IWA show at Shobnall

[Martyn Hicks]

As a trader attending the show this last week end, looking at a sales point of view with results on jobs booked in to do, compairing with previous shows @ Beale Park, Redhill and Pendford this ranks as the worst show by a long way, even sales taken on a daily basis at the show were down also....

 

Talking amongst the other traders, some found it a good show, but the majority found very little to cheer about and like myself seriously comtemplating not attending future shows...

 

Friday opening time 12 till 7 what a complete waste of time that was.....

 

Bank holiday was the time to have it and sorry to say me thinks IWA dropped one hell of a clanger.. I heard the reasons for moving the show, feeble excuses to be honest, some traders have other shows to move on to well you can't be in two places at the same time anyway....school holidays another are the kids off now anyway??...people doing other things??..well people must have been doing lots of other things on friday as the place was deserted...aparting from working who is entering at show at 12 miday and staying till 7 its not like its an Alton Towers type of place is it now... oppppps that must of taken some working out.. If someone from IWA can come up with the attendence figures for the FRIDAY ,SATURDAY and SUNDAY not as over the three days but separate days comparing that to previous shows???????

 

Martyn......

[Speedwheel]

Have to agree. Trade was not good over the whole weekend and Friday was a complete waste of time.

 

The thing that annoys me most though, is that as far as I can see, the festival has very little to do with boats (or canals) anymore.

Edited August 1, 2011 by Speedwheel

[Sunset Rising]

I was there on Sunday. Seemed a fair number of visitors to me but it was very noticeable that there were no queues at the food stalls this year. Even the ice cream van had no one waiting.

Edited August 1, 2011 by Sunset Rising

[dave moore]

Hi all

For the last 10 years or so I've run workshops at the National, usually one a day over 3 days, all with a trad painting theme. I was only offered one, on the Friday and declined because of other committments and the fact that delivering these workshops is the tip of the iceberg compared to all the preparation beforehand. It would seem I was wise to do so. A friend who was exhibiting said that Friday was a dead duck too, a pity for all the volunteers who put so much work in to make the festival happen. I share Speedwheel's concern that the whole thing is increasingly less about boats, more of a family entertainment thing, a far cry from the campaigning rallies that I recall in the 60s.

 

On a brighter note I was delighted that a Norton Canes shell with an Aquarius fit out won a "best something" in the show. Quality will out...but, as part of the Norton Canes team and regular painter for Aquarius, I would say that, wouldn't I?????

 

Cheers

 

Dave

Edited August 1, 2011 by dave moore

[RobinR]

As a trader attending the show this last week end, looking at a sales point of view with results on jobs booked in to do, compairing with previous shows @ Beale Park, Redhill and Pendford this ranks as the worst show by a long way, even sales taken on a daily basis at the show were down also....

 

Talking amongst the other traders, some found it a good show, but the majority found very little to cheer about and like myself seriously comtemplating not attending future shows...

 

Friday opening time 12 till 7 what a complete waste of time that was.....

 

Bank holiday was the time to have it and sorry to say me thinks IWA dropped one hell of a clanger.. I heard the reasons for moving the show, feeble excuses to be honest, some traders have other shows to move on to well you can't be in two places at the same time anyway....school holidays another are the kids off now anyway??...people doing other things??..well people must have been doing lots of other things on friday as the place was deserted...aparting from working who is entering at show at 12 miday and staying till 7 its not like its an Alton Towers type of place is it now... oppppps that must of taken some working out.. If someone from IWA can come up with the attendence figures for the FRIDAY ,SATURDAY and SUNDAY not as over the three days but separate days comparing that to previous shows???????

 

Martyn......

 

But this is a festival not primaraly a Crick style boating event. I go to Crick to browse equipment and buy goods and go to the National for an enjoyable family day out. To me they are different types of event.

[Tim]

As a boater there for the whole weekend I really enjoyed it, the people of Burton certainly know they've got a canal, there were loads of people out on Friday evening for the illuminated boats. I understand the traders POV, I like to look them over as I don't go to Crick, two traders have some good business out of me. But it is a festival and about waterway awareness, surely the serious trading is done at Crick.

[Midnight Rider]

Whilst I feel sorry for the traders who didn't do so well this year, I rather liked the new format.

 

We rolled up for opening on the Friday,no problem with traffic or parking & had a good look around with a lack of crowds & stallholders able to take time to talk.

 

And not being a Bank Holiday, the weather was good.

[RichardH]

Agree that from a trade perspective it was fairly grim.

 

Friday was indeed a complete waste of an afternoon.

 

I did enjoy the weekend however as the weather was awesome and it was a small break from pumping out toilets etc.

[sueb]

Don;t worry folks IWA aren't holding this event next year - so I have heard

Sue

[MikeV]

We were there supporting a Canal Trust and while the visitors to the stand and donations were down compared to previous national festivals, overall I enjoyed the event. It was very relaxed and I had lots of chats with people interested in canals, canal restoration and boating.

 

There were some great beers from the Titanic Brewery in the beer tent, and I particularly enjoyed the Burslem Porter which is brewed in support of the restoration of Burslem Port. There were also some lovely working boats and it was interesting to watch a motor and butty weaving their way through the narrow gap of water between the 350 or so boats moored around the showground. I do so want a boat with a Bolinder!

 

I can understand the traders dissappointment as, apart from food and drink, I did not buy any equipment for the boat. I have got a bottle of Stag's Breath to try; a honey and whisky liqueur I sampled from one vendor which I'm looking forward to drinking.

 

IWA have already announced there's no show next year. I was told the 2013 festival will be in Newbury but I've yet to see that announced officially. It will be interesting to see the post mortem on this one as to whether they repeat the format, or try something completely different.

[Gibbo]

The bosses were there. I just spoke to one of them. He said from a business point of view it was more or less a waste of time but they had a right laugh and enjoyed it.

[boots]

Sorry to hear that for businesses it does not seem to have been a success. This year we attended our first boat shows - firstly at Crick and the the IWA on Saturday - must admit, of the two we (especially our 10year old daughter) enjoyed the IWA event more, and were contemplating only attending the IWA event next year (until we discovered there won't be one). And as for buying stuff - yep we bought significantly more than we intended (yet nothing at Crick)....

 

All in all, we had a fantastic day out, though a shame that it was not a commercial success for exhibitors...

 

boots

[Woodstock]

Hi

As a visitor, I enjoyed the show, but do have friends who thought the entrance fee high. I also have to comment on the food stalls- £3.50 for a 99 cornet was extortionate with 3 children- I'm not surprised that the food outlets were struggling- we had a pork cob, not great and £5.50 each. Its a shame as first timers, we did enjoy it, but thought the show didnt justify the entrance fee

[the grinch]

i'm confused (not that is hard!) but if this was the "National" why has it moved from its traditional August bank holiday weekend? as a waterways person i would have expected it the end of the month, the lack of publicity for the change must surely have had an effect.

[Tony Brooks]

I think it was one of the quietest shows in years. Exactly why I do not know but I think a good deal is to do with the economy.

 

In my view IWA Festivals are in a bit of a cleft stick. If they want lots of boats to show the "locals" they have to provide attractions for those boaters. However at the same time a walk to the show from the mooring needs to be a sensible length. Knowing the canal at Burton there was no way I way was going to walk a mile or more to and from the show. How many other boaters thought the same. I would rather pay a similar price to a mooring plus admission for a local B&B because for trading boaters gaining admission to any of the evening entertainments is all but impossible once you have been back to the boat to freshen up and get an economic meal.

 

The boaters want "boaty" type stands but the locals probably want anything but the chandlers etc. and it is hard to see how the IWA can attract more "boaty" type stands when fewer boaters attend. Yes, there did seem to be plenty of people on the site - at least in the mornings and early afternoons but I feel few of them were boaters.

 

I do not think it is unreasonable for me to suggest that my efforts to provide "boaty" activities for boaters shows one way forward but I am sure more of that ilk an be done - however any additional costs to boaters needs looking at carefully as does forward planning and publicity. It is interesting to note that Steve Wegwood's talks on Wabastos(FREE as were mine) were very well attended each day. Perhaps more manufacturers/service agents could be persuaded to provide a greater variety of free training for the boaters.

[tony collins]

But this is a festival not primaraly a Crick style boating event. I go to Crick to browse equipment and buy goods and go to the National for an enjoyable family day out. To me they are different types of event.

 

To a trader who has the expense of getting there, setting up and retrieveing stuff for the journey back, the costs would be similar, (even if the ground rent isn't) So there is little point in going to a show if you know you are going to do so at a loss.

 

We used to got to the National every year taking a space in one of the marquees. It was fine until we went to Henley and there we showed a loss. To my mind, we have never regretted pulling out of the National after that. They have never seemed to be run with the same vigour since then. Of course we have gone as day visitors, and this has re-inforced the view of the events. The market has diminished and nature of visitor has changed.

 

Much the same happened to the Royal Agricultural Show, it was being overtaken by the "day out" fraternity, so they introduced the "Town & Country Festival" to draw the townsfolk away from the Royal, so that could concentrate on the business element. Both since have failed. The RAS being replaced by smaller more technical events, such as "Cereals" and "Dairy Event".

 

Perhaps a similiar strategy would be to the benefit of the boating sector. That said, there have been several attempts at running a "summer" boat show, (Nottingham, Birmingham et al) which have also failed. Crick seems to have got it about right and vacuumed up the available resources. Even this started at Braunston, left and in the main left the "Traditional Boat Gathering" at it's true home.

 

Perhaps there are too many shows for the market.

Edited August 2, 2011 by tony collins

[Dominic M]

Hi all

For the last 10 years or so I've run workshops at the National, usually one a day over 3 days, all with a trad painting theme. I was only offered one, on the Friday and declined because of other committments and the fact that delivering these workshops is the tip of the iceberg compared to all the preparation beforehand. It would seem I was wise to do so. A friend who was exhibiting said that Friday was a dead duck too, a pity for all the volunteers who put so much work in to make the festival happen. I share Speedwheel's concern that the whole thing is increasingly less about boats, more of a family entertainment thing, a far cry from the campaigning rallies that I recall in the 60s.

 

On a brighter note I was delighted that a Norton Canes shell with an Aquarius fit out won a "best something" in the show. Quality will out...but, as part of the Norton Canes team and regular painter for Aquarius, I would say that, wouldn't I?????

 

Cheers

 

Dave

But you're right to say it, Dave. Graham's boats are works of great craftsmanship.

 

As a trader, I have a gut feeling that the world has moved on from Trade Shows. I'm not convinced I'm right, but suspect I might be. These days a well constructed web site can deliver so much information in pictures, video and words which people can browse at leisure for free. Then they can make a decision as to whether it is worth the effort to travel and look at the product in the flesh. This was not the case even 5 years ago.

 

From both an exhibitor and punter perspective, these shows are an expensive and not necessarily a particularly cost effective means of marketing any more.

Edited August 2, 2011 by Dominic M

[cheshire~rose]

We were there on the Saturday and thoroughly enjoyed the day out. In truth we did not put much money in the traders coffers but we were going with the intention of looking at boats, both new and the brokerage stands for ideas. We did actually go to view one of the second hand boats advertised with a brokerage on the Sunday. We bought a few bits from trust stands and the usual raffle ticket etc.

It was quite evident that people were not parting with very much money but I was somewhat surprised that having queued up to get an ice cream they had sold out of my choice and having queued up for lunch they sold out of the BBQ chicken as we reached the front of the queue - having been advised that more would be available in 10 minutes if we wanted to wait we promptly went to the stall next door for a rather yummy burger. We sat and watched the people at the chicken stand turn people away for the next 15 minutes as we ate our burgers, the queue at the burger stall just got longer and longer - what a shame! the chicken looked so good so I suspect it was a bit of bad planning to run out at 12.30 just when so many people were starting to think about lunch!

[GSer]

As a trader in the craft tent we made our first ever loss at a show not that serious but it's still a downer as we need to sell.

 

Apart from the date change it was all a very similar feeling, high cost of food and drinks and a falling number of attendees (seat of pants feeling)

 

The site felt a little dead, however the towpath was brilliant, very vibrant (helped by the weather and the locals enthusiasm I think) and the waterside seemed the place to be IMO.

 

Can't wait to see how they will fit everybody into Newbury in a couple of years time.

 

Paul

[ditchcrawler]

As a trader in the craft tent we made our first ever loss at a show not that serious but it's still a downer as we need to sell.

 

Apart from the date change it was all a very similar feeling, high cost of food and drinks and a falling number of attendees (seat of pants feeling)

 

The site felt a little dead, however the towpath was brilliant, very vibrant (helped by the weather and the locals enthusiasm I think) and the waterside seemed the place to be IMO.

 

Can't wait to see how they will fit everybody into Newbury in a couple of years time.

 

Paul

Maybe that is why in recent years it has been almost impossible for the public to get from the festival site to the towing path. St Ives you could only get to the bit where boats were for sale without walking miles. Red Hill it was the other side of the river.

[Tim Lewis]

Maybe that is why in recent years it has been almost impossible for the public to get from the festival site to the towing path. St Ives you could only get to the bit where boats were for sale without walking miles. Red Hill it was the other side of the river.

 

I'm confused, at Burton last week the towpath was a two minute walk over the bridge from the festival entrance.

 

Tim

[GSer]

I'm confused, at Burton last week the towpath was a two minute walk over the bridge from the festival entrance.

 

Tim

 

 

I suspect that DC meant that poor access to the river/canal side has been restricted at other venues in the past but not this one, perhaps.

 

I'd like to see the reading prom used as a venue, plenty of space, big town. An event timed to make use of enclosures already in place for the Reading Festival might make sense. The river is quite wide at that point so moorings could be more compact. Allow some traders/attractions to trade their wares or entertain near the riverside, job done (now putting helmet on and goggles to defend from the flack)

 

Paul

[ditchcrawler]

I'm confused, at Burton last week the towpath was a two minute walk over the bridge from the festival entrance.

 

Tim

Sorry Tim,

I didn't make my self clear. The post I was replying to said that people were not buying from the stands but their were lots of people on the towing path looking at the boats. I was making the point that this was made difficult in previous years and so kept the public on site so by default they would spend more time walking around the stands.

I don't always get my point over very well in writing which means that some times I inadvertently upset some people.

[sueb]

I suspect that DC meant that poor access to the river/canal side has been restricted at other venues in the past but not this one, perhaps.

 

I'd like to see the reading prom used as a venue, plenty of space, big town. An event timed to make use of enclosures already in place for the Reading Festival might make sense. The river is quite wide at that point so moorings could be more compact. Allow some traders/attractions to trade their wares or entertain near the riverside, job done (now putting helmet on and goggles to defend from the flack)

 

Paul

Thank you for volunteering to run the festival

Sue

[GSer]

Thank you for volunteering to run the festival

Sue

 

 

I'd be glad to offer my special skills, just how much use they will have for a muppet like me is another question altogether