The TVR Car Club ROAR 08 took place over the weekend of 28th and 29th June 2008. The purpose was to get together as many TVR Chimaera sports cars as possible, although it was open to those with other TVR sports cars as well. The venue on this occasion was the Best Western Moorside Grange Hotel and Spa, which is situated at the edge of the Peak District.

Hosted by Moorside Grange Hotel, Cheshire

This Best Western hotel is superb, with panoramic views of the surrounding hills and a really friendly atmosphere. It is hard to believe it is only 30–minutes from Manchester city centre and 10–minutes from Macclesfield. Looking at the building it obviously started life as something completely different and seems to have evolved over time with a number of additions being built onto it at different periods in its life.

It’s all the added odd bits and pieces that makes it an interesting place to be, as there are stairways, almost hidden, that curl and twist their way to the upper floors, corridors that were never on the same level for very long as you walked along them, and all sorts of little nooks and crannies that often had a seat tucked away in them.

Free Sample Advanced Driving Sessions

Thoughout the weekend it had been publicised that we were going to be providing free advanced driving sessions as samples of our services. The idea was that people could pre–book, through Carmen and Angus, a 20–minute session with Ride Drive in their TVR to see what we were all about.

To run the free advanced driving sessions it meant someone had to find a route around which to guide these people that would be interesting enough to keep them entertained, but close enough to the hotel to be useful.

I had planned my Friday before the event to get there nice and early, check into the Best Western Moorside Grange, and then set off on a recognisance mission to see what could be found by way of a driving route. Not being familiar with the area I instantly went the wrong way from the end of the hotel drive.

The reason I know I went the wrong way was the fact I was very soon into the small town of Disley where the road leading in was heavily covered with speed humps. Not good for TVR’s!

Into Whaley Bridge and Yet More Speed Humps

I headed back the way I had come, passed the junction I had emerged from, and found the road began to look a little better. However, I was soon entering the town of Whaley Bridge where all down the hill were loads more of them – speed humps that is. Of course I then had to make another poor choice in the form of a right turn at the bottom of the hill.

Thinking I could circle around the site of the hotel by keeping it roughly to my right I sought to emerge from Whaley Bridge on a road that would put me back on course. It was then I landed straight into all the parents fighting for position outside what seemed like 20 schools along a road that was far too narrow for all the cars to park on both sides, which of course they were.

After battling my way through I made my way along the A5004 to Buxton, but quickly realised that for the purpose of a 20–minute run in a TVR, this road was not only taking me too far out from the hotel, but it also has a blanket 50mph speed limit.

From there I got completely lost, visiting all number of towns and villages, but never seeming to find the road I wanted. When eventually I found myself on the B5470, and heading in the right direction, but not having found my route, I took the next left almost in frustration, and wild speculation, not wanting to yet return to the hotel.

Quite By Chance a Route Was Found

It transpired my impulse deviation from the main road took me along a very interesting lane that varied in width at various points, even down to single–track. There were some really tricky bends, hill crests and other features that I began to realise would really test the abilities of any driver.

Left at the end, down into the next village, left just before the mini roundabout, and after a short while I was back up onto the B5470. With a squirt along there, and up the lane that led back to the hotel from the other side; the way I had first arrived prior to checking in, I found I had discovered my 20–minute route. Therefore, I need not have covered the 70+ miles looking for it!

The TVR ROAR 08 event was very well attended. This one had been organised by Angus MacDougall and his wife, Carmen, and it was their first time of doing anything like this. The Chimaera event used to be called Chimfest, but this year, and under Angus’s direction, it had a whole new image and a new name to go with it.

The planned itinerary was for people staying at the venue would arrive on the Friday afternoon into early evening and then would have the option of joining up for a Mexican theme dinner. Laid on by the hotel, this is where a delicious chile was served, with alternative dishes for those who wanted something different.

People had Attended From as Far as The Isle of Mann and Glasgow

The evening feast was of course preceded by drinks at the bar, where my team and I met Jack, a TVR Chimaera owner, who had come over with his wife from the Isle of Mann. We spoke to others, one of whom had come from Glasgow, another from Devon, so it was evident that some people had come a long way for this.

This was his first ever TVR Car Club event that Jack had attended, and apart it causing him to drive on a motorway for the first time in ages to get there, he said he found the whole experience, even this early on, to be very much to his taste.

After dinner everyone gathered in the bar area, and of course the talk was very much centred around TVR’s and TVR ownership. For anyone who has no experience of the TVR Car Club needs to understand the cars bring together all manner of people who themselves come from all walks of life.

You can meet TVR owner who works as a delivery driver during the week, or a plumber, or who holds a senior position within a blue–chip organisation, and yet when you get them all together, each will treat each other as an equal.

Regardless as to how much any of them have paid for their car, what model it is or what condition it is in, because no matter who you are, in TVR ownership circles you are on the same level as everyone else. That is the culture and what is just great in my book.

Plenty of Banter and Good Spirit – And Red Wine, it Seems

Now it would be remiss of me at this point not to mention a young lady called Kia, who was only 28–years old, by all accounts. I am not referring to Kia in terms of a car, but had this lady indeed been a car, probably the best condition that could be used to describe her would be that of well oiled. Not with GTX, however, but something more like Shiraz.

I was seated at the next table to Kia and her group in the lounge, along with two guys from my team, Glenn and Dave, and with Carol (Dave’s wife) and Lisa, Glenn’s partner. In the middle of our conversation, Kia, bear–foot and sitting in front of the fire place, suddenly asked Glenn (nearest to her) what TVR he had.

Glenn, a Porche GT3 owner, upon being asked what TVR sports car he had, informed Kia he drove a Vauxhall Astra. Looking puzzled by this she looked at me and asked the same question. I answered that I had a Ford Focus, and Dave stated that he had a Renault Megan Scenic.

Kia asked why we were there and once explained that we were members of the Ride Drive team, and after a brief yet simple explanation of what Ride Drive do, she asked if one of us would accompany her for a drive out in a TVR to get some tips.

It was only after agreeing to be helpful, by doing as asked, that Kia, bless her, revealed she did not have a licence as she had never learned to drive! She then revealed, and in response to Glenn’s probing questions, that she was in textiles and claimed that she could tell what any item of clothing was made of, and determine the level of quality, just by feeling it with her hands.

Seemingly anxious to prove her powers she gestured towards the guy who seemed part of their group of four, and who was wearing a suit jacket over his tee shirt. Kia said that although the jacket was purporting to be something of high–quality and expensive, by her expert touch she proclaimed it to be complete c**p (her words, not mine).

It later transpired that far from being the best of friends, as we thought the four of them were, they actually had never met each other before that night, so the poor guy with the jacket had been nothing to do with her. However, Kia was a really good sport and we all had a good laugh together.

Saturday Morning – Day–1 of The Event

Next morning, after a humongous full English breakfast, Nigel, our fourth team member, joined us and we set about getting our stand organised.

This was the first car club event I had been to representing Ride Drive where the stands were provided. This made things so much easier, as it took away so much hassle, which was great.

To come back to the point, our booking sheet for the advanced driving sessions had some blank slots for both the Saturday and the Sunday. Undeterred, we were quite happy to take on the spot bookings and actually had quite a few people fit into the schedule in that way.

Initial Reticence Gave Way to Beaming Smiles & Hand Shakes of Gratitude

What was interesting to observe was the demeanour with which people first approached, as compared to how they were after their drive. Initially, there was what we at Ride Drive are so used to, and that is people will be stiff, awkward, unsure, even slightly afraid, presumably of being made in some way to feel foolish.

However, after their 20–minutes or so, the difference was amazing. Lots of hand shaking, outbursts of appreciation and gratitude, beaming smiles from ear to ear and several promises of bookings to follow. In short, they loved it and not long after the first few runs our booking sheet began to fill up quickly. Soon, we were cramming people into spaces that were not even there, trying to keep up.

We did have time to meet and greet Simon and John, who had travelled up from Hertfordshire in Simon’s Chimaera. Both these guys are part of the Ride Drive team and cover parts of Hertfordshire and Essex between them. They remained with us for the rest of the event, albeit their attendance being for social reasons, whereas we were working during the day.

Saturday Evening Charity
Fund Raising Dinner

Saturday evening, Angus presided over an auction, the purpose of which was to raise money for a local charity, called Francis House Children’s Hospice, who are based at East Disbury, near Manchester. Francis House offers the families of children who have a short life expectancy a respite from their role as carers and gives the children a loving home from home.

Francis House Children’s Hospice was a very worthy cause for a fund raising event. Ride Drive had prepared two gift vouchers, each representing a Half–Day Advanced Driving Experience, and donated them as auction prizes.

Whether it had been due to the several enthusiastic conversations in the bar before dinner about the free Ride Drive advanced driving sessions that raised the profile of the Ride Drive name, but those two advanced driving gift vouchers broke all previous records that night in terms of the money raised from them.

By the end of the night the auction had raised a total of £1,200 for Francis House Children’s Hospice, which is spectacular when you consider the party consisted of about 90–people. Again, the food was superb with plenty of it, the atmosphere was completely as you would want for a party and everyone had a great time.

Sunday and Day–Two of TVR ROAR 2010

Next morning (Sunday), and after another humongous breakfast, we made our way down to the stand so as to get ready for the day ahead. We were in fact about 15–minutes early and yet there were three guys waiting who asked if they could do their sample advanced driving sessions.

Without further ado, Glenn, Dave and Nigel jumped into three respective dew covered TVR’s and they were off. Then more came, and more.

The Ride Drive free advanced driving sessions were quickly becoming a main attraction of the show, and it wasn’t until the time came for the club run in the afternoon, where many of the TVR’s drive out in a convoy around a pre–planned route, did we get chance to have a sit down.

Not long after the convoy had left the heavens opened and it just tipped down. I instantly thought of those TVR’s I had seen drive out with the tops down. There must have been a road somewhere up in the hills where about 50 TVR’s were pulled to the side with driver’s hurriedly putting the tops on their cars. Certainly there were people who came back later looking a bit bedraggled as they peeled themselves off the leather seats.

After all was said and done, and with all the equipment packed away, having counted up how many people we had taken out that weekend, I found that the number reached 42! Quite incredible, and every one of them seemed to have a really good time with us as well.

If any of those who did the free advanced driving sessions are reading this now I want to say thanks for participating and for going into what we gave you with such an open mind. You certainly got the most from it as a result.

This was the first time we tried running the sample advanced driving sessions and as a result of the public reaction, it will now become a regular activity at the car club events and shows Ride Drive attend. They remain as popular as ever.

In closing, I would like to thank Angus and Carmen for making the weekend such a resounding success. It was certainly over and beyond what I had expected. Thanks also to all the staff at Best Western Moorside Grange, who clearly could not do enough for us. They absolutely gave it everything to make everyone feel welcome, as well as comfortable. They made it appear as though nothing was ever too difficult or too much trouble.

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Wednesday, 08-Dec-2010

TVR Car Club ROAR 2008 – Hosted by Moorside Grange Hotel, Cheshire