MG Car CLub and MG Live

[Peter Mallett]

Given the decision to quit racing, the MG Car Club has, unsurprisingly cancelled MG Live. It says for 2024 but I suspect we've seen the last of what was a major UK club racing event.

https://www.mgcc.co.uk/mglive-2024-statement/

[midgetman]

That means I was at the first and last event.....

Given the cost of renting Silverstone I'm amazed it's lasted so long. It must have been really difficult for one comparatively small club to sustain for so many years. I saw somewhere it is upwards of £200k per day.

Shame, but a sensible decision for those of us that support the MGCC.

Sent from my AC2003 using Tapatalk

[Peter Mallett]

IIRC at one time, Silverstone provided the venue free gratis, or at least at a highly reduced cost.

But yes the entire costs of running championships etc. must be horrendous, especially when the MSUK and the FIA keep piling on reduncay rules for safety gear etc.

[MGDavid]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

IIRC at one time, Silverstone provided the venue free gratis, or at least at a highly reduced cost.

But yes the entire costs of running championships etc. must be horrendous, especially when the MSUK and the FIA keep piling on reduncay rules for safety gear etc.

This is effectively the death of the MGCC, IMO due to mismanagement and complete lack of any succession planning. It is disingenuous of them to imply that they can't make money running race events when the CSCC (who do nothing other than organise race events) have in their 20 years built up reserves of over £650,000 and thus enabled them to buy and own outright their HQ premises, while offering excellent value for money to us racers. The 750 club run umpteen championships and are not exactly a loss maker either.

[Peter Mallett]

Can't argue with that David. They've always been an amateur organisation in every sense of the word.

[Derwent]

I've been a member for 42 years and like many others I am thinking of saving the £50 membership fee now there is no racing. The replacement multi marque show at Malvern will just be like any other classic show but in a godforsaken venue.
As a long term organiser and secretary of a successful local motor5 club I have a various times offered ideas and advise but the club is run by a small clique, most of whom don't like racing but want to run the show as it was 40 years ago. The Club has not ben able to file accounts for the past three years but employs four people at Kimber House. Both the staff and Kimber House are a huge cost to the club. The footfall at KH is minimal as there is no parking so meets and "Cars and Coffee" events can't be held there.
I suspect that one make (or model( clubs are on the way out. Classic car clubs that cover all makes on a regional basis are very popular. People has less "wed" to one make. I've ones dozens of MGs an still have two but I bought an MX5 last years and it's my everyday driver in the summer.

[Peter Mallett]

I've been a member since 1986 and agree with you. Where is the point of the club if it doesn't carry on the original tradition of competition? When one considers the MGOC, which was really just set up to cater for the MG "enthusiast" who originally used the MG as a daily until they became acceptable classics, the two organisations are poles apart. The MGCC doesn't have its own spares department preferring to simply direct owners to preferred suppliers. Thus it offers nothing other than its history.

I belong to the local Aylesbury MG coven and frankly all they want to do is sit around at club nights and discuss horses, their latest house move or the new Landrover they've just bought. Mention the history of MG and the MGCC and you can see their eyes glazing over. I've tried to get them to enter the Maharajah's tour and other such things and met with apathy. I'm now trying to get them to organise a charity cars and coffee event, where other clubs and general car enthusiasts can assemble. You can guess the current status of that.

[Derwent]

As far as I can see from the advert for the replacement "show" the entrance fee is £40 per person. Now I am part of the organising team for the Cumbria Classic & Motorsport Show in the Lake District. It's free for club members for a car and two people and £5 for a non members car and two people. You get a nice attendance award as well. Public admission is £10 and kids free. We now have to limit entries to 800 cars due to space and logistics. Given good weather we make a good surplus, split between our charities and the club's development fund. I can't see the Malvern event offering anything different.
It's alos cheaper to got to the Donington Historic in May!

[bauble]

A look back.

[Peter Mallett]

Lol, that Red and White car is the odd one out. It's not spinning! #amidoingthisright. Actually the high speed handicaps used to be great fun, I recall one year having a race long battle with an MGB GT V8, no contact but very close racing. After the race, I was called to race control, thinking I had done something wrong I was relieved when they handed me my passport, which I'd obviously dropped in the paddock.

Incidentally, that looks like the hairpin on the old International Circuit.

[midgetman]

The MG Car Club International Weekend always used to be a great gathering of friends, watching/doing racing on the Saturday, socialising in the evening and a big auto jumble/hangover day on the Sunday with the California Cup autotests on the GP track from Club Corner to Abbey Curve featuring the best part of 100 drivers.

I competed in either the Saturday or the Sunday from early 80s to late 90s, and we had some absolutely epic "socialising" in the old Silverstone Club. 1980 was particularly memorable (or can't - remember - able depending on how you look at it).

I stopped going while we did other things and my MGCC membership lapsed. I went back in 2010-ish selling racewear from my mobile shop, and the heart had been torn out by motorhomes. People stayed in their little groups around their own caravan and didn't venture out to mix with the great unwashed in the beer tent on Saturday night.

I went back last year to do the California Cup. Far from being a prestigious multi-location event lasting most of the day, we were restricted to two tests in the Main Arena, with the third cancelled as we wouldn't be finished in time for a re-run of a stunt show. I met some Australians pitted next to me and we had a chat but on the whole no one engaged with me and my "re-badged Rover".

My local Centre is a microcosm of the club. Same people running it that have done so for 30 years, trying to do the same things that just aren't of interest to the youth of today. And if you don't drive a T Type you're not a true MG person. I went to the local natter when COVID cleared. I used to run it until MiniMM came along, (he's 27 this year) and the rump of attendees were still there. 8 people I think it was, I was the youngest (60 at the time). I haven't been back.

I'm still a member because I intend to do some Speed Championship events this year.

Returning to that epic 1980 event, we had an awesome singing contest with the Dutch centre and I upset one English bloke whose biggest insult to me was "You're not a member of the T Register old boy."

Unfortunately I get the impression that this is still the same attitude from the elderly membership of the club. If you're not in their clique with the right car you don't count. This doesn't seem to be the attitude of the club central office staff, but it does seem to pervade the membership and they're the people putting off new members. MiniMM was a member to race, now they're not running racing he isn't a member. The Old Guard has won and I'm afraid the Club will die with them.

FWIW I did offer to help the local centre a couple of years back and came up with a strategy document. Some of my ideas have been quietly adopted but otherwise it's all fizzled out.

Sent from my AC2003 using Tapatalk

[bauble]

I attended a number of MG Live meetings over the years, and have the photographs to prove it, the meetings tended to be somewhat boring, as it was MGs wall to wall, however, I would be happy to trawl the archives if anyone can ID their car for me.

F.o.C of course.

[Peter Mallett]

Just adding to this:

Originally Posted by safety fast

The Cockshoot Cup organised by the North West Centre, will be held over eight rounds at four meetings in 2024......

It appears this will be run under the MGCC licence but the races will be part of another organiser's card. Dates are: 11 May - Donington; 3&4 August - Anglesey; 7 September - Oulton Park; and, 29 September - Silverstone.

[Peter Mallett]

Originally Posted by bauble

I attended a number of MG Live meetings over the years, and have the photographs to prove it, the meetings tended to be somewhat boring, as it was MGs wall to wall, however, I would be happy to trawl the archives if anyone can ID their car for me.

F.o.C of course.

Accepting the point about wall to wall MGs it would be fair to say that the ethos of the event was originally for the club's racers. IIRC there was no gate fee because it was run under a closed licence, similar to the old SUNBAC meeting, which fell by the wayside due to licence requirements. (I stand to be corrected here). Ergo, non MGCC spectators were few and far between.

[Derwent]

Club racing of all types does not attract many spectators these days. The fact that most races are single model is boring with high speed convoys and little overtaking.

[John Turner]

I remember that this meeting in the old days always had plenty of club stands, displays and automobilia and not all MG. Great fun to wander through on a sunny day!

The red MGA (28) of Shaun Bromley is a regular with FISCAR, as is Alex Quattlebaum in the LECo2 (17) in Bob's first lot of photos. Alex has made a good recovery from his injuries at Silverstone last year but will probably allow son, Scott to drive from now on and he is quick!

[bauble]

I have the programmes from MG Live 2007/17 all in good condition. Does anyone want them before the go for scrap?

Drop me a PM.

Bob.

[Derwent]

Originally Posted by bauble

I have the programmes from MG Live 2007/17 all in good condition. Does anyone want them before the go for scrap?

Drop me a PM.

Bob.

I am sure the MG CC would love them. Perhaps contact your local Centre?

[bauble]

The MGCC ae collecting the programmes on MONDAY

[ChrisA]

This used to be one of my favourite meetings of the year. I think that I marshalled at least a dozen of them back in the day. The club used to really appreciate the marshals, on the Saturday night they held a BBQ for them in the pits, food, Old Speckled Hen to drink. A great time was had by all who attended. Divers, mechanics and of course club representatives. Brilliant.

[bauble]

MG Live is now dead.