Boat Show parking - a disgrace!

[alpha]

Well, last year, booked a (very reasonably-priced) suite on the Sunborn yacht, drove to Excel on day one, parked right next to the Sunborn, had a great time, bought loads of stuff, had a very enjoyable couple of days...

This year, drove to same car park (by East end of Excel), denied access as that parking was 'all pre-booked', directed to disused and extremely grotty wasteland about a mile away, got onto knackered old double-decker, which took us straight past East entrance right around the Excel site, through filthy service access, over many rough speed-bumps, and deposited us at the show. Parking charge £5.

Spent much less than I planned and didn't buy anything bulky, in view of awful bus journey back, instead of last year's quick nip back to the car every time I ended up with anything heavy or awkward to carry.

Conclusion... Usual English ****-up, lovely exhibition centre, great show, why do we have to park on a bomb-site /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif?

AND, having queued for tickets on day one, why couldn't I buy tickets for the next day at the same time?

COME ON SCHRODERS!!! This is no where near good enough. Sort it out!!!

/forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

[jeffro]

Just got home a good show but the loos a walk or what! Jeffro

 

[TrueBlue]

[ QUOTE ]

This year, drove to same car park (by East end of Excel), denied access as that parking was 'all pre-booked', directed to disused and extremely grotty wasteland about a mile away, got onto knackered old double-decker, which took us straight past East entrance right around the Excel site, through filthy service access, over many rough speed-bumps, and deposited us at the show. Parking charge £5.


[/ QUOTE ]

Well that bit is the same as last year..

Of course at Earls Court you couldn't park anwhere - so must be some sort of improvement. Perhaps it would be better if the exhibitors had to park on the bomb site thus freeing up parking space for the paying customers.....

Better still why not hold the show in September then,

<ul type="square">[*] All the big boats could go outside,
[*] I could go by boat, stay overnight in the dock
[*] Hordes of boats would create an exciting vista for the non boaty crowd,
[*] Space inside cound be freed up for snads selling things just like the upstairs at EC.
[/list]
Too revolutionary; forget it.
<ul type="square">[*] This year I though I'd look first before going.
[*] Looked at website.
[*] Abysmal.
[*] Worse than last year.
[*] Webcam not working.
[*] No / poor details of exhibitors
[*] OK if you know who you want to see and what they sell..

[*] Shan't / didn't bother. Will use the Web instead
[/list]
For Heavens Sake. isn't the whole point of such a show is that a whole bunch of diverse folk can go and get info: on all manner of things and pick up a perceived bargain or two. You need a mix of posh stands a bit of tat (sorry Nauticalia)and a bit of market tradery.

Exel is so expensive that the market atmosphere has gone and the posh stands have got bigger. No new entrants.

Grumble, grumble.

 

[MedDreamer]

September yeh..... and move it to Southampton !

 

[Robin]

[ QUOTE ]
Better still why not hold the show in September then,


All the big boats could go outside,

I could go by boat, stay overnight in the dock

Hordes of boats would create an exciting vista for the non boaty crowd,

Space inside cound be freed up for snads selling things just like the upstairs at EC.


Too revolutionary; forget it.


[/ QUOTE ]

Erm, sounds like Southampton Boatshow to me!

 

[TrueBlue]

[ QUOTE ]
Erm, sounds like Southampton Boatshow to me!

[/ QUOTE ]

Ah But, Yes But, Except for:-

Punters don't get wet going from stand to stand
Not ripped off for parking miles away.
I can't get my bit of tin down to S'oton.
Isn't Southampton going to be built over RSN??

Otherwise move SBS to LBS...

 

[ashanta]

I think this is why Southampton is so successful. The LBS is, I assume, regarded as the National Boat Show? Therefore, has to be in London? I have always thought that the Birmingham NEC was better suited for such an exhibition with it's excellent facilities for dealing with cars, coaches and people but as is the case for the Olympics. To be regarded as International it appears that it has to be in London. IMHO.

Regards.

Peter.

 

[ashanta]

I think this is why Southampton is so successful. The LBS is, I assume, regarded as the National Boat Show? Therefore, has to be in London? I have always thought that the Birmingham NEC was better suited for such an exhibition with it's excellent facilities for dealing with cars, coaches and people but as is the case for the Olympics. To be regarded as International it appears that it has to be in London. IMHO.

Regards.

Peter.

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

I agree with you. Last year we parked in the East car park without problem but this year we were turned away by a jobsworth who told us the carpark was 'reserved for exhibitors and bigwigs attending the opening ceremony'. Seems that somebody has lost sight of who are the most important people in all this ie we paying punters.
As it happens we found a small carpark behind the 2 hotels on the east side signed 'additional Excel parking' or something like that. It was foc and there was even a courtesy cart to take you to the entrance