Speedway Star

[topaz325 1,859]

Usually find it good value, just one or two in the last few months have been a bit light on content.

[Countershaftcounter 360]

i'd like to know if i could have my subscription put on hold over the winter months, 90% of the "news" is on here days before it's in SS and the rest of it is just pre written features about "the good old days" yaaaaaawn

[Triple.H. 1,987]

The online version is actually more reliable. No postman to worry about and can pick it up anywhere in the world.

But if you're in a crap reception area a paper copy is far more reliable in your van on your lunch break

Renewed my subscription last week and have probably had less than 5 late deliveries in the 15 years or so I've subscribed

i'd like to know if i could have my subscription put on hold over the winter months, 90% of the "news" is on here days before it's in SS and the rest of it is just pre written features about "the good old days" yaaaaaawn

Bet if you ring and ask for a bespoke subscription ie season preview issue to 1st issue after 31st October they would sort something out Edited January 18, 2016 by Triple.H.

[Fromafar 10,384]

i'd like to know if i could have my subscription put on hold over the winter months, 90% of the "news" is on here days before it's in SS and the rest of it is just pre written features about "the good old days" yaaaaaawn

Just take a 6 month subscription March to October .

[Humphrey Appleby 13,961]

But if you're in a crap reception area a paper copy is far more reliable in your van on your lunch break

If you download it before you go out then it's on your tablet/phone whether there's any reception or not...

 

Great interview with Russell Paine, The Pain in Spain. What a nightmare that venture turned into.

I thought it was quite an interesting read and wish him better luck, although you have to wonder why otherwise successful businesspeople would take on such a risky business venture without good backing. We do need entrepreneurs and I know it's easy to be wise after the fact, but speedway is such a bad investment at the best of times that it should only be done if you have the money to lose.

 

The Travel Plus brochure has been in the star for years.

It sums up for me, the current demographic of speedway. Who books travel by filling in paper forms these days...?

 

I prefer to travel independently anyway, but if it can't be done over the Internet, it doesn't get my business.

Edited January 19, 2016 by Humphrey Appleby

[semion 2,192]

I am surprised that Phil Rising agree to this Travel Plus brouchure going in the Speedway Star every year. It does devalue the whole issue. Like Humpie says, if you want to book any of these trips they are all available online, and must be a lot cheaper if you book it all up yourself.

 

Certainly the mag could do with a bit of a makeover for the winter months, maybe a fresh pair of eyes would help.

[Mimmo 1,070]

Personally, I can see nothing wrong with the Speedway Star.

 

I also am not interested in the Travel Plus brochure, so just ignore those pages, after all they're not costing any extra money to the purchaser. Having said that, there will be those who are interested, so why should they be denied the chance of seeing what's available to them?

 

Somebody posted that they thought the magazine got a bit tired in the winter months, which to an extent I guess it does, but so does all the nonsense we read on the various social media outlets, so little difference there.

 

I here what Humphrey Appleby says about downloading onto an ipad/tablet, but a lot of people spend their working hours sat starring at a PC/Laptop, and it can be a relief to get away from that form of using your eyes, and look at a good old fashioned paper document.

 

These are purely my own views on the subject, and I fully respect the views of those who have expressed a different opinion, that's the wonderful thing about freedom of choice.

 

Long may the Speedway Star continue.

[PHILIPRISING 7,298]

AS Mimmo kindly points out, the Travel Plus brochure is included in addition to the usual 48 pages. TP's continuing success in providing speedway tours is testimony to the fact that many people do not want to search for these things online or in thousands of cases work out their own trips. In that respect many speedway fans are no different to people booking all-inclusive holidays in other aspects of life.

 

HA is probably right that it reflects the current demographic of speedway fans ... an older audience with disposable income who prefer to have the arrangements made for them and to enjoy the considerable benefits of choosing to let Travel Plus do the work.

Edited January 19, 2016 by PHILIPRISING

[*JJ 520]

Personally, I can see nothing wrong with the Speedway Star.

 

Some things could do with improving.

Page after page of fawning over the GPs: who is that interested?

National League tucked away at the back as an afterthought. It's a fully-fledged league now, Phil!

Only a postage stamp-sized section for MDL/NDL affairs. This deserves very much more.

Totally ignoring the Amateur speedway scene, although Richard Hollingsworth sends a report every month. There is Lydd, Iwade, Dragons and STR as well.

[Mimmo 1,070]

Some things could do with improving.

Page after page of fawning over the GPs: who is that interested?

National League tucked away at the back as an afterthought. It's a fully-fledged league now, Phil!

Only a postage stamp-sized section for MDL/NDL affairs. This deserves very much more.

Totally ignoring the Amateur speedway scene, although Richard Hollingsworth sends a report every month. There is Lydd, Iwade, Dragons and STR as well.

I certainly agree with your last three lines of the posting.

[Humphrey Appleby 13,961]

In that respect many speedway fans are no different to people booking all-inclusive holidays in other aspects of life.

Not sure why all the traditional travel agents are going the way of the Dodo then. My actual point though, was not that people don't want to book all-inclusive holidays, but the method by which they do it.

[topaz325 1,859]

Not sure why all the traditional travel agents are going the way of the Dodo then. My actual point though, was not that people don't want to book all-inclusive holidays, but the method by which they do it.

I have used Travelplus and would use them again a little on the expensive side but they take care of things like tickets transfers etc.

 

Have travelled all over the world and have used travel agents the internet and independent agents each have their own customers, must be a good few years since i have been in a high street travel agents though!

[spiegal 294]

Not sure why all the traditional travel agents are going the way of the Dodo then. My actual point though, was not that people don't want to book all-inclusive holidays, but the method by which they do it.

I am not a Travel agent..but your frequently expressed opinions are wide of the mark. In fact statistics from the past 18 months show an increasing move back to the (licensed Travel agents)...This has nothing to do with using the net, but more of people being caught out by on-line operators who are not licensed, and run from outside of the Uk, often with clients losing vast sums of money and not getting what they paid for.

We have 2 cases now pending in the courts against individuals running unlicensed Tours...it is a criminal offence to do this and believe me those who run UK licensing do not take kindly to such cases.

[Humphrey Appleby 13,961]

I am not a Travel agent..but your frequently expressed opinions are wide of the mark. In fact statistics from the past 18 months show an increasing move back to the (licensed Travel agents)...

I wasn't talking about whether people were using licensed or unlicensed travel agents (or tour operators), but the method of booking. However, I suspect any trend back towards using high street travel agents/tour operators is because most of the really bad ones have gone and the others are working harder for the business.

 

With respect to the scare stories about unlicensed travel agents and/or those run outside of the UK, it's reasonably easy to check their credentials and if you pay by credit card then that provides protection anyway, plus wise people have insurance too. In 20 years of being a very frequent traveller, I've been affected once when an airline went bust, but I also saved a fortune over the years by being able to shop around on the Internet.

 

Travel agencies were and quite possibly remain one of the biggest rackets going - mostly incredibly lazy and colluding with favoured operators which customers usually didn't realise until the advent of the Internet. And unless you're prepared to do hundreds of thousands of pounds of business with them, they make very little effort to do anything more than you can do yourself and often for a higher price. Airlines and hotels selling direct is one of the best things that ever happened to the industry.

 

Yes, I'd agree there's still some place for tour operators because they can still leverage bulk deals and put together competitive packages. I'm not totally adverse to using them in some circumstances, but if I can't book it on the Internet then it doesn't get my business and I suspect that's the case for the majority these days.

Edited January 20, 2016 by Humphrey Appleby

[PHILIPRISING 7,298]

BUT there is a world of difference in booking air travel or even hotels than a fully fledged tour with all that entails which is where Travel Plus appeal to so many.