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Prior's Motor Works and the Centenary - Martin Prior - 12-07-2022
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT
It is with the very greatest regret that owing to circumstances entirely beyond our control, Prior’s Motor Works will be withdrawing from the Centenary Event.
This is extremely disappointing for us, as we have invested a great deal of time, effort and expense into preparing what we had hoped would be an attraction in its own right.
At the very start of the planning process, we had expressed our intention to take a significant trade stand at the event. Soon afterwards, we were asked if we would provide technical demonstrations, to which we readily agreed.
As time progressed, we broadened our plans to include in addition to demonstrations, a coachwork exhibition of general interest as well as, of course, promoting our own products and services.
In this capacity, we felt that we were very much part of the Event.
We are one of the small, dedicated band of “Cherished” Suppliers who have taken the risks and made the investments needed to manufacture and supply the parts that keep all of our Austin Sevens running. Without this group, an event like this would not be possible. It doesn’t seem unreasonable to expect our efforts to be acknowledged in some degree.
Unfortunately, it seems that we had misunderstood the situation.
As many readers of our frequent postings will know, we committed at an early stage to opening our stand as early as possible on Tuesday. The logistics required were complicated and would have involved several vehicles and a 110-mile round trip during the morning to pick up a second load.
In around two years of planning there had never been any indication that this was an unreasonable expectation.
For this to be successful, timely access to the site was absolutely essential. I have been involved in very many events, from local car boot sales to Chelsea Flower Show. Almost without exception, whether as a trader or an exhibitor, we have not just been allowed on site early, but have been required to set up our display before the event opened to the public.
On Saturday, having had absolutely no information whatsoever about access to the site, I made an enquiry and was told that there would be no early admissions for traders, no preferential access, no guaranteed entry time and that as we would have to take our chances with many hundreds of other arrivals on Tuesday, we could not even be sure of having everything on site that day. To complicate matters further, I was told on Saturday that there are unresolved traffic management issues in connection with entry to the site.
In the course of several e-mails and lengthy phone calls it has been very clear that the entry procedures are entirely non-negotiable. I was told that this policy had only been confirmed at last Friday’s Organising Group meeting.
For us, as a business, this uncertainty is wholly unworkable. We cannot put on the intended display under these conditions and we don’t want to offer anything unworthy of the Event.
We should all be enormously grateful for the huge amount of work that has been put in by the Organising Group. Many of them are good friends for whom we have the greatest respect. We do not want to fall out with any of them and have therefore decided to withdraw.
We still hope to attend the Main Rally on Saturday with some of our own cars and in particular, of course, “Henry’s Ruby”.
We will be in touch individually with everyone who is expecting to collect parts from us at the event. If a direct handover isn’t possible on Friday evening or Saturday, we shall send them by courier at our expense.
Simon Laxton of 7 Trimming will still be present on the stand; please go see his superb work and support him. We apologise sincerely to him and to anyone else who had expected us to be there.
Please note that we shall not be making public replies to any comments on this post.
More in sorrow than in anger,
Martin, David, Jo and Henry.
RE: Prior's Motor Works and the Centenary - Tony Griffiths - 12-07-2022
There are always two sides to a story - and no doubt a fuller picture will emerge in due course.
RE: Prior's Motor Works and the Centenary - Tony Betts - 12-07-2022
Hi martin,
Sorry to hear of these problems, I'd like to think something can be sorted.
I can feel your pain of the time put in so far, after the efforts I've put into my own stall.
Personally I've only had ONE email so far about stall holders, and non of these possible problems have been pointed out.
I've heard alot of possible problems through chinese whispers, wich has made me make the decision of only taking 2 of the 3 cars I've booked in. That way I'm only making one trip instead of the 2 planned.
If there is a problem with gaining access as a stall holder, I dont mind turning round and coming home. I'll just bring the modern on the saterday, and for prescot.
However this would meen I will not be useing the hotel room ive booked on site, so i would expect the organisers to make a full refund in these sercumstances . And I hope they refund you for anything your have paid out for so far and dont use.
I fully appreciate the time and efforts put in by the organisers, but they are not the only ones.
Tony, 7 county austins.
RE: Prior's Motor Works and the Centenary - Ray White - 12-07-2022
This reminds me of the problems I have experienced trying to exhibit my Swallow at a local event. In the past I was able to leave early. I have to get back in time to greet customers after 4.00 P.M.. When the organisers refused my request to leave the show ground early I had no alternative but to withdraw.
We all loose.
Ray.
RE: Prior's Motor Works and the Centenary - Nick Salmon - 12-07-2022
Martin - So far as we are aware you have not been in direct contact with any of the organising team about your withdrawal but have instead made your public statement on social media and the A7 Friends forum.
We are disappointed by your decision to withdraw your trade stand but if the logistics do not work for you then we respect your choice.
Over the course of several months you have raised multiple questions and made specific requests about your trade stand entry and we have done everything that we can to accommodate you. Some things are beyond our control but we have done our very best to help. With so much happening on the site in the lead up period, and day of opening, there are limits to what we can do to cope with individual requirements.
We even went so far as to offer you entry on the Monday (18th) - something that no-one else is being given (because of the constraints we are under) but you chose not to take that up.
(For the record: There are no 'unresolved traffic management issues in connection with entry to the site'.)
Many of the traders do not feel the need to be set up and functioning on the Tuesday. They will mostly not have their stands operational until the Wednesday or Thursday. This has meant they are less pressured to be on site first thing on the Tuesday.
You could perhaps reduce the extent of your planned stand and thereby reduce the pressure on moving items to the site. You could also make Wednesday or Thursday your 'opening day' giving you more time to get the items to Moreton.
If you choose to do either we would still very much welcome your presence as a lot of people have been looking forward to meeting you and seeing your exceptional work.
Please let us know today if you change your mind about attending otherwise we will allocate your pitch to others. You can do so by emailing traders@a7centenary.com
RE: Prior's Motor Works and the Centenary - Tony Betts - 12-07-2022
Hi martin,
I understand you dont want to put replies to this thread. So could you email me the organiser that's attending to these problems.
tony.7ca@aol.co.uk
It pricked my attention on Facebook, stall holders are now wondering if they can also get out when they need to.
My position is we have a poorly pet at the moment, so tracy is only attending the event to help me set up and break down. So she will not be staying on site. Nor will the vehicle.
This will meen If movement is a problem, 7 county Austin's will not be able to attend either.
Thanks tony.
RE: Prior's Motor Works and the Centenary - Martin Prior - 12-07-2022
NICK You will have seen my detailed response to your comments on Facebook. I believe that I have dealt with each of your points fully and fairly Unfortunately, I don't seen to be able to copy and paste it here.
RE: Prior's Motor Works and the Centenary - Tony Griffiths - 12-07-2022
(12-07-2022, 12:02 PM)Ray White Wrote: This reminds me of the problems I have experienced trying to exhibit my Swallow at a local event. In the past I was able to leave early. I have to get back in time to greet customers after 4.00 P.M.. When the organisers refused my request to leave the showground early I had no alternative but to withdraw.
We all lose.
Ray.
I had a similar problem at an event the other day. It's caused by "Health & Safety" and insurance considerations. At an event open to the public, once the cars are in place, it now appears normal not to allow any traffic movement on the site - the risk of children being crushed under the wheels of an 8-litre Bentley, etc.
RE: Prior's Motor Works and the Centenary - Hedd_Jones - 12-07-2022
(12-07-2022, 01:38 PM)Martin Prior Wrote: NICK You will have seen my detailed response to your comments on Facebook. I believe that I have dealt with each of your points fully and fairly Unfortunately, I don't seen to be able to copy and paste it here.
Hope you don't mind Martin, I'm at my PC so its very easy to do.
martin.JPG (Size: 135.29 KB / Downloads: 450)
RE: Prior's Motor Works and the Centenary - flywheel1935 - 12-07-2022
As an aside, the Weather next Tuesday could hit 32 degrees, I would hope that cars are expedited asap through the gates to avoid overheating of both cars and drivers/passengers.