Will the hike in fuel prices kill off rally-going in UK?
Have just worked out that it would cost me about £75 in diesal to drive from London to the FOPS 50th anniversary organ event and back. With engine owners saying that it is costing them £500 to fill up a lorry unit these days what is the future of our traditional rally-going summers? The problem with fuel prices is that they never seem to go down when the price of oil on the international market decreases.

Hi Jory and everyone, I'm afraid the short answer is yes - the rise in fuel prices is going to kill off a lot of activities, and not just steam rallies. As budgets get stretched, the first thing traditionally to go is extravagant leisure trips. With the average rally now costing in the region of £8 an adult to get in, plus say £10-£15 fuel to get there and back, a family of two adults and 2 children can kiss goodbye to £35-£40 just to get inside the gate. Then with food, rides, market/craft tent purchases etc, it's a pretty expensive day out. The same equally applies (and on an even greater financial scale) to airshows and motorsport events - I think it used to cost me about £10 to get into Farnborough in the late 80's until I decided enough was enough. I shudder to think how much it would cost to get in now. On the other side of the coin, rally organisers are cutting back on exhibitors and expenses so the focus of many rallies is being diluted to the point where I now only go if I am given a pass to help someone out or there is something really spectacular booked to go that I really want to see. I reckon it will cost me about £35 in diesel for the round trip from Aylesbury to Holme on Spalding Moor and back (my Astra is obviously less juicy than your Skoda, Jory!). In context though it will be a cheap weekend, as that is all it will cost me for as a crew member my accommodation and food is provided, and there are several organs promised that I would like to see and hear. Jeremy.

America is suffering greatly too.