Shows changing times

[Mercdan68]

After attending many shows this year I’ve come to the conclusion the enthusiast organised ones are the best, both retro rides shows and the London cartel show were superb
Sensible food and drink prices , more laid back atmosphere and no hard sell from insurance companies and tat autojumbles
Fordfest has just been cancelled due to lack of interest by clubs and individuals
Perhaps Kelsey who organised it will realise enthusiasts have had enough of rip off prices and companies who have no interest in our hobby other than lining there pockets
Another great show for me was Coventry motorfest
Which we were lucky to attend due to a good friend Harry getting our club involved
Again non profit making and just a laid back weekend for car enthusiasts
It seems retro rides is on to a great thing, can’t wait for next years shows
Am I being unfair or are the big shows on a slippery slope?
Have a few pics from this years best shows I’ve been at

[pauly22]

I agree. Went to classic ford show a few years ago, was expensive to get in, then there were just sea’s of focus ST’s, focus RS’s, fiesta ST’s etc, wasn’t that much in the way of classic fords, haven’t been since and probably won’t again.

I do need to get down to retro rides gathering one year.

[Mercdan68]

We went to ford fair and classic ford shows
Good .....but overpriced and if it wasn’t for the mates we went with it wouldn’t have been a must do event
Expensive food drink and awful set ups

[Quasimoto]

This year one trip to Santa Pod ( VW event with one to come in October )
Time Attack Brands Hatch
London Cartel Ardingley
Evening meet by far Hurt Wood Polo Club in Surrey / great mix of retro cars
Got London to Brighton run in November as passes right near my place
Used to go to Festival Of Speed / great event by a mile but lot of walking does my old back no good / now watch all three days on live feed
Missed Incarnation at Brighton due to family stuff but a great free to go in season starter.
Back to mercdan68 the enthusiast run events are always better with less commercial sell and more retro cars.

[fr€$h&m1nt¥]

I think the problem with shows like fordfest and other Kelsey (previously organised by future publishing) is they’ve been a victim of their own success / publicity.

People go from all over the UK and beyond so they have to go to big venues that can support the logistics. (Is fordfest at silverstone too?)

Big locations have their own regular catering vans so can set prices to suit themselves.

Similarly for trade stalls - they have set prices and traders are lucky to make a profit at the shows and often it’s a case of just having a presence there.

I don’t have figures but I think they income / profit from the big Kelsey shows is more than the income from selling magazines.

Shows organised by clubs / forums / merchandise companies have a smaller - almost volunteer - level of staff - and have much less overheads like offices etc to pay for so as long as ticket prices cover the venue costs then all is good in the world and leads to a more relaxed staff / organiser group and a more relaxed show.

That’s how I’ve seen it from my perspective any way.

That’s the first I’ve seen of fordfest cancellation- I hope the future of japfest and Trax aren’t potentially at risk too.

[ratchart]

You're dead right on the matter of trade stalls at major shows. I gave up trading at shows a few years ago because the costs seemed to rise every time whilst I felt unable to increase prices in proportion. (and hat's before you factor in other stuff like liability insurance, fuel etc.) I figured out I was basically paying a couple of hundred ponds to promote my website. Especially galling when you see somone else who's just paid the regular public punter's entry, flyering all the show cars.

I used to enjoy the NASC shows - Drayton Manor and Trinity Park (formerly Herts showground, formerly Essex) but the way they treated traders; insisting people book a pitch for the whole weekend even though the showfield was empty two days out of three pee'd a lot of people off. Most of the actual hot rod traders stopped going to their shows because they weren't making any money. What they didn't seem to realise until it was too late is that good, relevant trade stands (ie proper car stuff, as opposed to the inflatable toys and miracle carpet cleaners) actually enhance the atmosphere a car show.

Not that I'm at all bitter. 

[rattlecan]

The Revival, still THE BEST show on the calendar...period

[darrenh]

Cash and carry burgers , the ones where you can walk into literally any kebab shop in the UK and get the same burger. Except at shows they are 7,8,9 quid each

Cool box and a pack lunch, f*'em

[Dez]

The level of catering is one thing that sets the gathering apart from other shows.

Not sure I’d even attend a event that doesn’t have a currygoat and tea&cake stalls anymore....

[faiz]

I have no interest in single marque shows anymore. Pretty dull looking at so many of the same thing throughout the day.
I agree enthusiast run shows are best 👌🏽

[b3nson]

Aug 31, 2019 9:44:09 GMT Dez said:

The level of catering is one thing that sets the gathering apart from other shows.

Not sure I’d even attend a event that doesn’t have a currygoat and tea&cake stalls anymore....

I must say the coffee and cake van at the Gathering was fantastic, best cake I’ve had for ages and both coffee and cake were cheaper than usual high street prices

[stealthstylz]

I think the problem for me now is the Gathering and Weekender set such a high standard for entertainment that everything else is a bit disappointing. The shows that have seemed to copy the "style" are pretty good but the bar for the overall experience has now been raised and the traditional big shows can't seem to capture that buzz. It's not just about going to look round a field of cars any more and that's fine by me.

[MkX]

Aug 30, 2019 17:22:28 GMT Mercdan68 said:

I love the XJC, I note it's been uprated to 6.2 litres!

[retrolegends]

I stopped doing the big shows like Bugjam and NSRA Fun Run a few years back now and I used to enjoy the NEC shows but the prices for parking and entry are now so expensive I can’t justify it anymore.
Other than The Gathering I much prefer small local shows although Newark Autojumble is one I will try and attend when I can, not too bad to get in price wise and always a nice low key car and bike show on too

[comfortablynumb]

Classic ford I felt wasn’t too bad this year, especially with it being a new venue, I’ve felt like something was missing for the past couple of years, but agree totally about food, and if you don’t have a car on the show it’s difficult to carry all your grub with you.
Thanks for posting about ford fest being cancelled @mercdan68, I hadn’t heard that, and although it’s only 25 miles from me I would have been fairly hacked off to have driven over for nothing.
I note that the Land Rover owner show is the previous weekend, and that’s being much more widely promoted, local and national radio etc etc, wonder if that’s making a difference?

[Colonelk]

Aug 31, 2019 9:44:09 GMT Dez said:

The level of catering is one thing that sets the gathering apart from other shows.

Not sure I’d even attend a event that doesn’t have a currygoat and tea&cake stalls anymore....

ermagerd, still thinking about my jerk chicken and chips covered in jerk gravy with crispy onions... So good

[fraudownersclub]

Was under the impression that the ford fest would be a weekend event that was purely static. 🤔.
With out any live action arena or drag strip think 2 days of looking round parked cars would be like looking around a dealers car front 😎

[bmcnut]

Its been afew years since I went to shows regularly, but back when I did you tended to have 'classic car shows' for classic cars, and the odd modified car (though these were generaly frowned upon), and 'custom cars shows'. There was of course vw shows and mini shows as well as ford shows, but there was more of a sense of being 'pigeon holed', at least that was my impression anyway. All the time me and dad went to show, we got in for free and took food with us, the only money we needed was for the autojumble, which were generaly proper autojumbles, but imo ebay slowley ate away at it. In all it was a damn cheap day out, and to this day I cant get my head around paying to get into a show. But I didnt question paying to get into the RR show, i had a sence it was going to be awesome and it was. All cars of all types, all classes and ages all on equal ground. To me it was more about peoples enthusiasm than anything else.

Times are changing for classic cars too. More people want a car to be what they want it to be more than what the manufacturer intended, so will gravitate to a show that caters for them. Again, this is where RR is getting the formula right, at the right time. This doesnt mean people don't want standard cars, again, RR loves that. And on track activity to amuse everyone. RR....

[slammedorion]

Without people showing they have no show... said this for many years

Fordfair etc £30 for me & my car
Same again for the wife
Kids are free
200 mile round trip
Food & drinks extortionate
3-4 hours queuing arriving around 7am

Why should I?

Local shows, mixed shows are far better... I hope it’s the beginning of the end for Kelsey Media trying to have everyone’s pants down!!!

[comfortablynumb]

I’m trying Brighton speed trials next Saturday, so I’ll try to report back about that, unless the greens have managed to get it banned before n 😉