Why is everyone running down the boat show?

[AlexL]

There are currently at least five live threads on scuttlebut and PBO bitching about various aspects of the boat show including food (I've been to many town high streets with MUCH less food choice), Parking (its soooooo hard to walk the 50 yards from the car park to the entrance, or get on the bus at the park and ride), location - on the DLR - one of the best public transport systems in the country, on a Major road and 15 minutes from the centre of London.
Did I miss anything? what the hell does everybody want? to be lead around by the nose? perhaps excel should employ personal valets to park our cars and then take us round to the particular stand, or exhibit of our choice? But then that would make it a tad difficult to make it a free show - which is also a point of whinging on a couple of threads.
Excel has some of the best transport links in the country, not least beceause the olympics are planned to go about 10 minutes up the road. Maybe we don't deserve to have decent events in this country - perhaps it would be better if the boat show, Olympics, Grand prix etc were all cancelled, at least THAT would satisfy the British national hobby of moaning about everything.

PS. I am well aware of the Irony of my moaning about other peoples moaning /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[muminator]

Absolutely agree with you, Alex - I love the Boat show!

Sue

 

[theguvnor]

I think thats what they call opinions. Moaning about other peoples opinions is more "grumpy old men" than moaning about the show

 

[AlexL]

yeah, fair enough, but there are also some with opinions that the show is very good. Also alot of people put in a lot of effort to do put these shows on and I think it is a tad unfair to keep running it down.
I guess I was making the point that very few of the whinges I've seen actually propose any solution - "I didn't enjoy the show" is an opinion, "I would prefer some healthier food" is constructive criticism. " The transport is crap" is a whinge - well what do you propose as a solution?
The organisers may well listen to constructive criticism which proposes solutions, like "The car parking signs could be better and more widespread", but most people just tune out to plain old moaning.

Anyway I'll have you know that I am a 'Grumpy young man', I'm barely into my 30's (Ok i'm in my mid 30's!). Grumpy old man indeed /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[Peppermint]

Re: Cobblers

This would be a very dull place if we all agreed. So whats wrong with posting an opposing view?

If this years LIBS is as good as last years "we've never had it so good" as someone once said.

 

[StugeronSteve]

Coz their AWBs won't go to windward.

 

[CharlesM]

maybe thats why antipodeans call the english whinging poms...

 

[Jean]

Unable to fault the show, or the food. However, pity that there were less opportunities for cheaper tickets this year. Last year, for example, I managed to get some tickets at around £7 each, so attended the show a few times (4 days as I recall), and spent a lot more. This year, with ticket prices higher, plus the handling charge for advanced tickets, I settled for 1 visit. Had a very good day there though.

 

[pragmatist]

So is it worth going if you're not in the south east ? After several years of the over-crowding at Earl's Court we vowed never again. Is LIBS a) fun b)makes you a saving ?

 

[Bejasus]

Got my 2 free tickets, courtesy of Schroeders competion and shall be 'running down' there on Saturday. ;o)

 

[Graham_Wright]

Perhaps we ought to initiate a poll?!

Not me;- I'm not intelligent enough to do things like that.

I DID like the food and the staff at the pizza place were very very friendly.

 

[roberth]

So just how many are running it down? Look at the threads again and I am sure you will see there are more people in favour of it than against it.

Robert

 

[whisper]

"Excel has the best transport links in the country"
Where to ?? Certainly not to Paddington, Euston, St. Pancras and Kings Cross it hasn't, even though these are THE main line stations in London.
Similarly, what's so good about the DLR ? From Bank, one of it's two termini in London and the one relatively easily reached from the above stations, you can't get to Excel without changing.
If that's the best we can do then god help us.
There's no doubt at all that from the main London stations Earl's Court was easier to get to.
Agree however that, once you get there, facilities at Excel are a vast improvement.

 

[fireball]

For us - traveling up from the south coast, the there were 2 changes - same as EC. But then, we drive to the outskirts of London and get the train from there. We do this because we can park for free and don't want the hasstle of parking at Excel - although it sounds like it was a doddle !!
The train and tube weren't crowded and neither was the DLR. What did amaze me was that we didn't have to show our rail ticket once during the whole day!!

As for the boatshow itself, the food is ok (Bacon Bagels .. hmmm!) but is priced more than your local shops - but then we expect that.
IMO there are far too many powerboats and far too few sail boats, but then we didn't look at any big boats this year - we were checking out the RIBS and the inflatables ...

 

[beancounter]

This year was our first visit to Excel. Living to the North East of London, we're obviously in an advantageous position - home to Excel park & ride 55 mins down the M11 & North Circ.

The Park & ride could have been signed a little better, but when we used it (in at 10.15 saturday, out around 3.45) it was fine.

I like the layout at Excel - easier to navigate than Earls Court, but missing some of the homely muddle of EC. We had no trouble in finding what we wanted, and met no snotty salespeeps on the boats we viewed (apparently we must have struck lucky).

I've no complaints about the food I had (a perfectly serviceable baguette, at what I would consider a normal London price), but my wife & daughter were somewhat underwhelmed by their pizza (I can't comment on that, as I was in the Guinness bar at the time /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif, having a sociable pint with john_morris).

All in all, we enjoyed our first experience of Excel

 

[Mike21]

Probably for the same reason, people slag of Volvo's new IPS system and AWB's.

It's traditionally been done that way or held there or.................whatever /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[bob_tyler]

The show is very different from the old Earls Court.

The layout is easier and more logical to follow though the organisers should heavily penalise stands which do not show their numbers prominently.

Because there is no central entertainment area (I don't count the East Hall as such as it is noisy and boring) I query whether Boat Show is now the right description.

Boat Exhibition or Marine Exhibition or even Maritime Exhibition might be more appropriate. It is not a "Show" any more. It is a market place and, as such, is probably more popular than Earls Court among exhibitors (who pay a bomb to be there) than visitors. Attendance certainly is well down this year unless there is a rush at the end.

 

[ShipsWoofy]

I did not go this year because I am fed up of driving to London and back from the North West to be fed rubbish and treated like crap by snotty kids on yachts they could not even dream of owning.

The round trip would tot up to near £140 before even spending inside the hall. Would rather buy online which is often cheaper. Had to exchange a book at Mailspeed today (duplicate Xmas gift). Got to play with electronics in peace and quiet.

Why are the two boat shows in the South East. If you can trailer big boats to Earls Court you can take them to the NEC, you know, the National exhibition centre!

 

[Cantata]

I agree absolutely. I actually went twice (I did have one free ticket). As for the food, well, I take my own sandwiches and eat them in the peaceful sanctity of the RYA lounge (having left them there with my coat on arrival). I had 2 great days out and still didn't see it all.

 

[bob_tyler]

For many years there was a Birmingham Boat Show, firstly in a Hall near central Brum then at the NEC but it never caught on, attendance was poor and is now a Caravan show with a few boats tagged on. Pretty useless.

How would the RN and the Tall Ship have got there and I don't think that the lake is deep enough for anything other than a speedboat.

Both Britain's major boat exhibitions are now on the water's edge, where they should be. I much preferred Earls Court for atmosphere but admit that Excel is a better market place.