London Boat Show - Page 4

chris.moody · 09 January 2014, 13:59

Even the Southampton show is getting smaller each year, but I last went to the London show 3 years ago and decided then if was too small to ever bother with again.

Chris

Max... · 09 January 2014, 16:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by indaba1991

Its ugly - and!! Not one good vodka bar in sight. Do you remember Nikitas near Earls Court?

No...but I was only about 12 at the time...!!

Big memory is driving up early on the Sunday in the old man's Jag, parking for free round the corner (remember that!) and the 'Canal Boat' Restaurant upstairs, with carvery etc, always a treat.

Dirk Diggler · 09 January 2014, 16:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by jumpinjack

I do have a friend who works for Sunseeker- he reckons they sell more boats at London than Southampton, apparently the properly wealthy can fly into London City, have a look, do a deal and be away again?

Hmm, everyone seems to have a friend at Sunseekers! My one says the word on the shop floor is that they won't be exhibiting at London next year.... You have to wonder why they bother, considering their also at Dusseldorf this month, which is a far superior show, and pretty central for all those European Millionaires!

jumpinjack · 09 January 2014, 20:16

''Hmm, everyone seems to have a friend at Sunseekers! '

Mr Diggler- can do without the smarmy comments - have sent you a pm with name, phone number and any other details you need of my 'friend at Sunseeker', your man on the floor may then feel free to discuss their sales tactics.

Jorgos · 09 January 2014, 20:58

This is bad news....
next year will be nobody there!!!
internet is a very hard competitor to shows !!

jameswallace · 09 January 2014, 22:11

Went to the show last year for the first time in about 7 years was nearly deserted!!

I remeber before when i went it was heaving

Went to the southampton boat shownfor the first time last year and thought it was good!

Portholme · 10 January 2014, 20:10

Dropped in for an hour late this afternoon and was very underwhelmed!!!

Good chat with Stuart at scorpion but that's about it. Mooch at raymarine and garmin, bought a new life jacket and pair of shoes and that was it. One hour ten minutes end to end. It took me longer to get the DLR there and back!!

Ribandmotorhome · 10 January 2014, 22:04

Hi guys.
I also went to London show 2 or 3 years back.
I was so disappointed. I won't bother wasting the time and money ever again!!

Went to Southampton in the rain in 2012. Which was ok, but still not great like it used to be at earls court in the 80s and early 90s

lakelandterrier · 10 January 2014, 23:37

I haven't been since 2008 & I though it was poor then - not a patch on Earls Court. Awful place to get to from the West as well. Sounds like it's gone downhill since

biffer · 11 January 2014, 08:48

I think the show is dying because of the vast amount of money to show your goods, you will notice it's all the little guys that are going, I can predict that the show will be just big manufacturers and authorities , police, fire , HSE, rya, etc, I remember earls court, better days

vjmehra · 11 January 2014, 10:51

Just in case anyone is interested:

What could be done to improve the LIBS?

John Kennett · 11 January 2014, 13:27

Have it by the seaside. In September.

Joking aside, I'm not sure there's enough demand to support two large UK shows and people do seem to prefer Southampton, even though it's more difficult to get to for the majority of the population.

Shows have fundamentally changed now that we buy so much on line and get very competitive prices all the time. It's not just a boat thing, but is pretty much universal. We get "show prices" all the time so are less inclined to shop at shows. Retailers have tighter margins, and sell less when they do go to a show, but the costs are still high. The stand rental is just the start of it, then there's staff, accommodation, and lost production time in some cases.

I liked the outdoors show that they ran alongside the boat show for the last couple of years. It seemed like a good idea, but they've split them this time. Maybe we'll see them come back together next year.

Cypman · 11 January 2014, 16:12

I must admit I like Southampton. However, if you want a winter show then jump on an Orange Bird and go to Dusseldorf, it is now definitely the best.

Gilles · 11 January 2014, 16:35

it s not the show's fault. i ve been to Shanghai boat show 5 years ago, today the show is growing and growing. the issue is that WE poor europeans are no more the biggest clients ...look at the Dubai boat show that was born only few years ago...just the same about races ...is cowes still the biggest race spot ? compared to Quatar, abudhabi, etc, but for sure remain the best spot ! time is sad on euro waters !!!but some less snobish challenge gained some participants records ...

hamster · 11 January 2014, 19:48

I've been at the show all week. Lots busier today. There was quite a buzz about the place with lots more people around. I think last week was too close to Christmas etc and the weather didn't help either.

There are some deals to be had but you've got to look hard for them. I went to one of the holiday companies to get a price for a holiday in September and they couldn't match their online price even with their 'show deal' and I can see why. I book it online and the whole process is automated and requires very little human interaction and I don't even have to leave the house. If I book it there at the show they have £20-30k cost of the stand etc to pay for as well as the actual holiday before they make any money so it's always going to be cheaper on line. With the growth of online shopping shows like this are always going to struggle.

Sent from my iPhone using Rib.net

Ovey · 12 January 2014, 21:01

I managed to get a pretty good deal today! I got a Raymarine A68 with EU cartography, down vision and transom mounted transducer for £870! Haven't seen the bundle online for anywhere close to that.

Just need to fit it when it arrives now! And then maybe advertise the Raymarine 435i plotter it's replacing.

jameswallace · 16 January 2014, 08:26

Rep who works for marlow told me it was down 17% attendence on last year!

Trimix · 16 January 2014, 08:36

Wow, 17% is a big change, especially when you would have thought we had reached the bottom of the economy and have now started to climb back again.

Unless the organisors make drastic changes I cant see it continuing for much longer.

What was the change in the Southampton show ? Didnt it go up ever so slightly ?

Ribandmotorhome · 16 January 2014, 08:47

From my point of view with the last few times I have been, there just doesn't seem to be anything of relevance anymore.

I remember walking around earls court in ore going, wow, wow.
And twice I bought boats secondhand I had first seen at the show.

(I did order a new one once but refused to accept it when it was built because it was appalling, I have never seen rippily gelcoat before!! but that's a different story
Thank god the company are out of business now!)

But now at the boat shows there is nothing new or exiting and if there is anything of minor interest it's seems to be so much more expensive than they used to be!

This prob says more about me than the boat shows though!