I did not attend the Gathering this year due to another commitment although I did go to the Shuttleworth event which I enjoyed hugely.
My feeling is that the nature of members and times have changed. Those who remember the Evesham Gatherings, few now, and the Stanford Hall ones will recall the many Scotts that were there. Much of the enjoyment was in riding to the event and then meeting up with other owners. Few bikes were trailered and most of the people were enthusiastic riders. Roads were also quieter and generally speeds slower so it was still a pleasure in riding an older bike on a longer journey.
Nowadays the enthusiastic Scott riders are fewer and the majority of bikes are trailered to the event. That is not to say the people are not Scott enthusiasts but not so prepared to ride to and from the event. Our average age has also increased. One consequence is that taking a Scott to a static event is not very rewarding hence the drop off in attendees.
The Success of the Abbotsholme and Shuttleworth weekend events is due to a number of reasons. One is the opportunity to mix with other owners over a longer period of time. The other is to experience a ride out in company with other Scotts. This replaces to some extent the ride to an event and gives an opportunity to compare the differences between the bikes. There is still the opportunity for those who only want to commit to a one day event to attend on the second day knowing that there will be a good number of Scotts to see.
Ultimately it is down to the members to make a success of any event by attending as organisers can only provide a framework.
