Club Arnage

And if so, where should we ask for?

After last year's fun, I was just going to do my own thing and bung my form in on PQ day, trying first for MB and then for something cheap that takes my fancy.  But if anybody wants theirs submitted at the same time, they are welcome to post them to me as before; bearing in mind that I take no responsibility for what the ACO might subsequently do with them!

Must admit, I'm going to be visiting a few sites to get a feel for where I fancy in 09, but do quite fancy Arnage as a cheapy backstop.

My own view is that we shot ourselves in the foot last year by putting in one huge order - and that is absolutely no reflection on Termie's efforts.

I have a suspicion that had our orders gone in, at the same time, as individual orders, then at least some might have been allocated MB.  As it was, the ACO tried to keep us all together (apart from Piglet!!), but dumped us on BN.

I'll be at PQ as well, so I'll bung my order in then.

Del

Slightly off thread but I was wondering if anyone else refused their tickets when offered alternatives and was immediately given their first choice?

I ordered Bleu and was offered Beau Sejour (not even 3rd choice!).  I wrote back refusing BSJ and within a week was offered Bleu (first choice). 

I know asking for Bleu might not have been the trickiest request, but did anyone else try this and get lucky?

F

I agree Del.  Thus I would not, again, make any reference to our wanting to be together, but just act as a delivery service and leave it there.  See you at PQ.

We rang up and complained, but didn't get anywhere, still in BN.  It seems that anyone requesting more than about 6 tickets got bumped out of MB.

What will work for 09?

I wonder if they will use any of the Zones A & B next year on MB, ie making more pitches available than this year?  Given that the grass will have had 12 months to grow after the 'works', and it can't be all tarmac.

Del

I don't know what we'll do, I think we're pretty well decided that we won't go next year and then we'll just plan to do the Classic in 2010. 

I might put in an order for MB around PQ and see if we get anything just to stay on the list, but I haven't really thought it through.

Having spoken to a number of people who have done deals with the ACO for space I'm pretty sure that a group approach will fail as they really want to sell group space at a premium. 

We should know by the Classic, but of course it will be too late by then.  My suspicion is that there will be marked pitches where the new mini-circuit is not - ie in the new infield.  But that's just a semi-educated guess.

I know many of you out their do not like the margins the agency put on the ACO ticket prices but it's the only sure way to secure what you want. I have already paid a small refundable booking fee with an agency to secure tickets for  2009. Lovem or loath them the ACO will always prefer to sell to the agents as it means less work for them. Just look at the booking page on the ACO site and the marketing banners for the agencies are now listed.

This is the first year in ten now that I have not got exactly what I ordered from the ACO and it was - as Delboy says above, the first time I submitted my booking as part of a larger order.  Only the campsite was not what I asked for; a minor consideration for me.  What's more the place is completely upside-down this year with all the works going on.  So it's back to my old tactics for '09 - no way I can afford the inflated agency prices.  I'll just go back to kipping in the car or out at Mulsanne in a bivvie if the campsite I get isn't any good.  But then, I do have a home nearby if all else fails.

I'd mind less about agency fees if the pitches were a reasonable size but given that 7mx5m doesn't really contain a car and a tent then you have to have two pitches to start with so two sets of agency fees and in most cases two over priced GA tickets per camping pass.

How about sending in the requests in batches,

ie all the BNs , then separately the MBs , HA, etc.

With No second choice. (I didn't put a third option)

I think that I'd probably always prefer MB, but due to its popularity (and decreased size) its not going to be easy, BN is a good second option as its numbered so allows a group gathering without the problems of saving space for those arriving late.

Or alternatively find out exactly what is required for an advance block booking (if there is such a thing), maybe it means full payment further in advance - surely not a problem for a dedicated group.

On reflection, Redstu, I think the problem was that I specifically asked that we all be together, and all the forms were then clipped to each other.  I can't help feeling that if I had just handed them in together, but never mentioned that we wanted to stay as a group, that more individuals might not have got what they wanted.

I think if we asked for a bulk advanced booking, then the powers that be would do their best to bung us all on BSJ which would be self defeating!  Yes, we're a big group, but I don't know that anybody would be mug enough to want to take on organising something like that - with all the financial implications and scope for being blamed for any eff-ups. 

The trick seems to me to be in the second choice.  If all of us went for BN, and all the bookings were in together (but unattached) then I reckon if we didn't get first choice, then we might at least find ourselves together.  It will be interesting to find out our pitch numbers this year when the tickets come through - to find out if the move to BN has kept us together or if we're flung all over the place!

This year we contacted a Dutch ticket agency, by email and asked them if they had 15 MB, the guy replied they ran out. They were charging 90 euro/ticket, which is not overinflated. I had a brief discussion with him and he was sure he could arrange something for us. So I asked if he could provide 60 MB tickets and he said he could most likely get that amount. That goes for any campsite by the way.

If their is enough interest, I could contact him again and see what we can sort out for next year. No garantuees from my part that we can actually get what we want, but at the same time we could all put a seperate order in at the ACO and see what works out best.

Was it only the people who asked for area A (or the area thats now the trck extension) who got the push?

i like the way he thinks ;)

Personally, I'll put my 2009 request in at the MotoGP in May but I also have a request (again with a small refundable deposit) in with the Agency we got this years tickets from. All the while the agencies are providing (sensible) refundable deposit options it can't hurt to cover your bases as who knows what will happen next year ..... I like Knetter's idea though as the agency seems to be very fairly pricing their tickets too.

I agree; I think that's a great idea, Knetter.  That doesn't sound like a rip-off price, and so long as we don't have to buy GA tickets also (which is usually where the main agencies make a fast buck, as Piglet says) it would work much better with somebody involved who knows how to get guaranteed places.  Sounds like a plan to me.

What they said

They normally won't take any pre-bookings until PQ day - last year I tried to put them in the week before and got a flat, "non". :police:

Bu99er ..... Won't be there for PQ this year unfortunately ....

You can always do it by fax.  Saturday of PQ weekend is theoretically day 1 (31st May) but I managed Friday last year.

methinks I might join you.. in between cheering on JT!!

 ;D ;D ;D

Got my tickets in the post yesterday - supurb value compared to the UK leg as well.  ;D

I'd go along with the "Knetter plan" and would have no problem in putting in the full price at whatever date required.

As I've said previously BN is good but MB would be my preference, so an MB ticket at a fair price has to stand as the best suggestion yet.

Accumulating the cash would require a very strict treasurer though! Either pay up by the date required or lose out.

I put in an individual request for 2xMB by fax just after your group lot was submitted.  We were also bumped to BN (which we accepted).  I reckon its just random darts as to who gets what.

I think it is managable to route that through the DfH treasurer. ;)

So far I have paid agencies £574 for 8 Houx Annexe tickets and 2 GA's. Had I bought these direct from the ACO it would have cost me around the same price in Euros.

So basically it costs around £11 per person more to get guaranteed tickets wherever I want them from an agency instead of waiting for the lottery.

I'm not bothering with the ACO any more. If Knetter can arrange a block booking with one place then even better. The certainty of getting tickets more than compensates for the increased cost.

i get mine on the gate with my ACO card.. discounted of course ;) roll on may and hopefully a dry (weatherwise) weekend..

and hot showers in the ACO building.. ;D

Now you're just being cruel .....  >:(

Let me get in touch with the guys around the PQ, see what we could do, that gives us still reasonable time to figure out if it will work at all, and if it fails, we can still order through the ACO.

Sounds great.  As you said originally - nothing to stop us putting in our normal orders anyway - there's plenty of time to cancel (the personal orders) when the allocations come through. :)