I went to LIBS and survived, but...

I went on Saturday. Not packed but not empty. I had a list of things to buy and went armed with internet prices. Got most things at a price comparable to the Net and without carriage

It was certainly worth being able to look at all the different Imray Adriatic charts before buying. I realised that I did not need them all

Highlight was being able to talk to a man on the Raymarine stand who told me that they can repair my handset after all. That has saved me hundreds as I had resigned myself to a new radio and 2nd handset

Had a sociable time meeting some people too

Having said all of the above, I live in north London so it is not a great commitment to attend. If I lived further away, I would wait to go to Southampton

TudorSailor
 
I really wish it was better, but it is doomed if the costs to exhibitors are putting them off. I never get to SIBS because it is in September, when I am sailing in Turkey. I just wish SIBS would move to August.
 
uxb said:
Last year I went to the Southampton show and had a really good day out and plan to return this year - despite it being a bit more of a pain to get to for me. Hopefull LIBS will die off and Southampton will take up the slack to become what Earls Court used to be.
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Perceptions are funny things arent they. IMO southampton has always been a far better and bigger show than Earls Court - I would never put the two in the same sentence. But in the days when I used to go to London, I always preferred the open spaces of ExCel over the cramped ant heap of Earls Court. ExCel is even easier to get to on the DLR.

But I dont see the viability of two boat shows in the UK given that we dont have a significant UK boatbuilding industry
 
If the show is reducing in size substantially, maybe it will fit in Earls Court 2 next year? That might satisfy a few preferences. Modern venue in central London.
 
For powerboats, where we do still have serious world class manufacturers, there is logic to retaining two shows.
Clearly the sailboat side of LIBS is declining to the point of few returns for most sailboat manufacturers. Talking about getting back to Earls Court is just sentimental tosh and a waste of breath. Definitely Southampton is the better place and time to be marketing new sailboats.
However January is a quiet and drear month for many of us and it would be a shame to lose the "excitement" of a show at this time. It was suggested last year that LIBS could be re-oriented to focus
1.) on selling systems (navigation, electrics, heating etc etc) including training in how to use them; and
2.) on firing up the social side of yachting by getting clubs represented in big numbers, by having more teach-ins, by making better space for parties etc.

Get the punters up there for social reasons, and they may eventually start to take an interest in looking at new boats again.
 
Good but...

I went to the LIBS this saturday. I had a great day but disappointed not to see more sailing boats. I enjoyed the Sunseeker stand but why so many non-boat stands: cars, spa, and so on.

I bought a brand new lifejacket and few bits and bobs. Not sure I will go back next year. I will however try the SIBS.
 
Thank goodness for the other events which start on Thursday -- the bike and outdoor shows. Makes it much more interesting than the boat show only.

I've just spoken to a colleague today (Monday) who went over this weekend. It sounds awful.

Little wonder they were flogging tickets with deep discounts before the show -- before anyone found out that it's rubbish.
 
For those that loved Earls Court I think you are confusing two things. The boatbuilding industry is in serious decline and fiscal constraints and the change to Excel by coincidence occurred at the start of this decline.

I suspect that only SIBS will survive which is sad but reality as manufacturers and suppliers must reduce costs.

"We are all in this together!" Call me Dave
 
I have been to every LIBS since 2006, but this was my first as a boat owner with a shopping list and internet prices. No good deals at all, ended buying an item that wasn't in the research internet list under the banner "special boat show offer" just to later check it was the standard price.

On the other hand It was great to see Ming Ming in person and get to talk to Roger Taylor.

Because I live in docklands I have nothing to lose, however, I would not travel to see it.
 
We enjoyed it and it met our requirements - but we were going for one specific reason and all the relevant suppliers were there to answer our questions. We spent about four hours there, visited five stands, had a decent lunch in the RYA lounge and came away happy. I had been thinking of buying some new sea boots, but the prices on offer were nothig special and the crowds around the chandlery stands were so big that it would have been pretty painful to try them on, so I gave up.

It is certainly smaller this year but there was a vast number of motor boats. Lots of people on Saturday, but I'm sure that the majority were just there for a day out and had no intention of buying anything much. This impression was reinforced by the fact that by far the biggest queues were at Sunseeker to view motor boats with a base price of £2,000,000 or more - unless the recession has suddenly finished and we have not noticed, I seriously doubt that any of the dozens of people queuing were in a position to buy.
 
>I suspect there will be a press release reporting "record numbers" quite soon

They started scanning exhibitors' passes some years ago, when the decline began, but claim they dont add them the to the visitor figures. I don't believe them because even when they recognise you after a few days they stilll scan your pass and also do it if you go out and come back in and said hello to each other.
 
IMHO, LIBS doesn't offer the content to justify the cost. Southampton and Dusseldorf both deliver in spades.

I've been a regular at LIBS at Excel as work usually has me in London at the right time and generally have enjoyed it, but you'd have to be blind to claim that it's not i) much quieter, ii) significantly lacking in content for sailors (plenty for Mobos though), and iii) has a much more lifestyle range of exhibitors that before.
 
robp said:
September, for a trade show. 17,000 sq metre, column free, opened in 1991. Seems modern to me.
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I know when it was built I exhibited at every boat show (and others) since it started. Its dusty, the air con has long since expired and it has a big ugly wart stuck to the side called EC1.

The sooner its dust the better, it cannot cater for the needs of a London Boat Show.

A trade show full of shell schemes yes a boats how no.

LIBS may not be what it once was this year but its holding its own and folk are selling.

Lets stick tot he facts (not aimed at you)

There are not too many hot tubs, there are not too many wine stalls and there are a few cars the compliment the large power.

Yes Paris and Dusseldorf have more sail but we aint in Paris or Dusseldorf...
 
RIP LBS

It is quite clear to all that LIBS is dying. We went yesterday and in many areas bored salesmen outnumbered visitors. Teak furniture makers outnumbered teak deck suppliers. Wine stands, car stands and massage stands stood where, in the past, were marina exhibitors.

We won't go again. However, why do the magazines continue to 'talk up' the show? Which brave editor is going to grasp the nettle and report what we all know to be true, that LIBS is doomed and in its death throes while the Southampton Show is the future of marine exhibitions in the UK.

RIP LBS.
 
This just in...


BOAT SHOW: The first day of the Tullett Prebon London Boat Show on Saturday 12 January was very encouraging, writes Peter Nash. The show ExCeL’s South Hall was much more compact and seemed pretty crowded.
The exhibitors I spoke to all seemed happy with the way things were going and seemed to be doing business. And the Media Centre was busy, with over 150 journalists coming in to cover the opening day of the show.
However, most of them were consumer press journalists from OK!, the Daily Telegraph, Getty Images, the Press Association and China View CN. I counted some 10 or 12 leisure marine industry journalists.
Then again, the only press event on the Saturday was Sunseeker launching two new boats with the help of Alfie Boe, Suzi Perry and Chris Evans, who brought his young son Noah along and interviewed him live on the stand.
The show kicked off with a rendition of “A Life on the Ocean Waves”, played by Her Majesty’s Royal Marine marching band. Sir Ben Ainslie was in the show and drawing huge crowds on the Scorpion RIBs and Henri Lloyd stands.
Saturday’s attendance was 11,309 compared to 11,617 this time last year.
On Sunday over 55 press journalists came to the show and brought coverage in The Times, Telegraph, Independent, Time Out, Eastern Daily Press and East End Life.
Michael Fallon MP, Minister for Business and Enterprise toured the show and announced a new collaboration between the government and the marine industry. David Dimbleby, a live link up with Vendee Globe sailors, global, UK and European launches and a new business partnership for Southampton title sponsor PSP were all hosted on Monday’s press day.
The Sunday attendance was 9685 (-2%) compared to this time last year and cumulatively the show is running at 20,994 (-3%).
 
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