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Martinsville Grand Prix festival in full gear

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nobodyimportant
Sunday, May 20, 2012: 12:46 pm
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While this event is a great opportunity for our community, the planning seems to be less than professional, if comments I have heard are accurate.

I heard more than a couple downtown business owners remark that nobody contacted them about the plans for barricades, street closings, and accomodations for their customers. The message that they perceived was, this is good for Martinsville, and your inconveniences and losses of revenues isn't that important.

Advance communications concerning schedules for restricted access for their customers and providing opportunities for input on accomodations that might make their curtomers less frustrated would have been appreciated.

Many businesses simply had to write off Saturday afternoon. In particular, those that need for customers to park close to their place of business
were particularl inconvenienced.

Consideration should be given to a later start for practice and qualification on Saturday. A Three or four hour later start would make the retailers happier.

D E Chafey
Monday, May 21, 2012: 9:13 am
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If it even matters to you;
In the first place this downtown event was conceived by local citizens who only want the best for Martinsville. No one on the Martinsville Grand Prix committee is a professional but the committee has put their best foot forward for this town; it is a learning experience
As for the comment that �your inconveniences and losses of revenues isn't that important� is simply crass. The future of/for Martinsville has always foremost of the only two groups interested in bringing folks downtown. Even when there are no barricades shops are not open, and as for parking, the route this year was changed to make it easier for folks to get to those shops that decided to open and invite customers in. The Martinsville Grand Prix committee loves Martinsville, and all comments good and bad are welcome, that is how we grow as a non-professional group; but comments first hand would be better than he said she said.

copeman
Monday, May 21, 2012: 9:40 am
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Look..This was only the second year people! I believe it will get better each year. Things like this have to evolve over time. Lets have some patience.

nobodyimportant
Monday, May 21, 2012: 9:35 pm
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DE, please keep in mind that I said "The message that they perceived". And for the "he said she said", the most direct criticism that was spoken directly to me came from a member of the planning committee. It was specifically directed toward the member(s) who were to be responsible for communicating (or more specifically, not communicating) with local businesses in the race area.

Not everyone will be pleased with any endeavor such as this, but it is a worthwile event that can be made better. One very simple way is to improve the communications.

4 comments found