Boatshow madness - Attention BMF and YBW editors!!

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bluedragon

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So now we have the worst of all worlds a) An Excel show that many of us don't like or feel is relevant to the average boater, and b) my old favourite, Earls Court, that is doomed to failure because half the exhibitors don't turn up for economic or "other" reasons. Clearly two London shows within weeks of each other cannot continue, and unless some heads are banged together and common sense prevails, myself and many others will end up going to NEITHER in the future! What about the "official" BMF show going back to EC for a year or so, and then properly establish what the British boating public actually prefer and want? Were we ever asked about the move to Excel? I think not. You might say this is wishful thinking bearing in mind the entrenched positions, but if enough of us pressure the industry, who knows? And what about the Southampton Boat Show? This has to serve a different purpose for even two shows to survive into the future in my opinion, so if the whole issue has to be re-thought, SBS has to go into the pot as well. I don't have the answers, but we should pressure the industry to come up with some...fast!
 
It's likely that the Excel show numbers will be down this year, and they'll blame the EC show. WRONG...they are to blame for creating the circumstances that lead to a rival show in the first place! I don't think the industry in the present economic climate can afford "survival of the fittest" strategies.
 
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............ but if enough of us pressure the industry, who knows? ...........

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With about 250 active posters on here (according to someone's analysis a few weeks ago) this is hardly a pressure group, is it.
As Twister_Ken says, the market will dictate.
The organiser of EC has already said that next year's show will be 'very different', whatever that means. Fact is, for a start he got his timing wrong, I reckon - too many family minds are focused on Christmas, not Boat Shows, in December, and travelling in London at this time of year is even worse than normal.
I do agree that the parties need to get together. But all this nonsense isn't going to stop me going to Excel, why should it? I've been to EC, too - glad I went, to be informed, but being hard-nosed about it , it was a waste of a day (which I've never felt at Excel), and despite the spin about exhibitors getting 'few but quality visitors', I don't imagine too many of them will take the risk of showing EC next year, if there is a next year.
 
Much as it saddens me to say it, I predict there won't be a "next year" for the EC show, and I've no confidence the Excel Show can ever re-create the atmosphere and interest of the old EC version...so they've lost me and probably thousands of others. I've tried Excel twice and it's left me completely disinterested.
 
It is now all down to cost for exhibitors, especially with the decline of visitors at Excel.
Realistically who can blame companies who needed to try something new & fresh ? At the end of the day it is all about feet through the door & people spending money. With rising transport costs & living expensives,very expensive stand rent etc etc who can be surprised a t a new venture ?
For a 30 sq metre stand at Excel is nearly 5k just for the concrete . For an average company without a large boat fleet.
You are looking at basic costs of 10k This is especially hard for any new company BTW this is BEFORE you place any stock on stands the costs are approx and taking into consideration wanting to exhibit as a "new" exhibitor . I really hope EC does well but in general exhibition costs have to come down considerably to encourage new companies etc to visit & take the real risk of foot failure !
 
There is another show as well...OK it is commercial so more fishing cats and ribs than Princess or Sealine, but it does have a good selection of exhibitors. Suzuki, Raymarine, MG Duff. As well as lots of other useful bits.

Its growing, popular with exhibitors and punters. Free entry and only three days.

Have a scan through the list of exhibitors that were there this year.
http://www.seawork.com/directory.php

See you in June?
I thought EC was good and will be looking at budgeting to be there next year, so I believe it will grow.
 
You'll find the BMf have a long contract that ties them to Excel.

With Barcelona, Genoa and Paris all going on all the big boys that pay big money to exhibit don't have time or the money for another show.

Earls Court is not big enough for a number of large bost they will let 1 or 2 60fts in but the Met Police have stated quite clearly they will not close the roads and remove the street furniture en mass which would be required.

The deals the earls court boys were offered to get space sold and the amount fo free tickets means I would be amazed if the show goes ahead again for finacial reasons alone!

You forget when Ancasta goes to Excel it has to accomodate 40 odd staff in hotels feed them for a week get them up there and write huge cheques for each stand for each brand.


Excel won't have the atmosphere because of the style building however it has got lots of space, on water and off water. Ther are bringing back the cat walk and centre display like the old Earls Court and so should be better this January.

for me my favourite show will always be Southampton.
 
Earls Court was never intended for the large boat market, lets be real here The majority of normal respectable families who enjoy some form of water activity simply do not have the budget to purchase large craft nor enjoy prehaps the stiffness of you cannot come on my boat attitude which is a common problem.
This is what EC is all about the normal family who want to enjoy themselves have a day out & buy something ready for the new season. This is a show for real people & I think it will grow, hence the 5 year deal. I really hope it does .
 
Both SIBS and LIBS are at daft times of the year. Why not have a boat show before Christmas when folk and especially their partners want to travel especially to a city, and have a spring boat show end of April or Beginning of May, instead of at the end of the season. Folk are enthusiastic and much more in a 'spending' mode at the beginning of the season then at the decaying end of one. So
<ul type="square">[*]Christmas Show: City Based + Get shopping thrown in + Prezzie spending mode
[*]Spring Show: Apr/May on the water Start of Season + Bigger Spend + Order Books
[/list]
Jan and Sept are imho bonkers. Agree two shows a year is enough, but a Jan show is unappetising to say the very least. Sept is fine but May would yield greater attendance, sales, orders and turnover.
 
March april would be good many small companies have new stock delivered by then They would have time to prehaps sell the items at a show exhibiting fresh stock & be more tempted to exhibit.
 
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You are looking at basic costs of 10k This is especially hard for any new company BTW this is BEFORE you place any stock on stands the costs are approx and taking into consideration wanting to exhibit as a "new" exhibitor . I really hope EC does well but in general exhibition costs have to come down considerably to encourage new companies etc to visit & take the real risk of foot failure !

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Back in the 1980's Cornwall CC used rent a stand at Southampton, this was then divided up between around 10 local companies. The council provided a basic stand, the one they had for other shows, and you provided you own bit of stand and stock.
EC in the old days would not allow CCC to do the same, i.e. not allow sub letting, but is not this the way forward for EC?
They would have a big mix of marine firms, new companies, new products, new faces, new ideas something for the public to look around. Plus expanding the grass roots, developing new firms, thus keeping the UK marine trade alive

Brian
 
/forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gifWell Southampton does it for me, nice venue, nice time of year, easy access with park and ride and all the exhibitors, /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gifpersonally they would have to pay me to go to the London shows
 
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/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gifpersonally they would have to pay me to go to the London shows

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Well, with all the free tickets apparently going around, we're heading that way /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

Agree about SBS by the way...
 
Classic Boat have done this at the Edexcel show, sub-letting it to a number of traditional suppliers, and it worked very well.
As for the atmosphere of the old EC show, I'm not sure I want to go back to that - shoulder to shoulder just to get up the escalator and shuffling around the top floor at snails pace in a giant human traffic jam used to drive me round the bend.
Spring time is no good - it's bound to clash with Bealieau. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
Just been reflecting on the old EC show vs. SBS. I used to go to the Southampton show to look at boats and gear, and London was where I spent most of my time chatting to the sailing schools & charter companies, buying charts and books and planning the next great adventure! We used to have talks and lectures, it had a very homely feel and I quite often met up with old sailing buddies. That's probably what was really lost with the move to Excel (oh, along with masts and water..). Now if EC can re-position itself to focus more on boating lifestyle and aspirations, maybe we have a chance of this working, and complimenting the big-white-hull events, rather than competing??
 
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Why do boat shows charge retailers for floor space.. ????

Do they not make enough on the entry price ????

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I'd put it the other way round. I dont pay to go into Tesco or M&S so why should I pay to go into a boat show. They're only there to flog me things.

To my mind there is no real need for more than one show, and that would have to be SBS. EC is a dump and a pain to get to and park near. The NEC would be a much better location for all bar Londoners
 
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