A quick scan through the various club magazines will no doubt take you to articles about a member’s attendance at a “car show” whether it be a gathering of classic cars or a specific marque show. If you are that way inclined and have ample time, then these are good places to learn about your car and meet like minded enthusiasts.

So, you spot an event on a suitable weekend where you can take your pride and joy and display it along with many others. You pay the entry fee and either turn up as a group or as an individual, get your chairs out of the back and sit back and relax. Then, after four or five hours, it’s time to go home (you’ve probably got two hours driving to do) and that’s when you find you can’t leave until after 5pm!

I know in the above scenario, the small print will have told you this but I use it as an example of how times have changed. It seems the idea that enthusiasts can pay and just turn up to an event, enjoy themselves, then, when it’s time to go home, simply leave is anathema to many organisers.

A good example is the Chiltern Rally, an annual gathering of classic cars and clubs near Aylesbury. There is an entry fee, in return for which you are allocated a space within the display area. It tends to be quite well subscribed and my local MG club (Aylesbury MG Club) often attend as a group. This year the club’s attendance was down and it was interesting to note that a major reason was the restriction on leaving time.

There are of course good reasons for restricting leaving time, not least for purposes of traffic management, but it seems to me that these “shows” are victims of their own success. They invite large numbers of cars and then have difficulty managing access and egress.

There are plenty of gatherings for petrolheads where you have the choice of either displaying your pride and joy or simply rocking up, parking in the car park and taking in the “display vehicles” at your liesure. The best example of this type of “show” is the Bicester Scramble. You need to be a member to enjoy ticket availability but unless you accept selection to the display area, the large car park full of classic cars awaits, you can leave when you wish.

All of which means that unsurprisingly, the Cars and Coffee approach to car gatherings has increased dramatically over the last few years. A quick trip to your local C&C gathering, chat for a couple of hours, then off home to Sunday lunch, the pub or whatever. And what’s more, these tend to occur on a monthly basis. No booking in advance, no restriction on vehicle age and no restriction on leaving time.

Happy days.