Just out of interest for those that attended last years JAE at Billing what ground did you prefer? Please only vote if you attended both.

personally i preferred Billing, Peterborough was a bit spread out IMO. (top weekend still tho :) )

I preferred Billing, I thought that EoE was far too spread out, I walked around the whole place (or so i thought) twice and hardly saw any cars, is it my imaginatin of was there far fewer cars this year?

Thats all before mentioning the unfathomable road network around peterborough, and the 10 million scamera's put a downer on things too.

I've gota say, I prefered Billing aswell, even though it's further away from me.

Billing all the way, EOE is pants, although the partying is better at EOE :confused:

having it spread out was better IMO, i felt last year it looked more like a car auction than a show just because of the layout.

I thought Billing was better too. As said above, a bit too spread out at EoE.

The arena was good though

To be honest, I can't decide between the two.

Billing has it's advantages as a car show venue, but I also see JAE as the one event in the year when we all get together to party, and I reckon EOE is better for that.

I must admit though, there was a lot of unused space on some club stands at EOE.

 

Regardless of venue - top weekend ;) :nana2:

I think Peterborough, but only just. In it's plus sides, the tarmac roads in between the grass sections is a bonus during long periods of rain, Billing is mostly grass ( i've been going for 7 years and boy it gets water logged!)

Having such a vast area means theres room for growth, which JAE has grown every year. The area for showing cars driving round the arena is good, billing used to do this but stopped.

Being it's 1st year and competing against billing itself, i think wasn't too bad, give it a couple of years and i think we'll all be saying EOE is best ;)

smithy

Billing was the better of the two

I had a great time at Peterborough but didn't stay long at Billing the year before as the g/f thought you'd all be nutters and wierdos.

 

Billing seemed to have more slopes from the 'roads' on site which aren't clever with a low front bumper.

I said Peterborough but only beuuase Billing was getting too crowded. Billing also tended to have 'other' stuff (like bloody caravans) going on which was completed unrelated to sports cars.

I think what would have improved JAE this year would be moving the areas a little closer together whilst allowing camping outside a 'core' boundary and grouping like cars together. Although we were nominally next to the Z Club, the 200sx and Skyline guys were miles away.

EoE didn't have a beer tent like billing which was good fun last year

I think they need to tweak the layout, but the meet is as good as the members and the organisation and this was easily on par with last year in terms of that, probably surpassed as I didn't have to spend all weekend in the marquee and there was a BBQ, next year it will feel more like home.

 

I did like the lake at billing though to watch the jetbikes.

I reckon castle combe cause it is just up the road lol, never went to billing for the Jae but have been there on other events, nice place thought the EOE was to far apart thought i had done a marathon by the time i got home

I think they need to tweak the layout, but the meet is as good as the members and the organisation and this was easily on par with last year in terms of that, probably surpassed as I didn't have to spend all weekend in the marquee and there was a BBQ, next year it will feel more like home.

 

I did like the lake at billing though to watch the jetbikes.

 

If it goes back to billing i can bring the jetskis and hire out! might just pay for the petrol that it took to get there lol

Billing is so much better for JAE than EoE, this year JAE was just another car show, whereas every year it has been at Billing, (been going for a few years now, aswell as doing the American car shows there), it has had a really good atmosphere, one that you will never get at a dedicated show ground, it has always been the show to look forward to, one that the traders look forward to doing, clubs look forward to kicking back and relaxing etc, (we're trade aswell so know from experience, as well as the traders we speak to).

I understand the reasons its moved having spoken to Claire several times about it, so know that it can't go back to Billing, but I do feel sorry that it has lost that special charm that sets it apart from every other show of the year. :(

 

Alex B

Personally i prefer Peterborough, but it does need lots of improvements.

 

Hopefully Claire and John will have all the bits sorted by 2006, mainly evening entertainment for other clubs (i mean, if it wasnt for us lot, where would of everyone gone) Tannoy systems, Better washing/toileting services and Security!

 

Oh and a great fook off huge firework display like Billing has!

 

I will post this thread on the JAE website for the JAE organisers to see in a couple of days!

 

Rich

Billing:D much better atmosphere in the whole ground IMHO, all i thought of Peterborough was it was a Big Jap car park with no real presence of a show.

I think that for the size JAE has grown to the Billing Aquadrome venue is just not practical any more. I've been to Billing for about 4 years now and must agree that EoE does not have the same atmosphere - yet!

From an organisational point of view John and Claire have done a superb job. I will be writing to them with my views on this past weekend and throw in some suggestions for 2006. In my opinion what let JAE down this year was the layout. The car clubs were on one side, traders on the other and you needed to walk miles to get anywhere. One of my suggestions for next year is to place the traders in the middle and the car clubs around the edge so that you need to walk through the other clubs and trade section to get to the other side. A lot of traders I spoke to said that they weren't seeing the same amount of people walking through as in previous years which was reflected in the absolute poor takings this weekend. Another suggestion I'll be making is to group all car brands together and avoid a situation like this year where the 350Z and Skylines were miles away from the 300 groups. All in all I think we need to remember that we are now "back to square 1" and things can only improve.

 

All the best,

 

Danny

billing due to more things for kids ie LAKE AND FAIR

 

peterborough for size and the amount of zeds on show :D

Billing:D much better atmosphere in the whole ground IMHO, all i thought of Peterborough was it was a Big Jap car park with no real presence of a show.

 

Agree.

Plus it was £10 per person parked outside,(Kids over 11 pay adult prices,rip off,rip off)so cost me £30 :( resulting in far less people coming for a look,was no atmosphere,very quiet,bit staid actualy,went for a walk round,boring.

As for Billing not being big enough,pants to that,if it was not doubled up with other motor shows like the VW camper gang then loads of room,every year Billing hold the Land Rover worldwide clubs meet/show,makes JAE Billing look like a pub meet,so to say its not big enough was/is *****cks IMHO.

Trax 2005 will be way way better than JAE EoE 2005

 

Tony

Wow! Lots to consider.

 

Thank you for all the feedback - good and bad.

 

frstly to settle a couple of points.............

We had a beer tent and band last year (for the first time) and it was very badly supported. If people don't turn up we can only summize that there is no demand. However, it seems like there is demand for this so for 2006 a bee tent, band and disco is definately back on the cards. In fact we have already been in contact with a band and a DJ for next year.

 

JAE has not "always been at Billing". I'm sure the people in Northampton would have you believe that but it moved to Billing several years ago when it outgrew its pervious venue.

 

The size of the show this year was in direct response to complaints last year! We just can't win. :( People complained that there was insufficient room to park the cars and walk rouind them. Now we give you the space you complain it is too spread out. On that very matter some clubs significantly overbooked their stands which further compunds the problem.

 

The layout overall is good as far as the roads and plots go but we can do much better for the Trade Areas and for 2006 we have a complete new layout. Claire and I have already started working on 2006.

 

If people feel Billing has more to offer for children you're correct. however, we did have a funfair planned but had to pull the plug after we ran out of space. I go back to my comment on overbooking of club stands and servicing the demands for more space per car. That said I believe the funfai at Billing is about to close anyway.

 

Fireworks are to be discussed for next year. personally I'd rather not have bits of wood and paper falling from a great height and landing on my car, but I guess some people are okay with that. Also, the fireworks have only been a part of JAE for three years so it's not like they're a traditional part of the show. The FlameOut seemed very popular. Who needs fireworks in the sky when we can make them on the ground? :rofl:

 

Finally, we've reintroduced the Show n Shine and the Tug of War so JAE is as tarditional as ever, only now we have all the facilities to be able to offer a proper show in an arena befitting the people and the cars.

 

John

Only done JAE. so cant vote.

Billing didnt have cow poo all over the place.

 

EoE was good for size and layout, but cack for toilets, showers etc.

 

Billing had the fair as a bit of a breather from the cars (and nice for those with kids i guess)

 

At billing i went for alot of walks around to see the other stands, at EoE once round was enough.

 

Billing had a few cafe's where you could sit in and eat, EoE didnt.

 

I think our club had such a good marquee and good people in and around it that the venue was almost imaterial.

 

But the main thing i miss about Billing is THE LAKE!!!!!!

I said Peterborough but only beuuase Billing was getting too crowded. Billing also tended to have 'other' stuff (like bloody caravans) going on which was completed unrelated to sports cars.

I think what would have improved JAE this year would be moving the areas a little closer together whilst allowing camping outside a 'core' boundary and grouping like cars together. Although we were nominally next to the Z Club, the 200sx and Skyline guys were miles away.

 

 

I agree with Andy in that 200sx, skylines and zeds should have been closer if only so we could have had a bit of freindly banter especially after i saw all the pretty boys on the skyline stand....then you look at the motley crew who drive zeds (us real people) ;) :D :rofl: