In All years I have known at Ashfield there was at least a £3 charge for meet the riders and has been said donations sought previously for P&P part of day - used to have meet riders away from stadium eg eagle lodge with bar charging £2 for can of coke - reality is if you don't want to pay it just don't go simple as that - personally makes sense having 2 events much closer together and avoid coming to ashfield at say 2pm for couple of hours then going home then returning to meet the riders at 7pm imo