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2019 London Boatshow "on Hold".

NeilB

By NeilB
in The Broadscot Lounge

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LondonRascal

LondonRascal

Posted
Posted

Well, that is a shame but in January I arrived full of expectation, a lot of questions and seeking advice and help and was prepared to spend but sand after stand I was left wanting. There was as usual a real lack lustre feel to the entire event with it seemed exhibitors feeling they simply should attend as their closest competitor was and they ad to keep face.

I have never been to the Southampton show but am told again and again how much better it is, and hope to go in 2019 and experience it myself. The London show could have been so much better so much more both in terms of the layout and style and what was actually going on they tried to fix things far too late I think.

 

Turnoar

Turnoar

Posted
Posted

The days of arr yer gorn to the boot shew borr seem to have slipped into the back waters as there are simply so many shows these days as Wallace said about bank holidays it’s a job to decide. London, Southampton, Horning, Brundall... Düsseldorf? And that’s before you digress to model boat shows, regional shows (which county shall we go to this year?). With competing interests the days of yacht club waiting lists seem distant, it can be a job to beg members to maintain the status quo in terms of duties and diy maintenance against the backdrop of falling income. The exhibitionists are voting with the weigh of their anchors!

 

 

  • Like 2
NeilB

NeilB

Posted
  • Author
Posted
7 minutes ago, JawsOrca said:

Good news for us! I just booked our stand at southampton for september :) 

I hope you have sorted a hotel as they get booked real fast and prices get very silly.  

JawsOrca

JawsOrca

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, NeilB said:

I hope you have sorted a hotel as they get booked real fast and prices get very silly.  

Yup.. 1st class all the way.. .at the nearby shady acres caravan site.. huff..

  • Like 1
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JawsOrca

JawsOrca

Posted
Posted
18 minutes ago, Bound2Please said:

 Jaws just hides lol)

Charlie

I don't I stand up to her... She's lovely, apart from when she cuddles me with after she's painted and I'm in my work stuff... grr She did miss a bit though.

  • Haha 1
Chelsea14Ian

Chelsea14Ian

Posted
Posted

Have been going since 2009,Very much up and down.Overall was disappointed this year.Each year we tend to spend a fair bit.This year we were after a table for the boat.The company that we had seen and liked in other years was not there.This year we did not spend much.I think five days is to little also need to get the balance right.Just because it's London we all don't have 5 mill to spend.More starter boats,encourage more hire companies. Rics  boats are always there and the guys and girls are great still need more there.London need a boat show.Its does need smart thinking

Lulu

Lulu

Posted
Posted

It was our first time attending this year so it was fantastic having the opportunity to nose around boats we would never normally see, but having now seen them I wouldnt bother again. Once you have seen one lottery boat, you have seen them all really.  We were expecting more for more reasonable budgets and about the Broads and canals, not just sea going stuff. 

The interesting ones were the canal boats, Viking and Richardsons.

I only spent money on a flapjack from the yummy flapjack stall. 

  • Like 1
TheQ

TheQ

Posted
Posted

I must admit I've not been since the days of Earls court, even then I found it too much upmarket for me.. I used to like the Ipswich show, sadly no longer with us. Southhampton is just too far for me it would require an overnight stop, and i just can't justify that.

johnb

johnb

Posted
Posted

Living reasonably close, visiting the boat show became a bit of a habit, but most years I have felt that I should be spending the time visiting our own boat and getting some work done. Next year I may be able to achieve that instead! Working instead of dreaming. I have to say that I have no interest in the luxury boats displayed and when speaking to the pretty young ladies, it seemed that neither did they! The interest level for me has diminished with the lack of chandlers etc. 

MauriceMynah

MauriceMynah

Posted
Posted

I only went to it a couple of times after it left Earl's Court, and thought the move was the beginning of the end.

Lousy Guinness stand, little or no food, too few bars and still nowhere to sit down if needed. On the boating front, there seemed to be far fewer chandleries and ancillary stalls. All in all a complete failure in my book. Not a patch on Earl's Court.

  • Like 7
ChrisB

ChrisB

Posted
Posted

As I have given up boat ownership and will not be attending Southampton again I am prepared to share my Southampton Boat Show Secret Formula that I have used more times than I care to remember and makes for a relaxed experience.

1 .Book accommodation at The Master Builder, Bucklers Hard (excellent cuisine in wonderful surroundings) 

2. Drive car to Hythe and park in large car park near Waitrose. Always half empty and Cheap.

3. Walk through town to pier. Buy Boat Show tickets and ferry return ticket at entrance to pier. Walk or catch little train to ferry.

4. Enjoy trip up Southampton water and see big boats.

5. Get off ferry and cross road to show. If the nearest entrance is exibitors only (often is) walk up to security with your ticket in you hand and ask where the public entrance is. 9 out of 10 he will wave you through.

6. When you have had enough retrace steps back to Master Builder. If weather good have a pre-dinner drink outside overlooking the moorings on the beautiful Beaulieu River.

Totally stress free boat show.

 

 

  • Like 5
NeilB

NeilB

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Very good Chris, for number 5 when you walk up to security make sure you have a pronounced limp as it helps !

As an exhibiter here’s my version.

1.  A nice lady at work books the appropriate nights at the Grand Harbour Hotel.  Nice hotel but has pictures of some grumpy chef all over the place putting you off your food !

2.  Drive car to concierge who takes keys and probably dumps car in a back street as their car park is now part of the show.

3.  Blag another staff members room number so you can wrangle a breakfast.

4.  Walk over road to stand and discover no one has emptied bins, cleaned glass, dusted, topped up brochures etc.

5.  Stand on aching feet all day awaiting someone to dump a bag of oily 40 year old engine parts on a nice clean white counter

6.  When show quietens head over to the “secret” Guinness bar with the real stuff from Ireland.

7.  On way back to hotel pop into the Dancing Man brewery for a quick one ! 

8.  By 9pm realise we’re still in the Dancing Man but hungry so try and find somewhere who can feed us.

9.  No idea what happened next - honest!!

10.  Wake up next morning and say “ I’m never doing that again”.  Repeat for however many days you are there for.

11.  Last morning at checkout enquire why you have 14 breakfasts on the room number when you only stayed 4 nights and where is my car?

12.  Last half hour of last day wander round seeing how many freebies or deals you can get.

13.  Spend 5 hours sat on the M3 / A34 at 15mph.

14.  Receive abuse from wife as I’ve been enjoying myself and getting a suntan etc, etc

  • Like 1
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Turnoar

Turnoar

Posted
Posted

Thanks for the warm welcome Charlie, good to be on board! As a mod and from Clacton I half expected your avatar to be a jet ski with a lambretta 2stroke under the hatch but the ac cruiser looks far more inviting for a bank holiday rally, happy cruising.

  • Like 2
Chelsea14Ian

Chelsea14Ian

Posted
Posted
17 hours ago, NeilB said:

Very good Chris, for number 5 when you walk up to security make sure you have a pronounced limp as it helps !

As an exhibiter here’s my version.

1.  A nice lady at work books the appropriate nights at the Grand Harbour Hotel.  Nice hotel but has pictures of some grumpy chef all over the place putting you off your food !

2.  Drive car to concierge who takes keys and probably dumps car in a back street as their car park is now part of the show.

3.  Blag another staff members room number so you can wrangle a breakfast.

4.  Walk over road to stand and discover no one has emptied bins, cleaned glass, dusted, topped up brochures etc.

5.  Stand on aching feet all day awaiting someone to dump a bag of oily 40 year old engine parts on a nice clean white counter

6.  When show quietens head over to the “secret” Guinness bar with the real stuff from Ireland.

7.  On way back to hotel pop into the Dancing Man brewery for a quick one ! 

8.  By 9pm realise we’re still in the Dancing Man but hungry so try and find somewhere who can feed us.

9.  No idea what happened next - honest!!

10.  Wake up next morning and say “ I’m never doing that again”.  Repeat for however many days you are there for.

11.  Last morning at checkout enquire why you have 14 breakfasts on the room number when you only stayed 4 nights and where is my car?

12.  Last half hour of last day wander round seeing how many freebies or deals you can get.

13.  Spend 5 hours sat on the M3 / A34 at 15mph.

14.  Receive abuse from wife as I’ve been enjoying myself and getting a suntan etc, etc

I take issue with number one I am a happy chef,most of the time.Unless customers disagree with me:default_biggrin::default_icon_evil:

  • Like 1
JawsOrca

JawsOrca

Posted
Posted
10 hours ago, Chelsea14Ian said:

I take issue with number one I am a happy chef,most of the time.Unless customers disagree with me:default_biggrin::default_icon_evil:

You are not a happy chef, whenever I watch Gorden Ramsey I fully see you there :P I know ma will agree too! 

  • Haha 2

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