Donington is Dead - Long live Donington [merged]

[Alex Hodgkinson]

I do hope not.

There is plenty of room to run tanks, military vehicles and such around the outside of the circuit. The camping areas and of course the large purpose build 4x4 course in the woods behind Mclains spring to mind.

Anyway I don't think Kevin would want to be running Panthers and Tiger II's on a regular basis, they're a bit rare!!

Incidentally, are you aware that the area of the circuit was a military dumping ground from 1939 until Tom bought it in the 70's..?

[terence]

Plus there's the probability that Kevin might just like to see some income from the circuit.

[RCMADD]

i think it would be nice if someone asociated with donington made some sort of announcement as to what is happening.

are they going to patch up the track and have some sort of racing this year?

or close for a year them come back as good as ever?

[Steven Humphrey]

There's a handful of provisional dates booked for this year-BTCC, MSVR & (I think) F3/GT. Surely these clubs must have some sort of contact with the circuit to even consider publishing these dates?

[ascarracinguk]

i think its a 'lets put it on the provisional calander for september then wait and see' idea. donington will be back, but it will take some work to get it ther, which will probably take the first part of the season. it would be a very sad loss to motorsport to loose donny, and i think that is reflected by the bigger series putting it on as a provisional, hoping that it will be up and running in time.

[redshoes]

Originally Posted by RCMADD

i think it would be nice if someone asociated with donington made some sort of announcement as to what is happening.

You are assuming that anyone associated with Donington actually knows what's happening.

On the assumption that the circuit is going to be re-opened at some point, until such time as Wheatcroft makes the decision to invest money himself or he can find a new tenant with funds to invest there's not going to be much to announce.

Originally Posted by arnage arnie

There's a handful of provisional dates booked for this year-BTCC, MSVR & (I think) F3/GT. Surely these clubs must have some sort of contact with the circuit to even consider publishing these dates?

Provisional dates so far: WSB in Jul/Aug, BTCC in Sep, British GT/FIA GT4 in Oct, Britcar in Oct. Aside from Britcar all were booked and announced prior to DVLL's demise.

[Asp]

As you may have noticed, this topic has been discussed in various topics in various sub-forums. This has had the problem that there's been a lot of cross-over, however some good points have been raised in some places and not others.

To make it easier to follow, this is now the single thread to discuss the future of the circuit. It's a topic that will run on for a while (until, hopefully, it's re-opened with a new owner), so in the long term it's best to keep everything together.

I'm sorry for any short-term confusion, however, to assist if you haven't been reading things have a look at the threads from Historic Racing and Formula 1. I'm sure that other posters will recap any key points though.

[JimW]

I hear that the museum is open again - anyone been past and had a look?

Regards

Jim

[RCMADD]

no, not had any reason to go that way.

im wondering if there is any sort of training session in jan??

[old man]

Probably covering old ground but can Jim W or others confirm just what was in the DVLL lease and what was not. I would have expected the lease to embrace only the race circuit with the collection, Sunday market and parking operations remaining with the the Wheatcroft company. The exhibition facility is open to doubt as it was part of the development plan as far as I know, I may be wrong.

I know for certain that Palmer was interested and whilst I don't know the actual detail suspect the Administrators comments about the terms of the lease refer to him (and possibly others). I found Jim W's figures for track days (on the F1 thread) a little on the high side but if, as Jim says, the circuit was in use 5 days a week that is good bread and butter income that could be revived if the circuit is useable.

The stepped pit lane was a disaster for long distance GT racing or any car racing that involves racing pit stops but otherwise there is no reason why the place cannot be up and running next season if the terms of a new lease are reasonable. When there was all the fuss about back rent I have to say I was rather surprised at the levels of rent that the lease required.

We shall have to see and a lot depends on how well Tom Wheatcroft protected his family interests where death duty is concerned but I expect us all to be enjoying Donington again in 2010

[Al Weyman]

Sincerly hope you are right Old Man.

[terence]

Originally Posted by old man

I found Jim W's figures for track days (on the F1 thread) a little on the high side but if, as Jim says, the circuit was in use 5 days a week that is good bread and butter income that could be revived if the circuit is useable.
< When there was all the fuss about back rent I have to say I was rather surprised at the levels of rent that the lease required.

We shall have to see and a lot depends on how well Tom Wheatcroft protected his family interests where death duty is concerned but I expect us all to be enjoying Donington again in 2010

I do hope you are right,but going back to circuit rental,Silverstone want £30k per day mid season. By my recconning,at that rate,one race per weekend plus track days/testing must bring in at least £50k per week.Then of course there are the rents on the Burger Facilities etc etc.

[Piglet]

The rent figure touted around at the time of the hearings relating to non payment of rent indicated that the annual rent was around £3m - that's nearly £60k a week, every week PLUS whatever interest payments on borrowings.

PLUS the running costs...PLUS the circuit really is in need of investment even if the tarmac was reinstated. Plus business rates etc.

Of course the deal last time appeared to include more than just the circuit, it seems to have included the right to run the collection and probably income from the Sunday market and possibly from the parking companies but it's still a huge amount of money.

Hopefully a new deal will be done that allows better commercial terms to protect the future of the circuit.

[skentellytubby]

Logically one would have thought that the Wheatcroft family would want the circuit up and running for its intended purpose as soon as is feasible?

Its the logical conclusion surely? Even if there is no concrete interest in committing to a long term lease right now, the Wheatcrofts could at least run it (hopefully) profitably for a season and build some track record (scuse the pun) and gain some proper interest if the books looked good. Even in these current difficult times, one would think that someone would be interested in taking a lease in 12 months time especially if the financial environment improves in that period.

I can't see why the family would want such a massive asset sat dormant for any extended period, when a relatively small (relatively!!) investment would get it up and running and earning money. The interest circulating the track now is huge (you never know what youve got until its gone etc etc), so I'm sure any race meetings or track days would book up quickly even if they charged a premium over the Cadwells/Crofts/Oultons.

Just my ten penneth.....

[rdjones]

From what it says into MN it appears that the BARC are one of the other parties that are looking at taking over lease.

[gary396]

Originally Posted by RCMADD

im wondering if there is any sort of training session in jan??

I think another thread mentioned a marshal's training day being based at one of Derby University's sites - not the main one in Derby. Might be worth checking the marshalling threads?

[welche2]

http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/burtonma....asp?ID=474053
latest on our local paper website will be printed and on sale later today.

[tony griffiths]

Slightly off but have the set of the Donington F1 - Corgi toy - collection if anyone is interested !

[terence]

Originally Posted by skentellytubby

Logically one would have thought that the Wheatcroft family would want the circuit up and running for its intended purpose as soon as is feasible?

Its the logical conclusion surely? Even if there is no concrete interest in committing to a long term lease right now, the Wheatcrofts could at least run it (hopefully) profitably for a season and build some track record (scuse the pun) and gain some proper interest if the books looked good. Even in these current difficult times, one would think that someone would be interested in taking a lease in 12 months time especially if the financial environment improves in that period.

I can't see why the family would want such a massive asset sat dormant for any extended period, when a relatively small (relatively!!) investment would get it up and running and earning money. The interest circulating the track now is huge (you never know what youve got until its gone etc etc), so I'm sure any race meetings or track days would book up quickly even if they charged a premium over the Cadwells/Crofts/Oultons.

Just my ten penneth.....

Exactly my point in an earlier post.With the family contacts in the Building/Construction business,I'm sure that whatever repairs are needed,they could be done at reasonable cost.I think Kevin now needs to get the ball rolling and start taking deposits/contracts for next season.

[RCMADD]

Originally Posted by gary396

I think another thread mentioned a marshal's training day being based at one of Derby University's sites - not the main one in Derby. Might be worth checking the marshalling threads?

spotted that after i posted. no good to me though as that is for trainees.

[old man]

Certainly if any long term deal is to be done it is better to have a working asset that one just gradually rotting away. I think someone said the collection was open before Christmas, is it open now or were the people that run that facility laid off as well?

[skentellytubby]

Originally Posted by terence bower

I think Kevin now needs to get the ball rolling and start taking deposits/contracts for next season.

I'm no businessman but that seems like the obvious thing to do, get the place earning some money?!

[terence]

I certainly would be looking to start earning a.s.a.p,longer its left,the harder it will be for any club/organiser to take the place seriously.

[mark_l]

Before the circuit can start taking bookings/arranging race meeting dates the first priority should be repairing the physical damage done to the track and infrastructure.

No club is going to book a race meeting there before the circuit is up and running. 2010 is going to be a crunch year, if the track is not operating by the middle of the year then it will be the end for the line for Donington.

[terence]

I would have thought it better to see if you have an interested market before you spend on something that may not generate enough potential custom for.IF Kevin genuinely wants to keep the circuit going,he needs to issue a formal announcement now so that he can judge if there is just such a market.Personally,I would have thought that there are still plenty who would preffer to use Donington than certain other circuits.