Folks,
Just a quick line to kick off the thread. 27th to 29th July, Milton Abbas, Dorset. The Rally website will go 'live' at the end of January.
In the meantime, I have located two fine hotels - each with about ten rooms available, and have block booked them both for the weekend. Our weekend coincides with the Milton Abbas Victorian Street Fayre which last year attracted 26,000 visitors, so accommodation in the area will be snapped up rapidly - hence the need to ACT NOW!
The Fox is about three miles from Milton Abbey and the Acorn is about fifteen miles distant. I plan to take rooms in the Fox from Thursday night through Sunday night. The hotel has ample off-road parking, and a separate car park has been reserved for our exclusive use.
I am awaiting discount weekend break rates from both hotels, which I should have shortly. In the meantime, prices at the Fox are likely to be approximately GBP 140 for a room for two nights, or GBP 160 for a superior room, or GBP 180 for the most glamorous and salubrious chamber. Pro rata for extra nights if needed.
I would like to fill the Fox before starting on the Acorn.
The Fox at Ansty
http://www.foxatansty.co.uk/
The Acorn at Evershot
http://www.acorn-inn.co.uk/
Please could all interested parties let me know their accommodation requirements (including Thursday and Sunday nights if required) so I can close the loop with the Fox as quickly as possible so that we don't lose the rooms. (Please don't make bookings directly with the hotels - it will confuse them!)
Notice that, because we have booked Milton Abbey for our Vintage Garden Party on Sunday, the Navigation Rally will take place this year on Saturday, with an early start, of course. Therefore I would encourage you all to arrive on Friday if possible - early breakfasts have already been arranged! In view of this, I am also arranging discount tickets at the nearby Kinston Maurward Summer Ball - black tie, Pimms, dinner, jazz, disco, casino and more in a fabulous setting, and I am negotiating for a vintage car park for us close to the House. This will take the place of our usual informal Friday evening gathering.
http://www.kmc.ac.uk/gardens/garden.htm
Planning for this year's Rally is already well advanced and I can tell you that it is shaping up to be easily our best yet - and not only because I will be entering my Semi-sports which should be ready to ship from the USA by the end of March!
See you there!
Ian
VMR Summer Rally 2007
Moderators: Ian Grace, Will Grace
Much progress on the Summer Rally front - the web page and entry forms should be ready shortly. Jeremy and Lucy Thompson (owners of Milton Manor) have generously offered to organize a BBQ at the Manor for us on Saturday evening and are handling all the arrangements locally - which saves me a ton of work. A neighbour has offered their filed for overflow parking. The Thompsons own a Seven, a Morgan and a Mk II Jag. Milton Manor (formerly named Hill House) is where the B-P spent the war with the Hambro family.
Also the bursar at Milton Abbey school is working frantically to set up our vintage garden party for Sunday - there will be pre-orderable vintage picnics to be had on the lawns or in the quadrangle, plus they will open the school tuck shop for us - yummy! We have permission (rarely given) to park our cars on the lawns in front of the abbey - so definitely a great photo op.
Also the bursar at Milton Abbey school is working frantically to set up our vintage garden party for Sunday - there will be pre-orderable vintage picnics to be had on the lawns or in the quadrangle, plus they will open the school tuck shop for us - yummy! We have permission (rarely given) to park our cars on the lawns in front of the abbey - so definitely a great photo op.
Entries are coming in steadily and now include a 1927 Gwynne 10, a 1930 Standard 9 and a 1928 Clyno Royale among others.
The Austin team is assembled for the Lewis & Nicholson, but the Morris team is NOT. We need someone new to Captain the team this year as Paul Rogers will not be attending. And we need a team of three vintage Minors in all. Who would like to step forward and head up the home team?
It is important that we have a good turnout for the navigation rally and the garden party. If you know of anyone with a pre-war car (and who doesn't), please take a moment to download the entry forms from the website and invite them to come along. And please get your entry in if you have not done so already as the tickets, final instruction, etc. will be shipped with M 128 in about three weeks from now. Entries can be accepted after that, but it would be so much easier if the tickets, etc. can all be sent together. Many thanks for your support.
The Austin team is assembled for the Lewis & Nicholson, but the Morris team is NOT. We need someone new to Captain the team this year as Paul Rogers will not be attending. And we need a team of three vintage Minors in all. Who would like to step forward and head up the home team?
It is important that we have a good turnout for the navigation rally and the garden party. If you know of anyone with a pre-war car (and who doesn't), please take a moment to download the entry forms from the website and invite them to come along. And please get your entry in if you have not done so already as the tickets, final instruction, etc. will be shipped with M 128 in about three weeks from now. Entries can be accepted after that, but it would be so much easier if the tickets, etc. can all be sent together. Many thanks for your support.