Festival of Speed - heads up on travel and ticket collection

[PJV997]

Went to FOS today, my first visit although I’ve been to Goodwood a number of times before for various reasons.

I’m just over 40 miles away and approach from the north from the A3. The journey took 3 HOURS. About 2 hours of that was for the final 10 miles. We were aiming to arrive by 9-30am and got there at 11am.

The website and signs on the road advise in CAPITAL LETTERS to NOT USE SATNAV and to follow the Police road signs. I was expecting some roads to be changed to one way traffic so obliged - big mistake.


To add insult to injury, I arranged to collect tickets on arrival. Joined a queue of about 100 people and after 15-20 minutes we were about 20th in the queue and we stop moving. Long story short, they had run out of physical tickets, the staff were told from ‘on-high’ not accept e-mail confirmation (with a QR code) for entrance, the few staff I and a couple of other people were talking to didn’t know if the issue would be resolved by getting extra tickets in 5 minutes or 25 minutes. The staff also were not prepared to walk down the queue which was probably 150+ now and explain the situation and apologise for the delay.

We gave it another 5-10 minutes and still without any updates from the staff - en masse, everyone in the queue decided enough was enough and we all walked over to the entrance and told the security staff we were going in.

Shocking organisation - I’ve never experienced anything like it at any event I have attended.

Still had a good day despite the poor start. Had a sit in the £86K 2 litre Macan and was thinking it would suit a number of forum members

[Wing Commander]

Sorry to hear about the horrendous delays, but glad you had a good day.

£86k for a 2.0 Macan! Wow! Not far off what I paid for my 911 Carrera T!

[pmg]

I left home (only 6 miles away) at 6 35 am and was in the Porsche parking available to PCGB members right behind Porsche stand by 6 50am I live to the South East of Goodwood, At that time I did not even need to show my entry ticket, just walked in via steps on Porsche stand. I saw no sign all day of any Goodwood ticket being inspected on that route, all that was need was the window sticker for the Porsche parking

I understand from other Southern region Porsche Club GB members that those traveling form the "north" down through Midhurst this year came across some roadworks with traffic works at Singleton, just north of Goodwood, that added an hour compared with last year's travel time . Some away of the roadwork issue decided to approach via the west in to/around Chichester that added to the usual Chichester By pass totally stationary traffic issue.

As locals we continually even on Non FOS days pay the price for a combination of the Duke of Richmond (owner Goodwood) and Chris Grayling killing off the Chichester Northern bypass proposal that had the support of West Sussex County Council

Ps the weather forecast for Goodwood for the next todays is wind and rain. By Sunday, the site and park packs will be a quagmire judging by previous wet years. There is an excellent live stream of events on the hill on YouTube and also the Goodwood website

[Pivot]

Thanks for the intel.

Does Porsche have hospitality tent, where I can park my wife?

[pmg]

Thanks for the intel.

Does Porsche have hospitality tent, where I can park my wife?

See my reply in the 911T thread

If you are coming form the north, I would take the A285 through Petworth rather than the A286 through Midhurst. Avoids the Singleton road works and takes you to the Public Car park M nearest one to Porsche stand. Avoids the southern and other northern car parks and far less walking (avoids the hike across the golf course from the southern public parking)

[Tracky]

Sounds like a one off to me

[Col Lamb]

I followed the Signs the last time I went to the F1 GP and ended up in the wrong area of the circuit, drove on, was stopped, said I was in the wrong area then found ourselves passing a hard standing car park, the one on the left as you go to the gate for the PEC so we parked there all 100m from the gate.

Yeah, it has sweet FA to do with Goodwood but hay ho such is life

[Wolands Advocate]

I hadn’t been to FoS for years but went today. It’s changed a fair amount and not for the better - much bigger, far more commercial and that whole thing about Thursday being the quiet day for members is long gone. Left West London at 9.15 and despite going via Petworth we weren’t inside until 11.45. Thankfully we did have our tickets already as that queue did look long. It was so crowded that we scarpered to the Kennels for lunch on the terrace which was much more civilised. But overall I was a bit disappointed. It used to be better.

[Deleted User 5286]

Thanks for the intel.

Does Porsche have hospitality tent, where I can park my wife?

See my reply in the 911T thread

If you are coming form the north, I would take the A286 through Petworth rather than the A286 through Midhurst. Avoids the Singleton road works and takes you to the Public Car park M nearest one to Porsche stand. Avoids the southern and other northern car parks and far less walking (avoids the hike across the golf course from the southern public parking)

As a Midhurst (Easebourne) resident would advise the A286 route… Midhurst gets clogged by the local Jazz owners faffing about…
Saw a couple of Carmine Red Macans queuing … so much better the the hordes of greys and blacks lumbering past my house!
If your off to the FOS…. enjoy!

[pmg]

Thanks for the intel.

Does Porsche have hospitality tent, where I can park my wife?

See my reply in the 911T thread

If you are coming form the north, I would take the A285 through Petworth rather than the A286 through Midhurst. Avoids the Singleton road works and takes you to the Public Car park M nearest one to Porsche stand. Avoids the southern and other northern car parks and far less walking (avoids the hike across the golf course from the southern public parking)

As a Midhurst (Easebourne) resident would advise the A286 route… Midhurst gets clogged by the local Jazz owners faffing about…
Saw a couple of Carmine Red Macans queuing … so much better the the hordes of greys and blacks lumbering past my house!
If your off to the FOS…. enjoy!

I have just looked at traffic situation this am on Google maps. Yes there is the odd bit of red through Petworth but that is far shorter than the red in Midhurst, Chichester, and Arundel.

Goodwood sells the same amount of tickets for each day, 50,000. Thursday did not used to sell out but now does. By the time the crowds are in, it is now very busy. I cope with that by getting there early, seeing the things i want to see on stands and in paddocks early and then for the rest of day I retreat to a Grandstand preferable one with a working TV screen opposite.
I leant early on 20 years ago, that a Grandstand ticket is useful especially if a wet Goodwood.