Bad news from Gueux

[JohnD]

Many here will have visited the Reims-Gueux Circuit in France, and the wonderfully preserved pits and grandstands:

It was here that many French Grand Prix and other races were held, between 1926 and 1972, on public roads, closed for the occasion.    For that reason, you may still drive the original circuit, although the long straight of the Route Nationale 31 is now a four lane motorway.     Unlike other disused circuits the buildings were never demolished but fell into dilapidation, until twenty years ago was formed Les Amis du Circuit de Gueux.    Les Amis du Circuit de GUEUX (amis-du-circuit-de-gueux.fr)  THis is what they faced then:

This club of volunteers  have restored the premises in an extraordinary way, and it has become a shrine to early 20th Century road racing, drawing visitors from across Europe and the world.  Les Amis continue to strive to restore it, and last year one of the grandstands, previously thought to be too dangerous to enter was made safe.   But all is not well for Les Amis.

The Mayor of Gueux has withdrawn permission for them to hold events there, and since Christmas, they had had bad news.  They tell me:

After 20 years of restoration and care given to the Circuit de Reims-Gueux site, the municipality cancelled and drafted a new agreement seeking to exclude the Volunteers of the Friends of the Circuit de Gueux to benefit from the work accomplished.
So this year 2024 will be without events but also without revenue and will be devoted primarily to our legitimate defence.
For this reason we need the support of our 350 loyal members.
The fight is tough and unfair, but giving in would be a disaster for the preservation of the buildings on the site.

So, the Mayor of Gueux will take advantage of the 20 years of hard work and restoration by Les Amis, without any outside support, and hand the Circuit buildings to the care of some outfit to exploit them for profit.
 

Few of us are in a position here to be of direct assistance, but if you have visited Gueux and admired the restoration by Les Amis, please consider becoming a member! 

Please see: https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fadmin.amis-du-circuit-de-gueux.fr%2Fuploads%2F2023_Bulletin_Adhésion_ACG_bdb581f80c.docx&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK

and for Les Amis' main  website: https://www.amis-du-circuit-de-gueux.fr/
 

Bonne chance, et a la prochaine!

John

[Tim Bancroft]

Thanks John for posting this, its an outrage!

[Beans]

Seems like a textbook example of cronyism between local administrators and project developers ...

[mikeyb]

brown envelopes galore 😒

 

[Velocita Rosso]

I still remember my first drive along the circuit in 1967/8 ,as though it was yesterday, it was like a scene from a film with hot sunshine and wide open fields, with only visions of the Formula cars coming out of the bends

This is another bureaucratic move by do gooder`s to kill history, Shame  

[Colin Cutts]

I was there about 20 years ago in my 4a along with other triumphs from the South Downs group (tr register) even then the tiled floor of I think either shell or esso emblem had been taken up ie stolen what a shame 

[JohnD]

Then, Colin, and others who visited long ago, you would be impressed by the way Les Amis have restored the circuit buildings!    So may I repeat my appeal for anyone who has or intends to enjoy Le Circuit de Gueux to contribute to their struggle to continue their good work?

https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fadmin.amis-du-circuit-de-gueux.fr%2Fuploads%2F2023_Bulletin_Adhésion_ACG_bdb581f80c.docx&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK

Thank you!

John