As ever with Goodwood, it was all about the detail. While I certainly heard some mutterings during the day about over-commercialisation (albeit incredibly tastefully done) of the trade areas – "too many novelty coffee bars and cigar shops" was one comment I overheard – I reckon that there must be pretty few dissenting voices among the 120,000-odd visitors who revelled in yet another glorious weekend.
Yes, doing Goodwood properly can be fiercely expensive, but we must all remember that there is nothing quite like this event anywhere in the world, however many people try to 'Goodwoodise' their own festivals. Part of that is simply that Goodwood as a setting lends itself uniquely well to being the ideal canvas for Lord March's vision.
But a sizeable portion is down to that vision and the most astonishing attention to detail, not just from Lord March and his team, but also from the visitors who 'get it' and their incredible efforts to blend into the theatre.
The Revival Car Show was better then ever and, personally, the more household brands that are desperate to compromise their present to fit in with Goodwood's past, the more it brings a smile to my face.
We are forever hearing of the might of Tesco in the high street – and rarely in complimentary terms – yet this juggernaut of businesses bends over backwards and pulls out all the stops just so that it looks and feels appropriate at a Sussex classic car show and race meet.
