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The MG Car Club International Weekend always used to be a great gathering of friends, watching/doing racing on the Saturday, socialising in the evening and a big auto jumble/hangover day on the Sunday with the California Cup autotests on the GP track from Club Corner to Abbey Curve featuring the best part of 100 drivers.
I competed in either the Saturday or the Sunday from early 80s to late 90s, and we had some absolutely epic "socialising" in the old Silverstone Club. 1980 was particularly memorable (or can't - remember - able depending on how you look at it).
I stopped going while we did other things and my MGCC membership lapsed. I went back in 2010-ish selling racewear from my mobile shop, and the heart had been torn out by motorhomes. People stayed in their little groups around their own caravan and didn't venture out to mix with the great unwashed in the beer tent on Saturday night.
I went back last year to do the California Cup. Far from being a prestigious multi-location event lasting most of the day, we were restricted to two tests in the Main Arena, with the third cancelled as we wouldn't be finished in time for a re-run of a stunt show. I met some Australians pitted next to me and we had a chat but on the whole no one engaged with me and my "re-badged Rover".
My local Centre is a microcosm of the club. Same people running it that have done so for 30 years, trying to do the same things that just aren't of interest to the youth of today. And if you don't drive a T Type you're not a true MG person. I went to the local natter when COVID cleared. I used to run it until MiniMM came along, (he's 27 this year) and the rump of attendees were still there. 8 people I think it was, I was the youngest (60 at the time). I haven't been back.
I'm still a member because I intend to do some Speed Championship events this year.
Returning to that epic 1980 event, we had an awesome singing contest with the Dutch centre and I upset one English bloke whose biggest insult to me was "You're not a member of the T Register old boy."
Unfortunately I get the impression that this is still the same attitude from the elderly membership of the club. If you're not in their clique with the right car you don't count. This doesn't seem to be the attitude of the club central office staff, but it does seem to pervade the membership and they're the people putting off new members. MiniMM was a member to race, now they're not running racing he isn't a member. The Old Guard has won and I'm afraid the Club will die with them.
FWIW I did offer to help the local centre a couple of years back and came up with a strategy document. Some of my ideas have been quietly adopted but otherwise it's all fizzled out.
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