After an epic day of driving and discussions, Matt and I have settled on exactly how the weekend will be played, given the rearrangements made necessary by the odd happenings at Maseratitude.
Still, some of our French friends will be joining us
Here's the detailed plan:
Friday evening:
Meet at
The Hilton at the Aegis Bowl, second floor,
Lakeside bar. All Goodwood tickets will be handed out on Friday evening
in the hotel, unless you've already received them by other means.
(The hotel had to be changed after the original place, despite taking a very substantial deposit, 'discovered' they had
double-let the rooms... I'd already signed a contract with them, so they were obliged to find us replacement rooms at the
same price. So, we are in a brand new 4* Hilton, with extremely nice rooms)
The hotel is just off the M27, J7. Follow the brown signs to the Aegis Bowl, past the retail park and Sainsbury store (with
cheap Super Unleaded), and follow the Holiday Inn Express signs. The Hilton is too new to have its own signs on the road
network yet. As you approach the bowl, the Holiday Inn Express is on the right, and the Hilton on the left - there are
signs there, and it's extremely easy to find.
Address: Aegis Bowl, Botley Road, Southampton SO30 3XH
Your hotel rooms are all prepaid in full, including breakfast and all taxes.
Any drinks or other meals you take in the hotel are your own responsibility, and must be paid for directly to the hotel.
The hotel has free WiFi, free parking and a Spa.
Saturday morning:
Breakfast at the hotel in "Beefy's Restaurant", then drive to Goodwood. Parking is free at Goodwood, and will be in the
normal public car parks, as our cars do not qualify for any other special parking. Traffic is always grim in the area, so
please expect this.
During the day, enjoy all that the event has to offer - loads of information is available about that on the Goodwood
Revival website.
Saturday evening:
Leave Goodwood for our pre-booked meal at
The White Horse, in nearby Chilgrove
Address: 1 High Street, Chilgrove, Near Chichester, West Sussex, PO18 9HX
This is a country gastropub, in a beautiful setting, with loads of parking offroad.
Your meal is prepaid, and the set menu choices will be listed here when I've received the final version, probably
Monday/Tuesday. After some discussion, Matt and I have decided that the meal should not include freely provided alcohol, as
most people are going to be driving from the venue back to the hotel. You are responsible for purchasing and consuming your
own drinks, and we urge you to support SportsMaserati in not drink-driving. The bar back at the hotel will undoubtedly
serve as much as you want, possibly with a pop-up Bar Conaero in the mix...
Meal is 6pm ~ 8pm, since it really is only a very short distance from Goodwood. That said, you should expect it to take
around 1 hour to leave the Goodwood car parks, rather than the 7 minute drive it should normally take...
After the meal, we will drive over the downs in convoy - Matt has arranged a suitable route, which we tested. Much more
interesting than the motorway!
Back at the hotel, drinks in the bar.
Sunday morning:
Breakfast at the hotel in "Beefy's Restaurant".
Drive through the New Forest, arriving for lunch 12:30 at the "Fleur de Lys", the oldest pub by far in the area. It's a
fabulous thatched building, and served its first pint back in 1096, which I believe Hodroyd drank...
This is another gastropub, run by a very friendly couple looking forward to having a load of Maseratis parked outside the
place. They are keen to take some photos, so let's oblige them by getting as many as we can infront of the pub. Parking is
limited there, but we will have use of the Memorial Hall car park across the road, which has plenty of room to take all our
cars. I'm assuming there will be about 40 of us having lunch there, and on that basis we will have use of the entire pub.
Another fixed price menu - I need to know numbers attending asap, and ideally your choice of food please. This meal is not
included in your payments to date, and is £24 including service.
Fleur de Lys
SportsMaserati Sunday lunch
Wild mushroom Soup
Hampshire smoked Trout, lemon mayonnaise, pea shoots
Warm crispy duck and chorizo salad
Goats cheese mousse, beetroot and tomato
Lymington Crab Crostini with lemon
*************
Roast Rib of West Country beef
Roast leg of Welsh Lamb
Teriyaki Salmon, Pak Choi, noodles and Thai Veg.
Mozzarella, wild mushroom and red onion tart, garden salad
*************
For both meals, it will be possible to cater for special diets - please indicate what you need to have, and the chefs will
ensure a suitable meal is prepared for you.
Sunday afternoon:
Leaving the Fleur de Lys around 2pm, it's a short drive through the New Forest to:
The National Motor Museum at Beaulieu, where will be able to park all our cars inside the complex, rather than in the
public car parks.
A reduced entrance fee is payable of Adult/Senior £12.70 & children £7.50 each inc vat.
Admission includes ‘inside' parking and entry to the Motor Museum, World of Top Gear, Palace House & Gardens, Abbey, SOE
Exhibition, Monorail and Veteran Bus.
Should be plenty of photo opportunities, some stunning exhibitions, and then depart (most people) for home.
So - what I need from you now is:
1. Choice of food for Saturday night when I get the final menu.
2. Are you attending Sunday lunch, and if so what would you like to eat, plus £24.
3. Beaulieu - entrance fees can be paid on the gate.
As usual, I've paid a deposit for the use of the entire pub on Sunday, so please cough up and come along