HSCC Brands Hatch: (Brands Hatch (Indy)): 21 Sep 2019

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by delta

We often have this conversation. When I first raced at brands in the 70's and Gordon I suspect the whole of the banking was full of spectators cars.I blame Sunday shopping.

Yes, shopping has taken it's toll but, it the plethora of other activities that are now permitted on a Sunday. There's football, cinemas and pubs that are open all day, and so may other things that we now take for granted.

That was one of the things that was most noticeable to me when I went to live in Spain, apart from the language of course. There, where I resided - different autonomous regions do have their own regulations on this, just as they do on a number of things such as their equivalent of the UK's MOT and also on state provision of health care - most shops closed at lunchtime on Saturday and only re-opened on Monday morning. After a few years this was relaxed, and this meant that most shops remained open the whole weekend. However, the regional government re-introduced restricted opening days last year, and now shops that are in tourist areas are permitted to open on 13, I think it is, Sundays in the peak tourist times.

[justracing]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

Yes, shopping has taken it's toll but, it the plethora of other activities that are now permitted on a Sunday. There's football, cinemas and pubs that are open all day, and so may other things that we now take for granted.

That was one of the things that was most noticeable to me when I went to live in Spain, apart from the language of course. There, where I resided - different autonomous regions do have their own regulations on this, just as they do on a number of things such as their equivalent of the UK's MOT and also on state provision of health care - most shops closed at lunchtime on Saturday and only re-opened on Monday morning. After a few years this was relaxed, and this meant that most shops remained open the whole weekend. However, the regional government re-introduced restricted opening days last year, and now shops that are in tourist areas are permitted to open on 13, I think it is, Sundays in the peak tourist times.

Bl..dy good idea, should be implemented over here and give the staff some time off with their families.

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by justracing

Bl..dy good idea, should be implemented over here and give the staff some time off with their families.

I think that most retailers stopped making it compulsory to work on Sundays some time ago. Many staff actually prefer to work on Sundays because the religious observance days might be on a Friday or Saturday, amongst other reasons.

In fact, my granddaughter for the last three years whilst finishing her senior school has been working behind the counter at a local Betty's Tea Shop. This has boosted her bank balance enabling her to take her first holiday, in Barcelona, without her parents having to dip in their pockets. She has just settled into her halls of residence at university, and will return to Betty's in her holidays and add weekends when she is at home.

So, some people actually want to work weekends.

[justracing]

Originally Posted by Mike Harte

I think that most retailers stopped making it compulsory to work on Sundays some time ago. Many staff actually prefer to work on Sundays because the religious observance days might be on a Friday or Saturday, amongst other reasons.

In fact, my granddaughter for the last three years whilst finishing her senior school has been working behind the counter at a local Betty's Tea Shop. This has boosted her bank balance enabling her to take her first holiday, in Barcelona, without her parents having to dip in their pockets. She has just settled into her halls of residence at university, and will return to Betty's in her holidays and add weekends when she is at home.

So, some people actually want to work weekends.

Point taken, how the world has changed.

[andy97]

Originally Posted by Cliff Ryan

Thanks John, I think the Hans saved him from injury, as he has a stiff neck this morning.

As for the shell, that may be a different story, but it’s a genuine Mexico, so we are going to try to save it.

I was a fan of the hams device before they became compulsory.

As for the shell, hope it is fixable. Is it a Mk1 or 2? There are “new” Mk2 shells available from the Higgins Brothers in Ireland.

[Mike Harte]

Originally Posted by justracing

Point taken, how the world has changed.

Have they actually? My sons, now in their mid 40s, both worked weekends, one in a nearby Sainsbury's on their checkouts, whilst the other worked as a clerk in the London office of a Japanese travel company who brought over plane loads of Japanese tourists. This meant that the office had to be manned 24/7 to deal with both changes in circumstances as well as emergencies. They also worked at their respective jobs whilst on holiday from school and after they went to universities.

And going back to the sixties, I had a full time, 5 1/2 day job plus I worked evenings and weekends in a pub plus some hours in a restaurant and bistro owned by some friends.

I am sure that plenty of others will have similar tales.

[midgetman]

Weekend working is less voluntary these days. There was a bit of a rumpus on 5Live last week about supermarkets changing terms of employment to force weekend working on their staff.



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[Cliff Ryan]

Originally Posted by andy97

I was a fan of the hams device before they became compulsory.

As for the shell, hope it is fixable. Is it a Mk1 or 2? There are “new” Mk2 shells available from the Higgins Brothers in Ireland.

Same here, we took advantage of the CSCC’s offer a few years ago before they became compulsory as you only have one neck.

It’s a Mk1 Mexico, we are really hoping the shell can be saved but will contact Higgins Brothers if need be, thanks for the heads up.

[VIVA GT]

Back to the race meeting attendance subject I think that in addition to the 'other distractions' already mentioned I think there is also the fact that in general, we are all just so much busier nowadays too. Most couples now both work full time in order to sustain the lifestyle we've been encouraged by advertisers that is 'normal' which means that all of the other incidental stuff (including on occasions, relaxation) has to be packed into the only two days that we have off each week, so this too leaves less spare time for the casual race fan to pop along to a meeting if he or she fancies it.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by VIVA GT

Back to the race meeting attendance subject I think that in addition to the 'other distractions' already mentioned I think there is also the fact that in general, we are all just so much busier nowadays too. Most couples now both work full time in order to sustain the lifestyle we've been encouraged by advertisers that is 'normal' which means that all of the other incidental stuff (including on occasions, relaxation) has to be packed into the only two days that we have off each week, so this too leaves less spare time for the casual race fan to pop along to a meeting if he or she fancies it.

And of course if one did fancy watching some racing back in the day the TV was a rather random provider of certain events that the BBC (usually the BBC) decided to cover because their Outside Broadcast units were available that weekend. Probably no horse racing for example. And quality was not great compared to what we see today.

So one pretty much had to go to the meeting to see any action and it was a good excuse for a day out or, for those with cars and bikes, a reason to take a drive rather than simply "going for a drive".

These days one can find worldwide coverage of various types of motor sport, often with a lot of interesting data display added, without the aggravation of using the roads, the price of fuel, the price of entry and the risk of whatever deprivations the weather might throw at you.

As a parallel one might consider the decline of the public house. It seems there is a much reduced need to places to 'socialise' these days.

Mind you having visited such an establishment on Saturday - partly to celebrate the successful return of a daughter and her family on a Thomas Cook flight on Saturday afternoon - and re-discovered the price of drinks these days it is interesting to compare the relative value of a small round of drinks to the cost of a day at a race meeting (entry only - no drinks or food to be bought on site) and attempt to assess which offers the best value and entertainment.

[j w davies]

Kop Hillclimb had their record attendance on the the 21st, so not everything is in decline.

[midgetman]

The entry to Combe the other day was £15 with paddock transfer extra I think. Car parking was free. Depending on where you go, a pint of old and filthy, a soft drink for the driver and a packet of salty comestibles is nearly a tenner round here.

I think the racing offers far better value with action from early morning to late afternoon, plus the chance to look at interesting cars both in the paddock and the car park.

Mind you, after a full day in the sun both make your legs wobble

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[John Elwin]

Just to add to all the other attractions at the weekend, it was Patrimonie weekend here, which meant there were a lot of extra chateaus & things open to the public.

Was that also the case in the UK?

[grantp]

Originally Posted by John Elwin

Just to add to all the other attractions at the weekend, it was Patrimonie weekend here, which meant there were a lot of extra chateaus & things open to the public.

Was that also the case in the UK?

It was What day?