Boat Show

[SteveO 1,509]

My dad was a thwarted boater (mainly due to my mother, who disliked the frivolous outlay of hard-earned cash on pleasure. When I was in my very early teens, come early January he used to load me into his mini-van early doors and set off for London, sometimes with a cousin and/or uncle in tow.  These were the days before the M1 was fully joined up and the journey from Halifax took  6 hours+ depending how often you got lost. He would park near Brent Cross and we would 

[JanetAnne 4,154]

The problem with Excel is it moved the exhibitors from Earls Court but left the soul of the show behind. 

 

[PaulN 73]

The trouble is that if you look at Rightmove, a new 4 bed flat in the area where Earls Court Exhibition Center was, is £7m to £8m, that's why it was demolished

[TheQ 2,301]

Many shows moved out of London, both Earl Court and Olympia was / is a pain for the exhibitors to transport show items too..

The NEC is  more central for most of the country, though worse for those of us in this side of East Anglia for time to get there.

The problem these days, is there are few suitable places for exhibitions, there is no exhibition centre in Norwich and if you built one the charges would also be huge. 

Even For a small show Like Broadland model railway club's show, we've looked around and there are very few suitable places , that don't charge a fortune..

[JennyMorgan 19,655]

The NEC is central, but in practical terms a million miles from the coastal yachting centres  so I don't see that as being a viable alternative to Excel. A great shame that the Olympic Stadium at Stratford was not built with a view to also being used as an occasional exhibition centre. 

 

[Boaters 306]

Did not realise Earles Court was gone,had an atmosphere of its own and was a good day out.

[marshman 3,033]

I think Southampton long took away Londons crown - at least there were always plenty of boats to see and go on board, unlike London.

[Turnoar 227]

On 28/12/2020 at 22:31, Andrewcook said:

Hi to Forum Boating enthusiast as there always been a Boat Show in London every Year in January that has now been sunct by this awful Virus . I like going to the show  seeing different Boats including Sailing and dinghies plus Jet Boats also New Engines that I like seeing and having Shows where different  Pool side Village been created around it. So when is the Boat Show for us all to meet again  as Vera Lynne says ?

Dinghy Show is still on, not in London and you can’t meet up but free virtual event so they’ve got things covired.

[TheQ 2,301]

https://www.rya.org.uk/dinghy-show/Pages/home.aspx