It's the Hemingway ahead…

(Sorry)

More seriously, I know Ketan and others will disagree with me, but shows are part of what keeps the hobby alive and kicking. We need to find ways to make sure traders can attend affordably and easily enough to be worth it for them, whilst still ensuring the organisers can turn a profit.

I don't know if there's an easy answer, but perhaps attendees having less expectation to physically take away large items might help?

Neil

Edited By Stub Mandrel on 18/10/2013 08:57:59

Hi There

I think you will fnd that the venues such as Sandown Park are pricing themselves out of business.

It may not be the Exhibition organisers overpricing, they have to get their money back.

regards David

The Midlands showsite is OWNED by the show organisers, they just want to make too much money.

Problem is Bob that it's not just the trade stands as regards cost.

Say a big show charges £1000 a stand and Bristol only charge £400 which is a massive saving of £600, this is only a drop in the ocean compared the truck hire, extra wages, hotels, meals, diesel and the lost revenue whilst you are away..

OK you are selling to a dedicated section of the community but what about the rest who don't want to travel to the venue, or can't plus the overseas sales.

I was at Bristol this year and spoke to one trader who has been going years and he told me it would be his last time because of time restraints more than actual cost.

Have a look at the time stamps, Niloch. Not too surprised by who was the next poster after that invisible message from Springbok. Heck, he must have written some really upsetting words…

Rgds, Frank

It's not just the ME shows that are charging the trade out, the same is happening with the 7mm gauge shows which I attend. The way forward for us is our WEB sales I'm sorry to say.

Simon

looks like a glitch – Springbok's post wasn't edited, nor was it inflammatory.

Neil

I can't see why any commercial organisation would make such information public. On the other hand, if I was an exhibition organiser, I'd spend a good while talking to punters and exhibitors at and beyond the show, and also arrange some 'focus groups' to look at how it could be made better.

Neil

When I was part of a computer show organisation 35 years ago we balanced the cost to the exhibitors with the hall and infrastructure costs so that all gate receipts went to the business either as profit or to pay the wages to organise the next show. I remember our show at Central Hall Westminster turned over £15k.

Do you remember how back a few decades the shows were plush with carpet and expensive stand shells. Then a 'new kid' came along and had no carpet and plain tables or bring your own but our type of punter didn't care about such friparies. That's how they got into the market.

At our club meeting last week (about 40 attending) not one person planned to go to this weekend's show though we got a small bus load to Bristol.