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Post by NoelSmith on Sept 7, 2013 10:09:06 GMT
I read with interest recently, concerns about the number of model shows each year and the traders having to decide which to attend. Personally, I feel that we need not worry too much about this, as I think that a number of shows will simply go by the wayside due to natural attrition. What I mean by this is that the traders will become very selective about where they go, and certain shows revenues from them and the general public will decrease as a result. Traders have a lot of costs when attending shows such as their table fees, travelling costs and overnight accommodation for more far flung shows. Not to mention a value on their time for loading and unloading at each end of their journeys. Plus, most of us cannot attend that many shows anyway due to other commitments, domestic opposition etc. which will eventually take its toll as well. I used to attend quite a lot of shows some years ago, but found that I was seeing the same models over and over, so decided to be a bit selective about which shows to attend. There were less shows back then as well! With the decline of old style model shops all over the UK, I and many other modellers tend to see the shows as where to pick up those elusive bits and pieces on the spot. It may seem a bit mercenary, but most modellers will I think tend to attend shows where there will be a good trader presence. Time will tell......Lets see!!
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Post by iansadler on Sept 9, 2013 18:53:54 GMT
Hi noel , As I see it the problem is not too many model shows . It is the club secs who do not talk to each other when setting dates. Hence we can have as many as 3 shows on the same day and all within travelling distance . Most modellers will travel up to 2 hours to get to a show and I have in the past been on the road nearly 3 hours each way for a good show . I attend at least 10 shows a year and have in the past clocked up 22 in 1994 when I started to work days . If the shows were spread more even over the year then I feel the problem would go away . Just my ten penny worth . cheers ian
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Post by PeterBagshaw on Sept 10, 2013 13:09:16 GMT
Hi Ian
As an organiser of a show, how are we supposed to know when the other shows are being held/thought about? Blanket email to all IPMS Branch Secretaries? The problem probably most shows face is getting the right venue for the right price at a time that doesn't clash with other model shows/events. Sometimes you just have to take a punt and hope for the best.
Southern Expo (the one I organise) is traditionally mid-March but shifts very slightly to avoid Easter and Mothering Sunday, we try and announce the next years dates as soon as possible to "book the slot" in the show calendar but it's not always that easy. It's March 15th & 16th 2014 by the way.
I agree that probably some shows will "fall by the wayside" if they can't get the traders and modellers to support them.
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Post by NoelSmith on Sept 12, 2013 11:02:00 GMT
Hi Ian and Peter Ian, to do 10 shows a year you either must be single or have a very understanding wife/partner. I would simply not get away with going to shows for effectively 1/5th of the available weekends in a year! I wish I could! You made a good point about splitting show dates more evenly over the year, but would the traders still attend all? Personally I think that they will simply home in on just the ones that are worthwhile to them profit wise in the long run. After all they are business people first and enthusiasts second.
Peter, the Southern Expo you organise is a long established show with good credentials like the Milton Keynes Show and there are also a number of other long established shows that will survive regardless. It will probably be a lot of the 'new kids on the block' show wise who might suffer eventually and only time will tell. Blanket emails to IPMS secretaries will raise awareness within IPMS, but an increasing number of shows are being set up and run by modelling groups outside IPMS. How it will all pan out eventually is anybody's guess really.
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Post by iansadler on Sept 12, 2013 18:21:40 GMT
hi all this is just an idea , the best way forward is for all the club sec who attend IPMS Nationals In November to get together and try to agree dates for next year , and invite none IPMs Club secs to it as well . You may just be able to get an agreement . Just my ten penny worth cheers ian
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darby
Sprue Cutter
Posts: 20
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Post by darby on Sept 16, 2013 8:25:52 GMT
I am a club sec, and we have our own show each year. What we did was look at the dates for shows in our demographic region and pick a date that did not clash. It has worked so far very well, we have a waiting list of clubs wanting to attend.
As costs rise both for hire of venues and petrol then I can see a gradual drop off in the number of shows. So far the belt tightening has appeared to miss the hobby (or are we hiding what we spend from others:) ). So maybe we should make the most of what we have now before it all goes pear shaped.
Roy
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evna
Sprue Cutter
Considering my options
Posts: 28
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Post by evna on Sept 30, 2013 16:42:12 GMT
Being newly back in to modelling and never having attended any shows when I was an active modeller back 30yrs ago, it was one of the things I felt was a must to sustain the newly revived interest before even opening a box on recently acquired models, lets say part of the research to see whats new, whats the same and how things have moved on modelling in the 30yrs or so of my Sojourn.
Looking at the shows list on IPMS I naturally picked shows close to my local area, these being Wombourne, Staffs and Sutton Coldfield, West Mids. sensible I thought in view of fuel prices especially when only doing 19 - 27 mpg. I also took an interested friend to the former and the wife to the latter... (see my plan here... involve the wife at the earliest opportunity!) The latter was quite a bit bigger in terms of traders and I was stunned at what was available at these shows, models, paint, accessories and equipment and of course the workmanship of the club members and their completed projects.
I purposefully took little cash to either show as I merely wanted to check things out and not go at it like a kid in the sweetie shop... (this also impressed the wife, lol). I got the impression that the traders prices were quite pricey even compared to the couple of model shops I have recently been to and of course eBay but one has to admire the range of equipment, paints etc that is brought to the shows by the traders allowing for a chat and good look at things. I am now drawing up plans and saving a few pennies to mount my main assault at Telford in November as i'm hoping that will see the largest number of traders. As it's not too far away from me I can attend both days if required for a real good check out, will also be taking the bride on the Saturday just to keep her sweet too lol.
If most shows are as those I have been to thus far then I find myself thinking that it greatly depends on what folks most want from the shows... to visit to purchase supplies and models or to do so to meet fellow modellers and view their ideas and workmanship to get ideas for their own projects. If it's the former then local shows should supply this need easily but for me a visit to a show more further afield would likely be for the latter reason and depending on distance of course for the opportunity of a night away for a decent local meal (researched on trip advisor of course). It may also yield another past-time of playing spot the modeller who is doing just the same!! Regards another Ian
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Post by Rob Monfea on Oct 2, 2013 12:13:47 GMT
Seems too good an opportunity to miss pointing out that Bolton IPMS hold the first show of the year. True we have had some 'fun' with the weather in the past, but aside from avoiding Bolton Wanderers home games (we're just up the road from the Reebok) we have little else to clash with. Get an early date in your diaries for 2014 and blow off those post Christmas blues, our show will be on Sunday January 19th and the theme is 'Invasion'! More info and our location at: boltonipms.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=55&Itemid=37Cheers, Rob
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Post by jchinuk on Oct 31, 2013 13:34:34 GMT
With the decline of old style model shops all over the UK, I and many other modellers tend to see the shows as where to pick up those elusive bits and pieces on the spot. It may seem a bit mercenary, but most modellers will I think tend to attend shows where there will be a good trader presence. Time will tell......Lets see!! I think this may well be the making (or otherwise) of model shows, I live in Romford, which is either East London (according to the BBC News) or Essex (what most people put on their address), so hardly in the middle of nowhere. Since the demise of ModelZone, the only model shop dealing with our aspect of the hobby is Hannants' branch at Hendon, around an hour away by car. There are a couple of model railway and radio-control shops nearby, but these seem to exist in a different space/time continuum, opening only on the Thursday nearest the third full moon after the last equinox, indeed I have never seen one shop open in 10+ years! So, people rely on model show or the internet, and if you want to see something before you buy you need a local model show, and any I have visited organised by IPMS branches are excellent. Oddly, more established shows (Euro Militaire for example) seem to be declining, certainly in respect to traders, which as I suggest is a main reason most people attend. On a related subject, an unscientific survey by myself in show queues suggests to me that many modellers, though probably a minority, have no access to the internet, either through choice or the connection being used by other family members, for school work or social media. It's sad to say, but I think shows that are run for a profit seem less likely to survive, those organised by selfless individuals are thriving. jh
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Post by davidoflondon on Nov 4, 2013 13:43:45 GMT
Hi Ian and Peter Ian, to do 10 shows a year you either must be single or have a very understanding wife/partner. That doesn't necessarily follow. My wife also likes modelling so she's happy to attend events with me. Then again I only look to do three or four shows a year.
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Post by davidoflondon on Nov 4, 2013 13:52:00 GMT
I think this may well be the making (or otherwise) of model shows, I live in Romford, which is either East London (according to the BBC News) or Essex (what most people put on their address), so hardly in the middle of nowhere. Since the demise of ModelZone, the only model shop dealing with our aspect of the hobby is Hannants' branch at Hendon, around an hour away by car. There are a couple of model railway and radio-control shops nearby, but these seem to exist in a different space/time continuum, opening only on the Thursday nearest the third full moon after the last equinox, indeed I have never seen one shop open in 10+ years! Hope this doesn't break any forum rules. Hammants are great (we live over in NW London so they're much closer to us). But there is another alternative you may be unaware of The Aviation Hobby Shop, 4 Horton Parade, Horton Road, West Drayton, Middlesex. UB7 8EA ( www.tahs.com/) Probably no/not much further from you than Hannants. Their shop is very small but is crammed with kits. So crammed in fact you pretty much have to leave the shop if you want to turn round and look at the kits on the other side of the aisle.
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Post by NoelSmith on Nov 4, 2013 16:41:42 GMT
I visited Hannants Hendon shop recently. OK if you are mainly into aircraft. I expect that Aviation Hobby Shop will be similar judging by its name. It is a shame about Model Zone as they were trying to fill tha vacuum that Beatties left when they went bust. Beatties did modellers no favours by buying out many of the independent local general model shops.
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