Boathook
Well-known member
They were giving including the swivel (approx £200) with the anchor at the show. The model (anchor!) did work well in the sand pit though.
London boat show
- Thread starter st599
- Start date
They were giving including the swivel (approx £200) with the anchor at the show. The model (anchor!) did work well in the sand pit though.
gerry99
New member
Went there yesterday and arrived just after opening time. It was very quiet, which was good for me as I was able to talk to some of the stand holders to gain the information I required. Many of the vendors who used to be regular exhibitors were absent, even in the charter and holiday section. I noted, as I walked the aisles, the number of stands where the staff were sat down doing stuff on their tablets and laptops not making any effort to engage with the passing 'punters'. Whether they were just crap at sales or disinterested was difficult to determine.
It got a bit busier around lunchtime but you could still walk around very easily, gone are the days of having to push your way through crowded aisles. At 12:20 the RYA members' lounge had less than 15 people eating meals, the majority of the tables were empty and by 13:00 it was not much busier. Arrived at the Guinness Bar just after 13:00. You could get served without queuing and there was table/shelf space almost everywhere to stand and put down your plastic pint glass. None of this was the case a few years ago when you had to hunt for spare seats in the RYA members' lounge and queuing for 5 minutes or more to be served at the Guinness Bar was the norm.
It was more power focused than sail, supplemented with the usual stands selling cars, wealth management, kitchen utensils, hot tubs and similar non boaty stuff.
If I had not used a discounted train ticket and my free RYA entrance ticket I would have been very disappointed, it would not have been value for money. It seems to be getting smaller and less relevant but on the bright side I am sure the yachting press will tell us all, as they do every year, that it was a great success, which maybe for some it will be.
Running such events is always a challenge and it is difficult to please everyone, but I believe it needs a radical re-think as to its purpose and focus. I won't bother going to LIBS again in its current format, even with a free entrance ticket, I will focus on the Southampton Boat Show. It would be nice to think LIBS will continue because having a good vibrant yachting/boating show (like boot Dusseldorf) in the grey days of January would be something good to look forward to.
It got a bit busier around lunchtime but you could still walk around very easily, gone are the days of having to push your way through crowded aisles. At 12:20 the RYA members' lounge had less than 15 people eating meals, the majority of the tables were empty and by 13:00 it was not much busier. Arrived at the Guinness Bar just after 13:00. You could get served without queuing and there was table/shelf space almost everywhere to stand and put down your plastic pint glass. None of this was the case a few years ago when you had to hunt for spare seats in the RYA members' lounge and queuing for 5 minutes or more to be served at the Guinness Bar was the norm.
It was more power focused than sail, supplemented with the usual stands selling cars, wealth management, kitchen utensils, hot tubs and similar non boaty stuff.
If I had not used a discounted train ticket and my free RYA entrance ticket I would have been very disappointed, it would not have been value for money. It seems to be getting smaller and less relevant but on the bright side I am sure the yachting press will tell us all, as they do every year, that it was a great success, which maybe for some it will be.
Running such events is always a challenge and it is difficult to please everyone, but I believe it needs a radical re-think as to its purpose and focus. I won't bother going to LIBS again in its current format, even with a free entrance ticket, I will focus on the Southampton Boat Show. It would be nice to think LIBS will continue because having a good vibrant yachting/boating show (like boot Dusseldorf) in the grey days of January would be something good to look forward to.
ashtead
Well-known member
Having been on Thursday with free ticket found it very quiet although it did liven up slightly round 6pm. Did learn some useful info on Crusader sails stand and from solar panel stand which might have been harder at SBS due to greater numbers. I think the days of this show are numbered if a few large exhibitors decided not to go not much would remainas the pricing seems to deter many smaller stands and there is no real atmosphere most of time . It's rather sad but will it keep going at current venue for much longer . Maybe the show could combine with another show ?
