drivers and mechanics from when the Mini was unstoppable..... Mini royalty in my eyes.
Regards
George

I have not been for two years, last time I was there show seemed to have lost something,the concours was outside the main arena behind an earth embankment and replaced by the BMW minis making the show loose its some of its appeal getting more spread out and loosing its atmosphere. Why did they let the BMW mini into the MCR, why does everything have to be bastardised, how about an Original Mini Cooper Club with no BMW minis

lol.. quite right !!! try saying that on the MCR forum and it will be deleted !!!!... what is it with the schmoozing/adulation by some of Mr James Martin ???!!!.. I don't get it !!! .....foxy52

to make my own picture of the James Martin story, I need a pic of the Ferrari

I think both Marks have summed up this situation well.

I have organised the show for the past three years and a couple of times before that. I never cease to be amazed by the number of people who think that it could have been done better or differently. Where were you when help was needed? You just sit back at your keyboards and come out with a complete lack of understanding of what it takes.

I have not enjoyed the last three years of Beaulieu, I dread the weeks leading upto the event and especially the day itself, partially because of the absolute rubbish that gets bandied around afterwards and partly because of some of the idiots who create problems before and on the day. The lack of response to requests for cars, and manpower is depressing and then to hear some of the 'experts' views after the event...well.

For the record, James Martin is an undoubted attraction, the evidence being the number of people who come into the arena to hear him being interviewed. That is a simple fact and a product of the modern world. The fact that he is an enthusiast of our cars is a bonus and he has taken his time to come to our show.

As for the BMW MINIs, like or not they have been a fixture for the last 12 or 13 years and will not go away. The number of classic minis is decreasing by the day, at the very least having the BMW MINI at our show helps pay some of the cost. Many of those owners also go on to buy classics.

I will say no more on the subject as it just adds to the feeling of why did I bother.

ace01 wrote:I think both Marks have summed up this situation well.

I have organised the show for the past three years and a couple of times before that. I never cease to be amazed by the number of people who think that it could have been done better or differently. Where were you when help was needed? You just sit back at your keyboards and come out with a complete lack of understanding of what it takes.

I have not enjoyed the last three years of Beaulieu, I dread the weeks leading upto the event and especially the day itself, partially because of the absolute rubbish that gets bandied around afterwards and partly because of some of the idiots who create problems before and on the day. The lack of response to requests for cars, and manpower is depressing and then to hear some of the 'experts' views after the event...well.

For the record, James Martin is an undoubted attraction, the evidence being the number of people who come into the arena to hear him being interviewed. That is a simple fact and a product of the modern world. The fact that he is an enthusiast of our cars is a bonus and he has taken his time to come to our show.

As for the BMW MINIs, like or not they have been a fixture for the last 12 or 13 years and will not go away. The number of classic minis is decreasing by the day, at the very least having the BMW MINI at our show helps pay some of the cost. Many of those owners also go on to buy classics.

I will say no more on the subject as it just adds to the feeling of why did I bother.

...I for one would be one of the first to say as I have already done today on the MCR forum what a fantastic job the committee members and club events organisers do for and on behalf of all the club members..not sure if the prev comments were dir at me but if they were u miss the point I and others namely Peter Laidler were making ??!! respectfully yours foxy52

Never been to Beaulieu before, I thought who ever organized it done a blinding job, even arranged the weather, how do they do that? No, realy good day, well done and thanks for the experience.

ace01 wrote:I think both Marks have summed up this situation well.

I have organised the show for the past three years and a couple of times before that. I never cease to be amazed by the number of people who think that it could have been done better or differently. Where were you when help was needed? You just sit back at your keyboards and come out with a complete lack of understanding of what it takes.

I have not enjoyed the last three years of Beaulieu, I dread the weeks leading upto the event and especially the day itself, partially because of the absolute rubbish that gets bandied around afterwards and partly because of some of the idiots who create problems before and on the day. The lack of response to requests for cars, and manpower is depressing and then to hear some of the 'experts' views after the event...well.

For the record, James Martin is an undoubted attraction, the evidence being the number of people who come into the arena to hear him being interviewed. That is a simple fact and a product of the modern world. The fact that he is an enthusiast of our cars is a bonus and he has taken his time to come to our show.

As for the BMW MINIs, like or not they have been a fixture for the last 12 or 13 years and will not go away. The number of classic minis is decreasing by the day, at the very least having the BMW MINI at our show helps pay some of the cost. Many of those owners also go on to buy classics.

I will say no more on the subject as it just adds to the feeling of why did I bother.

well said on all points

at the end of the day, jm is a celebrity, and to many people in this day and age, probably more interesting than paddy hopkirk (certainly to younger mini owners who have no interest in the old stuff, i also bet more wives and girlfriends got excited by him been there than 'some old rally bloke'), and its only right that he is treated as such by the mcr - he gave his own time to bring his collection of cars - and for people to suggest that they 'should be on 'q' plates, or in the case of the Ferrari, should be parked in the normal car park, just underlines the petty envy mentality that seems to be on the rise in the classic mini world, and has shown up in this thread.

the guy has decided to put him money where is heart is and buy a couple of really nice minis and use them, not hide them away in a private collection - he should be applauded for this.

i don't know the guy, or really have any concept of how famous he is (don't watch t.v...), but was parked next to him at brands next year and watched how he was mithered none stop all day by people wanting to have pictures taken, talk to him, touch him - he never got a second to himself, yet remained in good spirits all day.

i cannot believe that people are still crying on about bmw minis, get over it, they have been making them for long enough. they don't interest me one bit, but instead wittering on, i just walk past them, just like i do with mini clubmans, or mpis

as for minisport charging for hopkirk signatures, at the end of they day, they have entered into an agreement with paddy hopkirk to market his branded stuff, so he must be happy with the arrangement - he is an asset to them and they will be looking to get a return, and he is probably happy with the payments he gets, at the end of the day, it costs a large business like minisport a lot of money to do a show, so they will need to maximise profit to cover the costs of going to a show like this.

im afraid to say that the valueless moaning from some on this thread just underlines why my interest in minis has taken such a nose dive in the last 12 months - currently, for the first time in nearly 20 years i don't even have a mini with an mot........

Strange, I thought all the BMW minis (apart from the arena / club cars) were parked on the opposite side of the grass bank whilst the 'traditional' Beaulieu main field was kept largely for the Minis (I still refuse to call them classic Minis) I even asked one owner to move their Convertible that they wanted to park next to a MK1 Cooper that they had also bought along, they were more than happy to do this when asked politely.

I'm also getting more and more fed up with the politics / finger pointing at the 'Southern elite', who was it that organised an event further towards the midlands because people wanted one further North....oh yes that would be Tony.....again, and I've found a venue near Newark that would be willing to host a show, but no one's interested in running it.

And as for all this harping on about James Martin, all I and others have done is point out he did not get special treatment to bring his cars, he offered to bring the Ferrari into the arena (and who with an interest in cars would not like to see something like that), his Minis are not wrapped in cotton wool, and why shouldn't he enjoy them as much as the rest of us, Minis have always been owned by the rich and famous, that was part of there appeal, Jo public could own one, and so could 'celebs', no one judged you, sadly that seems to not be the case anymore

Here you go Foxy;




One for Ted;



This was very nice;

As one of the original organisers of Beaulieu (15 or 16 years) I am glad to see it is still happening and the main MCR is improving on the (Dorset region of the MCR) initial concept, BMW Mini, VIP's, Honary members love them, hate them, its neither here or there, they will always be people who have ideas for Beaulieu, not many people will want to help and it will usually be the stalwarts of many years standing who do, the organisers efforts will rarely be appreciated. I know all the time and personal money we invested in the original Beaulieu Cooper Day's weren't often, we did not do it for recognition (a good job to) it was great to see enthusiasts enjoying there Mini Coopers, we had the moaners and gripers and the stupid suggestions ( move the Beaulieu event to the Midlands) etc

Since handing over the reigns to the main MCR club, I can't even bring myself to go to Beaulieu or be a member!

just putting the straight jacket back on

David

ace01 wrote:I think both Marks have summed up this situation well.

I have organised the show for the past three years and a couple of times before that. I never cease to be amazed by the number of people who think that it could have been done better or differently. Where were you when help was needed? You just sit back at your keyboards and come out with a complete lack of understanding of what it takes.

I have not enjoyed the last three years of Beaulieu, I dread the weeks leading upto the event and especially the day itself, partially because of the absolute rubbish that gets bandied around afterwards and partly because of some of the idiots who create problems before and on the day. The lack of response to requests for cars, and manpower is depressing and then to hear some of the 'experts' views after the event...well.

For the record, James Martin is an undoubted attraction, the evidence being the number of people who come into the arena to hear him being interviewed. That is a simple fact and a product of the modern world. The fact that he is an enthusiast of our cars is a bonus and he has taken his time to come to our show.

As for the BMW MINIs, like or not they have been a fixture for the last 12 or 13 years and will not go away. The number of classic minis is decreasing by the day, at the very least having the BMW MINI at our show helps pay some of the cost. Many of those owners also go on to buy classics.

I will say no more on the subject as it just adds to the feeling of why did I bother.

Well done and well said......many of the moaning comments on here remind me why I got out of the 'Mini club' and 'event organising' scene many years back in the 'Mini Cooper Club' and Nat MOC days......a thankless task which few appreciate or ever offer any real help. As for BMW MINI's and there owners (of which I am now one) most are a good enthusiastic bunch who add variety and further financial income to shows without causing any major grief to classic owners and as said a significant number that i know have gone on to own a classic or have a strong desire to get one one day after attending the shows....despite the unfriendly 'diehards' who make me ashamed to be associated with some fellow Mini 'enthusiasts'......at Beaulieu there is plenty of space for ALL to enjoy the event. (Remember the Rover Cooper 'haters' in the MCR and at Beaulieu in the early 1990's? Sadly still a few of them around too......). The Morris Minor club/show scene would love to have a modern equivalent like the MINI to get some much needed new blood and ideas as the boring 'old codgers' like many of us have become fall off the perch!

Paddy Hopkirk arrives at the Beaulieu Mini Day 2013 in his other 'EJB' registered MINI


I also look forward to the second Brands Hatch Mini Festival which last year showed how successful an inclusive Mini/MINI event can be run with something for everyone whatever their interest in Minis or MINI's over a weekend.
http://www.mini-festival.co.uk/

I think we're all agreed that we're all grateful for the effort that club officials put in to make Bulee happen, yes ? Agreed all round. If it wasn't for a small number of people doing all this organising in their own time non of this stuff would happen, that goes for shows up here aswell. It's never an accident that the people who groan on about how imperfect the event is/was are never the people doing anything to help, never are and doubtless never will.

So a celeb chef turned up with his cars and caused a bit of a fuss. I really couldn't have cared less. Like Rich says he did that at his own expense, he likes the cars and I don't see how that can be a negative.

All I know is that there were lots of people like me that really enjoyed the event, barely had time to see all the cars, rummage through the bits and chat to the people they intended to and this is coming from someone that finds Mini shows and car shows generally a bit of a bore and wants to go home after an hour, if I ever bother to go to one ! Bulee's the only show where you get to see such a diversity of cars and despite the fuss being created on this thread 99.9% of the people that attended had a great time.

Pete Flan
News At Ten
Still thoroughly enjoying his hobby.