11-06-2020, 08:55 AM
For many years I thought one big national club was the ideal scenario, and that the Austin Seven approach with numerous local clubs was less than ideal. The Association seemed to be a half-way house that brought the groups together without having any real clout. But just look at what has happened elsewhere: MG, Jaguar, Triumph, Singer ... they've all ended up with two or more 'national' clubs because members could not agree on the direction a single club should take.
The present Austin Seven community seems to rub along together, with the Association providing the bonus of a national (or even international) presence when needed, so, as Tony says, why not keep the individual nature of the small clubs so that individuals can pick and choose the club that suits their interests? If a club fails to provide what its members are looking for, then it will have to change, or members move to other clubs and it dies. Lump everyone together in one club, and sooner or later there will be a break-away movement and we're all back where we started.
The present Austin Seven community seems to rub along together, with the Association providing the bonus of a national (or even international) presence when needed, so, as Tony says, why not keep the individual nature of the small clubs so that individuals can pick and choose the club that suits their interests? If a club fails to provide what its members are looking for, then it will have to change, or members move to other clubs and it dies. Lump everyone together in one club, and sooner or later there will be a break-away movement and we're all back where we started.