Lancia Motor Club

AGM & National Weekend 2013 - Elcot Park Hotel

Attached is a pdf of the centre page article to be featured in next month's VL detailing the event, room rates and booking procedures etc.

More details will follow at a later date clarifying menu choices, guest speaker, rally route and non-resident food order payments etc.

*revised PDF attached - 20/02/2013 - admin

**revised PDF to reflect April issue of VL (menu and itinerary added) - 24/03/13 - lima

Here is this weekend's agenda (courtesy of Chris Hopkins... posted later in this thread and repeated here in this amendment)

Friday     
Car park set up   From 12.00pm   Furthest car park
Guest arrival - Registration   From 2.00pm   Main Reception area
D/b Library search & calendar   From 7.00 to 7.30pm   Paxton Room
Dinner   From 7.30 to 8.30pm   Orangery Restaurant
D/b Library search & calendar    From c9.00 to 9.30pm   Paxton Room

Saturday
Resident’s breakfast   From 7.30  to 10.30am   Orangery Restaurant
Guest arrival – Registration   From 7.30 to 10.00am   Main Reception area
Lunch snacks to be ordered   From 7.30 to 10.30am    Main reception
Optional tea and coffee   From 9.30 to 10.30am   Orangery Bar/Lounge
AGM registration   From 10.00 to 10.30am   Blenheim Suite
AGM   10.30am   Blenheim Suite
Committee Trophies   After the AGM   Blenheim Suite
Regalia & Library stalls   After the Trophies   Blenheim Suite
Optional lunch (See above)   12.30 to 1.30pm   Orangery Bar/Lounge
Concours judging   From 2.00 to 4.00pm   Furthest car park
Concours presentations   4.00 to 5.00pm   Blenheim Suite
Pre-dinner drinks    7.00 to 7.45pm   Orangery Bar/Lounge
Wine sales   7.00 to 7.45pm   Orangery Bar
AGM Dinner   7.30 to 9.30pm   Orangery Restaurant

Sunday
Resident’s breakfast   From 7.30 to 10.30am   Orangery Restaurant
Start of Sunday Drive   From 10.00 to 10.30am   Furthest  car park
Optional Library visit   From 10.00 to 11.30am   Eastbury
Optional visit/lunch/ snacks   Open 10.30 to 5.00pm   Crofton Beam Engines
See Crofton leaflet & Essential information sheet for prices & discount information in your Omicron bag.

Excellent!, Well done Mark (et al) , I'll take off the provisional status from the calendar :)

PS. Who is the contact ( for the website calendar - or do you want it left as events@lanciamc.co.uk ? ) 

Thanks Mark,
Could we also please have a postcode for those of us without sat nav.
Thanks

Brian 8227 8)

The hotel's website is at http://www.mercurenewbury.co.uk/ (http://www.mercurenewbury.co.uk/) and it gives the address and postcode as:

Elcot Park Hotel
Elcot
Near Newbury
Berkshire
RG20 8NJ

(http://www.mercurenewbury.co.uk/assets/images/8330_Newbury_map.jpg)

Thanks All,

But, I downloaded the pdf and all I got was some nice photos, no text !

Also might be helpful to include the date in the thread title?

Cheers,
Martin

Hi Martin

Download works fine on a (my) PC!

Tim

Title date added!

That's strange  :-\ I get lots of lovely text  :D
Are you using one of those strange fruit computers?  ;D ;D

Are you using one of those strange fruit computers? 

[/quote]


Thanks Tim and Theo,

Yep, got a fruity anorak !
But with one of those I can just drag the JPEG out of the forum and blow it up to read it easily.

Thanks Theo.

Brian
8227 8)

Steve. I was originally tasked with producing the graphics/ form etc. I'm down as the contact for the AGM on the 'advert' because it seemed easier... lots of people organising lots of different bits. I'm happy to field queries to the relevant people although I certainly cannot lay claim to be the organiser the event. That accolade is due to Chris H. and others who are actually making it happen. :) Mark

Ok, Mark I'll update the event to show you as the contact on the event and if it needs to be changed then it's easy enough to do :)

Latest version of the VL article for AGM (now with menu and itinerary) attached.

A menu booking form will be added to this thread very shortly in the event that you lose/ mess up the one which will accompany your copy of VL  ;D

Gala Dinner Menu Booking Form

(this is a 2-page pdf)

Dear All,

I have booked the hotel today and give the following information. The telephone number printed is for the Mecure central booking line, pick option 3 as this will take you to the hotel reception. Do not press option 1 for individual bookings as they have no idea what you are talking about and tell you to ring the same number but pick option 3.

Regards

Simon Davis

TOP TIP SIMON! Many thanks.
You'd have thought the hotel would have mentioned that to the LMC.

2013 AGM - Chalk Downland & White Horse Drive

Further to the information already supplied in the VL centre spread, I wanted to tempt you to take part in the Sunday morning drive.  Ade Rudler has created his usual high quality route through the lovely rolling downs of West Berkshire, East Wiltshire and North Hampshire.  The drive will end around lunchtime at the oldest working Beam Engines in the World at Crofton which were built 200 years ago to supply water to the highest point of the Kennet & Avon canal, where it runs through Savernake Forest. We have chosen our weekend well as they will be in steam when we visit and being still in working condition, they represent an installation which has major, international significance for industrial archaeology. 

A section of the overflow car park will be available for our use so although there is a very good cafe at Crofton, if you would rather have a picnic in the car park with beautiful views before you visit the site, then please do so. Being a Steaming Day it will be busy but the engines are very impressive and well worth seeing.  The Kennet & Avon Canal Trust own the site and you will be supporting a worthy charity by visiting it.

Excellent news :)

Thanks Chris, as an Ingenere this appeals to me immensely!

Would appreciate schedule and timing for Sat as I don't have time to check back. Thanks.

-> in the Blenhiem Suite
AGM Registration is 10:00
AGM Meeting is 10:30

(just a very quick answer for you Peter)

Much obliged, will be at agm.

For those of you wanting a sandwich buffet lunch in the Blenhiem Suite following the AGM, orders must be placed directly with the hotel before 10.30am
...alternatively enjoy your own packed lunch/ picnic (the weather looks good for it*) or dine in the Hotel's restaurant.

[* correct at time of going to press]

Here is this weekend's agenda -

Friday      
Car park set up   From 12.00pm   Furthest car park
Guest arrival - Registration   From 2.00pm   Main Reception area
D/b Library search & calendar   From 7.00 to 7.30pm   Paxton Room
Dinner   From 7.30 to 8.30pm   Orangery Restaurant
D/b Library search & calendar    From c9.00 to 9.30pm   Paxton Room

Saturday
Resident’s breakfast   From 7.30  to 10.30am   Orangery Restaurant
Guest arrival – Registration   From 7.30 to 10.00am   Main Reception area
Lunch snacks to be ordered   From 7.30 to 10.30am    Main reception
Optional tea and coffee   From 9.30 to 10.30am   Orangery Bar/Lounge
AGM registration   From 10.00 to 10.30am   Blenheim Suite
AGM   10.30am   Blenheim Suite
Committee Trophies   After the AGM   Blenheim Suite
Regalia & Library stalls   After the Trophies   Blenheim Suite
Optional lunch (See above)   12.30 to 1.30pm   Orangery Bar/Lounge
Concours judging   From 2.00 to 4.00pm   Furthest car park
Concours presentations   4.00 to 5.00pm   Blenheim Suite
Pre-dinner drinks    7.00 to 7.45pm   Orangery Bar/Lounge
Wine sales   7.00 to 7.45pm   Orangery Bar
AGM Dinner   7.30 to 9.30pm   Orangery Restaurant

Sunday
Resident’s breakfast   From 7.30 to 10.30am   Orangery Restaurant
Start of Sunday Drive   From 10.00 to 10.30am   Furthest  car park
Optional Library visit   From 10.00 to 11.30am   Eastbury
Optional visit/lunch/ snacks   Open 10.30 to 5.00pm   Crofton Beam Engines
See Crofton leaflet & Essential information sheet for prices & discount information in your Omicron bag.

Thank you Chris for posting the agenda for the weekend!

Briefly scanning past editions of Viva-Lancia for this information, there seemed to be a lot of PR stuff, but not much on what one needed to plan, especially if one is not attending for the full weekend...

Still looking good. Certainly streets ahead of Crewe last year! Just finished polishing the Beta (for what it's worth) in between the showers, but the sun is out now.

Little bit of rain after we arrived here ; nice place ! Easily found and good Lancia signage :) Website news page has been updated with a nice picture ...

which website?  ???

I cannot find it on the LMC site

Is your web-monkey taking a while to fire up his mac?

Here it is Mark : club news ! http://www.lanciamotorclub.co.uk/club-news.php

 ;D AHAAAAAAHHHHH... excellent.  Two Lambdas already.  Lovely

wish my Fulvia was running  :'(

A few more photos from the AGM

A few photos from the AGM

A perfect LMC social catch up day. And great weather. Cars from every era, almost.

A big thank you to everyone who came, whether as a hotel resident, a gala dinner attendee or simply a day tripper.  Your contribution made the 2013 event a success.  The car park was full!  It was a fabulous turn out.  The AGM and Award ceremonies were very well attended.  The gala dinner seemed to go without a hitch and those of us who were propping up the bar beyond the witching hour thoroughly enjoyed mutual rantings about a multitude of car and non-car related topics  ;D

The rooms were a little hot, the decor (in my room) was laughably dated and there was a disappointment for a couple of people in regard to the closure of the pool.  But those issues aside I think that the service (as I experienced it) was good, the dinner event was commendable and the company of my fellow Lancisti exemplary.  ...and to top it all off the sun shone brightly throughout.

Thanks to the committee and officers who made it happen despite the unforeseeable challenges, and thanks to those of you who came and made it such a nice weekend.

Bravo.

Some of my pictures from the weekend below....

a couple more...

and a couple more...

and to finish on a couple of car shots...

I like the wide angle shots - and a pleasure to meet you on Saturday.

On the forum (for myself...) I want to keep it to cars only - but if anyone wants to continue conversations or follow up on my comments regarding other matters feel free to phone, email, or private message.  Private message I find a bit of a fiddle so email preferred.  I really can't commit to joining the committee and as such I struggle to comment as it feels so unappreciative which couldn't be further from the truth.  Its a great club and I want it to prosper so if me taking time to provide another perspective is a help do ask.

David

It was wonderful to meet people in person that I had only previously encountered online (you too Mark!), make new Lancia friends, and see others again whom we have known for many years.  :)

Great weather, good cars, and we thought the gala dinner meal was exceptional.  Mark, your dinner menu design was inspired too.

The Sunday drive was great fun, the route book clear and easy to follow, the scenery breathtaking, culminating in the engineering marvel of the in-steam beam engines at Crofton.  ;D

A big 'thank you' to everyone involved in organising the weekend, escpecially our multi-talented Chris Hopkins.

A big thank you for a great weekend. Totally second the thoughts already made.

The bar has been raised with the design input (excellent Mark) and variety of cars. Ade's route was again a marvel.

Tim and Sarah

Mark/Chris.
concur with all said before well done!
I tad disappointed with the staff at the hotel is my only negative comment.
Enjoyed the weekend especially as the weather was kind and a great broad spectrum of cars.
Paul

It was indeed a great weekend and our grateful thanks go  to Mark, Chris, Steve, Margaret and the rest of the organizing team for all the effort put in. Big disappointment for us and Jonathan in that the Fanalone refused to co-operate on the Friday evening and had to be left at home.

The hotel was good, and the Saturday programme very much to our liking with plenty of time to relax due to the spacing of the various events. It was also good that for those with time restraints and/or budget considerations it was possible to take in the AGM, Concours and Gala Dinner on the one day.

The Sunday run was excellent in that it allowed for a visit to the LMC Library (which gave us a wonderful insight into the sterling work carried out by Chris Hopkins), the  viewing of the awesome Crofton Beam Engines, a pleasant lunch overlooking the canal and away for home at 2pm.

Only gripe, the cost of drinks at the bar and the long wait at times to be served.

So, thanks again to organizers, guests and the weather provider alike who made for a most enjoyable weekend. Time to draw breath now having had Fulvia50, Sliding Pillar Rally and AGM in the space of a month!

Oh, and Modestine behaved impeccably - so nice not to arrive home on a recovery truck! :)

Robin & Margaret.

Yes, pretty much the same comments - we loved the weekend. The weather (obviously) was a big factor but after spending 6 hours trundling down the A4 to get there from Avonmouth on Friday, talking through latest features of the database/library/website with members (I'll do something for the Forum/VL! soon) and having a nice relaxing Saturday (it was great to realise that I could have a lunchtime beer because I wasn't going anywhere!), evening meal was great as was Tim as the after dinner speaker ... I'm also enclosing a picture of him plus my car (not often the car meets the 'approver' I guess).  Then Sunday was a great drive and with a stop off to Chris' place (the parking outside was pretty impressive) and loads more material for the library too ...

What else? Well, the end of the drive was also inspired at Crofton , just being able to see the engine (wow) and then being able to sit and watch the world go by is a nice way to end.

Three other points : a Delta LX is a pretty good car to do the drive in - size is everything I think on country lanes. It's also quite relax as it's quite slow and you can have the roof open , although saying that it goes round corners much faster than Range Rovers :) It can also just about keep up with a couple of Lambdas ....

But yeah, lovely : super weekend, great people and well done to the organisers and to the committee

I had a hugely enjoyable time on Saturday with lots of interesting chat.  A big thanks to everybody involved in organising things.

The only bad point was that nobody wanted to buy the Prisma!  :)

My photos can be found here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8165854@N08/sets/72157634402059421/

We had a great weekend.  Many thanks Chris and Mark for all you hard work and ensuring everything ran so smoothly, also to Ade for the road book.  Mark, your art work is brilliant.   The setting of the hotel was lovely and the view from the terrace spectacular.  We also enjoyed the relaxed Saturday format with time to enjoy everything.  The gala dinner was very enjoyable and the after dinner talk by Tim Speechley was very interesting, we had a nice chat with him afterwards.

One good thing to see was more youngsters / teenagers this year and they all seemed to be having a good time!!

Thanks again

Steve, Margaret and Emma

Thanks for all the pics and feedback guys, some super cars and a great time had by all!


P

I'll second and third and fourth  ;D everything said above  ;) It was a great weekend with glorious weather, lots of lovely cars and lots of even lovelier people. Having all the static events on the Saturday with the drive on Sunday worked out very well and allowed for a lot more relaxing and socialising on Saturday. Here's some photos from me:

(http://i1237.photobucket.com/albums/ff477/TheoKyriacou/LMC%20AGM%202013/P1120721_zps1e72af45.jpg?t=1372712857)

(http://i1237.photobucket.com/albums/ff477/TheoKyriacou/LMC%20AGM%202013/P1120725_zps73edbbc0.jpg?t=1372712804)

(http://i1237.photobucket.com/albums/ff477/TheoKyriacou/LMC%20AGM%202013/P1120758_zps62d071fa.jpg?t=1372713560)

(http://i1237.photobucket.com/albums/ff477/TheoKyriacou/LMC%20AGM%202013/P1120759_zps221e93c3.jpg?t=1372713574)


More of my photos can be seen at http://s1237.photobucket.com/user/TheoKyriacou/media/LMC%20AGM%202013/P1120700_zpsd7f27fd8.jpg.html?sort=9&o=0 (http://s1237.photobucket.com/user/TheoKyriacou/media/LMC%20AGM%202013/P1120700_zpsd7f27fd8.jpg.html?sort=9&o=0)

Or a slideshow at http://s1237.photobucket.com/user/TheoKyriacou/slideshow/LMC%20AGM%202013?sort=9 (http://s1237.photobucket.com/user/TheoKyriacou/slideshow/LMC%20AGM%202013?sort=9)

Theo, if you 'did facebook' I would just have to click 'Like, but instead, I agree wholeheartedly with you.  ;D  ;)

I especially love the pictures of Carol's "Tigger" and John's Lambda, and hope that Linda took them?  ;)

The Ultimate Haynes Manual!

Anybody who was not resident at the hotel/ didn't visit the AGM but wishes to have an electronic copy of the Route Map I created for their own fantastic summer drive (route devised by Ade Rudler), please PM/ email me and I can send you the document directly (too large to upload on the forum.
I was unable to partake in the drive myself but everyone who did do it said that it was a stunning route.  8)

Mark, if you want to send me the files (zipped or otherwise) then I can load them into the library as there are some folders for AGM things (I have the Cheltenham routes in there from 2011)

I just need to omit the bit about 'optional library visit' and then I'll send it to you and those that have requested it. Ta

The weekend was very enjoyable and thank you to all of you who arranged it for us. May I ask please if there will be posted on the forum a list of the concours and other awards made?

The organising team did really well, the format however was not to our liking.  We would have liked to go on the drive but having to drive over 200 miles home after a 70 mile scenic drive would have been too much even if we had not had to get home early.  It would certainly have been a non starter in an older car of if we lived any further North.

Also heard other people comment that they preferred the previous format of a drive on Saturday and the agm/concours on Sunday.

That's what I'm talking about - excellent work Mark! ("You know your culture from your trash, you know your plastic from your cash...You know your stripper from your paint..."  ;)  :D )

Like Don I heard a number of comments regarding the format of the National weekend and AGM.
I've never liked the move away from the original format that had previously been in place during the 19 years Ive been a member of the LMC.
3 years is long enough for an experiment, we were asked to give the new format a chance to work, it doesn't, so can we please revert back to the original format.

Brian
8227 8)

Cesare... I shall prompt Barbara for the list and upload in due course  :)

Surely the events were spaced the same as in 'The Good Old days' just on different days? i.e. Saturday and Sunday switched. So, those coming for one day only could take in the AGM and Concours on that day with those opting to include  the Gala Dinner staying on for one night  as usual.

What this year did allow (with the Concours prizes being awarded on the Saturday) was for an earlier getaway on the Sunday afternoon. We chose to cut the Sunday drive short, thus enabling us to be away from Crofton at 2pm some 2 hours earlier than in the past. I know of one person who didn't much like being relatively inactive on the Saturday.

I do see that for those with long distances to travel home an added 70 mile drive might prove unacceptable.

I do hope that all who attended will acquaint the organizing team with their thoughts on the weekend to enable them to endevour to appeal to the majority of the membership in the future. They say that 'Silence is Golden' but it 'aint much use when it comes to planning.  :D

Robin.

I must admit that I was very apprehensive about the 'new' format but having now tried it, I think it works well. There are, of course, pros and cons to both methods and I believe one of the main advantages of the 'old' way was the organised lunch on Sunday. But as I've already posted above, I liked the fact that Saturday was 'static' and therefore offered plenty of time for socialising as well as taking part in the official events. It was also good on Sunday that we could check out of the hotel at the expected time after breakfast and be on our way instead of having to load up the car with our belongings and hang around all day for the events. But I think a forum vote on the two methods is called for....

Please go to National AGM and rally weekend format (http://www.lancia.myzen.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=6370.0) and cast your votes.

I've put Mark's images and documents in the library under Events / AGM / 2013 - feel free to download if you like (access to the library is via the database www.lanciadb.co.uk ) and when I get round to it they'll be available in the database "Search Media" facility.

On the "format", this is possibly horses for courses. When I organised last year's up North it was thought best to do the run on the Saturday suspecting this might be favoured by members who had come from the South, and concourse on Sunday. (so we have not had 3 years on the new format experiment!).

However, I am more inclined to the "new" format even this year where as someone from the most east of England enjoyed Ade's route going further west giving more miles to go home after visiting Crofton. I think we did 220 miles that day with the hood down!

A more central location for the weekend should not pose problems for the Sunday drive format.

Tim