Get to the Show the easy way!

The last two visits I made to LIBS I took the train to Waterloo, then Thames Clippers to Canary Wharf where they had laid on a coach to Excel.

More expensive than Tube & DLR, but far more civilised and infinitely better scenery!
 
Trouble is Mike EC was simply not a viable venue any more, boats too big, not enough room, ageing venue etc which is one of the reasons its for the chop....ok the land its on then.....
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I don't disagree with that. IMHO, the UK's national boat show should have been moved to a location accessible to most of the nation and IMHO that means the NEC and yes that would probably have meant amalgamation with the Boat and Caravan show. Yes I know the NEC brings its own problems in terms of max boat size

I did the first "return" boat show to EC a few years back and I can honestly say hand on heart the only people there were the Blue Blazer Brigade who had long since sold their boat and could barley walk ten paces....
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Agreed that was an unmitigated disaster. Wrong show, wrong time


As for Düsseldorf, i work very closely with the organisers there and I can tell you they are (sorry) in the same boat, its bigger but not all boating related (marine yes) and you will only find a selection of craft from the UK boys there not the full range.

As for Sail, yes it wins hands down I am afraid BUT there are still an awful lot of European yards NOT attending Düsseldorf this year.
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I'm sure all boat shows are suffering due to the economic downturn but if you've been to Dusseldorf, you know that the size of the show and variety of exhibitors there puts LIBS to shame. Yes the Big 4 support LIBS well but thats about it. There are precious few other mobo exhibitors apart from them and as an exhibition visitor, I want to see as large a variety of boats in one place as possible and LIBS doesn't deliver on that
 
I honestly think they are trying, so either there just isn't one (which may actually occur, and I for one will miss it), or a different location is sort that will be more popular than Excel.... crickey, I wouldn't want the job of choosing where that might be!!:confused:

where are the alternatives..?

NEC.... really?

there is a benefit of Excel as boats can actually get there under their own steam if necessary, plus they can moor up outside..

...howabout 2 south coast shows? one big one in Sept, and a small land based on in Jan?
 
Firefly625 said:
I honestly think they are trying, so either there just isn't one (which may actually occur, and I for one will miss it), or a different location is sort that will be more popular than Excel.... crickey, I wouldn't want the job of choosing where that might be!!:confused:

where are the alternatives..?

NEC.... really?

there is a benefit of Excel as boats can actually get there under their own steam if necessary, plus they can moor up outside..

...howabout 2 south coast shows? one big one in Sept, and a small land based on in Jan?
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Or one in Liverpool........
 
There seems to be an undercurrent of feeling that as boaters we should all try to support LIBS, to make it a success. I don't buy this at all. There's absolutely no need for two international boat shows in the UK, so it's a pure commercial decision for the organisers if they feel they can make money on it. I hope they do, but I don't feel the slightest obligation to support them.
 
Nick_H said:
There seems to be an undercurrent of feeling that as boaters we should all try to support LIBS, to make it a success. I don't buy this at all. There's absolutely no need for two international boat shows in the UK, so it's a pure commercial decision for the organisers if they feel they can make money on it. I hope they do, but I don't feel the slightest obligation to support them.
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I don't feel I need to support it... I just like going. In fact after I suggested about 2 south coast shows instead of LIBS, in reality I like the fact they are both quite different....

as the saying goes, I like SIBS, but then I also like LIBS... but which one is better... there's only one way to find out!

Fight!


oh dear... an embarrassing 2k post:o
 
Nobody has any obligation to support any commercial venture....and
many do not.
To save a few pennies they buy their items from mail order mega chandleries and moan when they cannot get a nut and bolt at the weekend because the little chandlery on the yard cannot compete and has folded. They buy foreign boats and cars because they perceive them to be better value...I too am guilty on the car front....but I stick with British boats. Oscar Wilde a hundred years before had it about right when he said "They know the price of everything and the value of nothing."
Two Southampton boat shows....get real....one when the sun is still shining in September is OK but a two hundred and fifty mile each way journey to the bottom of England in the dark days of January cannot be contemplated.
Much the same applies to Liverpool.and the NEC.
There is never a problem persuading Madame to go to London whether or not she comes to the show...theatre, ballet, shops, sights, restuarants and easy transport links...a great place but while the other venues may have good points the overall package is not comparable.
They moan about LIBS and they will moan even more when it is gone.
 
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