Adent to move/close

[mark christopher]

http://www.ardentracing.com/raceway/redhoodie.php

Dear RC Racers,

Ardent Raceway was initially set up by enthusiasts, we never intended to make any money from it, nor did I ever intend to get my investment back. It was purely a way of me giving something to the hobby I love and creating a place to congregate with fellow RC enthusiasts and have some bloody good fun!!
It surpassed all our expectations, from the support of the AMAZING Red Hoodie gang who have given up weeks, possibly months of their own personal time to keep the place open and running, to the sheer volume of racers that have travelled the UK and even the globe to visit us and race at our Kings Newton Track.
What you see today is our first attempt at creating an indoor RC Raceway, I like to call it Ardent v1.6, (1.6 as it’s had to re-invent itself a few times as we learnt from experiences?.
As with all great inventions there comes a time when it needs refreshing, it needs upgrading to version 2, sometimes it’s the market that drives it, sometimes it’s other influences. In the case of Ardent v1.6 it’s other external influences, This time it’s the South Derbyshire District Planning Department, Highways agency and the Environmental Health department.
Here’s what they are saying:


1) They want to reduce our operation hours so that we are closed by 21:00; this is a new policy enforceable from 2010 for leisure facilities that are close to housing.
2) They want us to tarmac the car park and provide markings to highlight parking bays, disabled spaces etc. They also want the entire car park illuminating to the health and safety departments’ satisfaction.
3) They want us to build a Disabled toilet block.
4) They want a failsafe emergency backup for the electrics so in the event of a power cut, lighting will automatically kick in from a battery source to enable people to safely leave the facility in hours of darkness.
5) And the main problem is – the Highways agency wants the gates moving back to a minimum of 5mtrs from the road edge, and the entire wall all the way up to the toilet block moving back 2.5mtrs from the road edge to aid visibility when exiting the facility.

I have spent £1000’s working with specialists over the past 6 months trying to work in some affordable solutions to these requests, I’ve been back and forth to the planning authority to fight to retain the planning application and have tried every trick in the book.
Either we pay to have the work done at a cost of around £35k or we look for something bigger and better. I know many of you racers well and I know your first reaction is to bombard me with ideas and ‘have you tried this and have you tried that’ and I love you all for being that way, you are as passionate about the place as I am, but the fact is there’s no way of getting around standard Highways Agency rules. And it’s only that last point that’s a real killer, the others we could have probably worked around or done with sheer determination and grit which is what built the place in the first instance. So it’s time for Ardent v2 to be created!!
On the plus side of moving from Ardent v1.6 to v2:
1) We found a business model that worked, the Ardent Raceway was a great success and this puts us in a very good position going forward both from experience and more importantly financially.
2) We know what we can expect from numbers and what we can afford to rent.
3) We know what we need/want when looking for a new location (Flat floor, lower ceiling, heating etc..).
4) It gives us a chance to re-invent our business model that will make it even stronger when going forward, and we now know to pay close attention to the car park, entrance/exits and location.
So here’s what’s going to happen, we/you should continue to enjoy the Kings Newton location up until July 2012, we will have a farewell ‘Barn’ meeting at the beginning of July. We need to fully vacate the unit by the end of July. If there is anything you would like to purchase from the track then talk to us, as there’s a chance we may not need it at the new Raceway and any money raised will help to pay for the upgrade to version 2.
In the meantime we are looking for a new and improved location; similar locality as we need to be near to the Red Hoodie Gang and the location really worked attracting the North and the South. We have a few units we are looking at, but please if you know of somewhere then please let me know as you might have spotted a little beauty. We have a plan B in place in the interim should we not secure anywhere before the middle of July and will be temporarily renting a unit for Tuesday and Friday evenings if this ends up being the case.
So please continue to race at the Raceway, make the most of the current place, join our farewell Kings Newton races and the Derby Club Charity event in June (24hr race is completely unaffected) and we would love your support either at our temporary location or at the new and improved Ardent v2 location (tbc)..
If you would like to be ‘engaged’ with me on the Ardent v2 venture and if you want to make your contribution to the RC hobby then drop me a message and I’ll share with you the v2 business model.
Happy racing all and I look forward to the future. (See you at Ardent v2 coming soon!!)
John. Founder
(Ardent V1.6 was bought to you by the following people in no particular order (Thank you all for your support and if we can all do it again on V2 it will be even better than our first attempt):
John Dawson and family, Derby Radio Control Model Car Club, Ian Plimmer, Moon, Simon Taylor, Chris Holmes, Stefan Chodzynski and family, Andy Moore, MB Models, Bryn’s Café, Andy Smith, John Jackson the Landlord, Dez Chand, Graham Oxford, Al Hart, Schumacher, MuchMore, RC-Disco, Mum and Dad, Ben Cosgrove, Roger Cosgrove, Kris Kennedy, Stu Noble for his amazing video, The BRCA TC, 12th, Micro sections, Petit RC, Anyone who’s ever paid to race, practice or purchased food and spares from the shops, roland the rat and Daisy the Cat, the Goats, the leaky roof and the fuses that keep blowing. You all made Ardent v1.6 what it is today. (Really sorry if I forgot anyone, this will be an error, and NOT because I have an issue with you or did not appreciate what you did, so embarrass me by sending me a message and I’ll duly apologise and quickly add you to the list :-)

[Chequered Flag Racing]

shocked

council's gone mad

[James]

What a kick in the teeth John, I thought the new localism planning bill was going to help matters but I guess this is a separate statutory matter with building regs and highways .

Wish you the best of luck with V2, it was an enormous commitment you made originally. Maybe we should team up shame we're probably just that bit too far apart.

[qatmix]

That's shocking, so despite no issues or incidents, the council has essentially stopped something that works in the local community, is good for the local youth and brings extra visitors to the area.

Ardent is fantastic, many guys go racing there every other week from Manchester so it would be a shame for it to close or move further away.

[Colin Kirkham]

Welcome to britain, the country that once was great !!
Now going to the dogs and run by idiots !!

[U1timate PigDog]

It is a real shame, Ive only been down a few times as its a little too far for me but it really was great there, I hope that V2 is just as good if not better, good luck guys.

Wish you the best of luck with V2, it was an enormous commitment you made originally. Maybe we should team up shame we're probably just that bit too far apart.

I think a touring car track should be your next venture !!! that would be awesome, we could have inter-club competitions with Ardent V2 lol

[knighthawk]

As all have said on the subject,
It's a real shame, great bunch of lads who run the club, great venue,
Just the powers that be seem to be hell bend on spoiling anything that is fun/entertaining or keep the kids off the streets !

On another note I'd like to see a little more of an off road track theme !!

[dadtc3]

Wasnt it the very same council that caused Ashby to close down a few years ago?

[Chequered Flag Racing]

and we would love your support either at our temporary location or at the new and improved Ardent v2 location (tbc)..

so is there a temporary venue from July onwards until Ardent v2 is confirmed?

[mark christopher]

Originally Posted by Chequered Flag Racing

so is there a temporary venue from July onwards until Ardent v2 is confirmed?

read the whole post..............


in the interim should we not secure anywhere before the middle of July and will be temporarily renting a unit for Tuesday and Friday evenings

[Chequered Flag Racing]

Originally Posted by mark christopher

read the whole post..............

looks like I need glasses for the PC also

from FB

Thanks to Mick Harris for last night who inspired me to keep racing.
1. tools fell out of tray as I opened up the pit box
2. centre shock found tweaked
3. then had to change a spur after 1st heat as I minced it in the race.
4. refitted the centre shock at new angle to stop the top popping off
5. stripped spur doing practice start after race as it sounded noisey during the race
6. getting sick of changing glasss. one pair for racing one for close up.
7. need to buy spare spurs to replace Mick's

[Paulnuneaton]

the venue is first class but the powers to be will do what it takes to shut it down, but the main thing is Mr dawson has known about the plans to shut it down for over 5 months. he should of played it straight to the lads so peoples idea's could be bounced around not telling people on the 12th hour.
I feel sorry for derby model car club as all the track equipment and pc timing gear belongs to them maybe they will carry on in their own rights and not sit around waiting for another venue that may not rise.
So maybe good news for Derby to rebuild their club i think Mr dawson has done a good job in what he set out to do but without the equipment of Derby club then all he had was a warehouse unit!!!!!

[chris_blakey]

Originally Posted by Paulnuneaton

the venue is first class but the powers to be will do what it takes to shut it down, but the main thing is Mr dawson has known about the plans to shut it down for over 5 months. he should of played it straight to the lads so peoples idea's could be bounced around not telling people on the 12th hour.
I feel sorry for derby model car club as all the track equipment and pc timing gear belongs to them maybe they will carry on in their own rights and not sit around waiting for another venue that may not rise.
So maybe good news for Derby to rebuild their club i think Mr dawson has done a good job in what he set out to do but without the equipment of Derby club then all he had was a warehouse unit!!!!!

Paul, do us a favour and shut up!!!
Everyone who needed to know knew! John, team and the derby club have been working to try and avoid this without attracting any negative attention such as this!

[Paulnuneaton]

what ever Blakey it will never rise again trust me!!!! all i was saying is derby may re invent itself!!!!

[hotrodchris]

Originally Posted by moffett-mechanic

Welcome to britain, the country that once was great !!
Now going to the dogs and run by idiots !!

Couldn't agree more comments spot on!
But the idiots still expect us to do well in any sport despite their constant beaurocratic ways to stop anything and everything!
Where does common sense come in and them looking at the safety record of the facility plus what it gives to the community?

[SlowOne]

Originally Posted by hotrodchris

Couldn't agree more comments spot on!
But the idiots still expect us to do well in any sport despite their constant beaurocratic ways to stop anything and everything!
Where does common sense come in and them looking at the safety record of the facility plus what it gives to the community?

Common sense doesn't come into it any more. Too many people are prepared to sue their way to a result when they think they have been wronged that everything has to have Rules and Regulations. In many ways, we have ourselves to blame as much as the Council.

It's a great shame, and I only hope that John manages to find Ardent Mk2. I'll miss the place, the races and the people who race there. It's been huge fun while it lasted, and goes to prove that there is a call for such a facility when it is well run and inviting to drivers. Good work guys, thanks for everything.

[julianb]

Such a shame. I'd be having this plastered all over the local and national media, using the kids in sport angle, very difficult to twist that one. Demonise the lot of them.

Hope you get it sorted.

J

[Colin Kirkham]

I've only raced at Ardent a few times, but every time that I have, I have come home with fond memory's of a fantastic day and a venue run by a very welcoming group of people.
It takes a lot of time, commitment, hard work and effort to run even the very basic of rc clubs, and I take my hat of to John for doing what most of us just dream about !
Twice a friend and I have tried to start a rc venue close to us
But have given up due to the daft and difficult rules and regs we faced from our local council, they don't make it easy !
I take my hat off to anyone running an rc venue.
And it's a great shame that John and the Ardent boys and girls have now got to effectively start all over again.

Colin

[danmurphy]

Gutted about this news. I have good memories of the Micro national there 18 months back and have been since whilst working in the area. I was planning to come over in July since I have a couple of training courses in Ashby.
Does anyone know where the temporary rented unit will be?

[M.Andrews]

Originally Posted by dadtc3

Wasnt it the very same council that caused Ashby to close down a few years ago?

The local council also closed down Tibshelf on road track a few years ago too!!