ONLY THE VOTES OF CLUB MEMBERS WILL BE COUNTED
OPTION 1 Billing run administration
This is administratively similar to the 'old' way of running things. Booking through Billing with pricing much as before. Gate control and security by Billing.
However that is where the similarity stops as operationally it is quite different in that there will be a vehicle only 'show' area, effectively the central block of the site with Mk2Cav old area top right. This will be divided up as now by VBOA into club areas where our cars will be during the day. This is about 21 acres.
Camping will be in the surrounding blocks which have been divided up by Billing into pitches, with and without electricity. Unless left there overnight, cars will need to be moved into the show area each morning. The Autojumble will be in the same place as before and selling from a car boot on a stand will not be allowed. This could be a very different show experience to that which we have been used to.
If this option is selected, VBOA will, as soon as possible, notify clubs which pitch numbers are closest to their area so that members can purchase those pitches. Bear in mind that there may be unrelated members of the public nearby or even potentially in the area so early booking is vital to maintain a club's contiguous area. Definitely advisable to book by the end of the year.
OPTION 2 VBOA and Club run administration
In exchange for an advance payment by VBOA, funded by its member clubs, Billing will rent the exclusive use of the whole of the central block plus surrounding camping areas which we can use the totality of as a car/camping area. This is about 27 acres as against our approx 29 acres at Market Harborough'.
The rental period is Friday to Monday inclusive to VBOA for £35,000, paid in 4 instalments by the start of April. On top of that there will be some VBOA admin costs plus potential extra event costs like funding of gate control and some security so say £40,000 in round numbers. Then, dividing that total by the total number of spaces requested by the clubs the VBOA gets a price per space to allocate back to the clubs as per their request. That will then be the amount that the clubs will HAVE to pay VBOA on very tight advance schedule. As the first payment is due on signing the agreement, giving the clubs virtually no chance to collect their contributions, VBOA will lend out of its reserves that first payment recovering it from the clubs.
This is a huge change as it imposes financial risks and a new workload on both VBOA and clubs. Once we have committed to the space we will be on the hook for the money and we will have to chip in with some volunteer support , both should be interesting! There is however the potential for cost savings since we will be effectively getting the wholesale price for our area and we will have flexibility as to how we recover that cost.
My estimate is that the raw VBOA space cost to a club will be around £40/50 per car/tent for the 4 days. We will then need to add our costs and work out how to spread the total over campers and day visitors. Due to this, whilst there will be probably be a VBOA RRP, it is likely that clubs will have different price lists for their members. However, whichever way you look at it it should be cheaper than Option 1. We have to work on the basis of paying 50% by end December, 40% end January and 10% end March. As before you have to be a member to be on our stand and to gain our pricing.