Attending motorhome shows - very pricey now!!!

[Mel B]

On another forum mention has been made about the Western Motorhome Show 2013 and I couldn't believe the cost for camping!

 

As an example, if you normally camp with a club and pre-book these are the costs for 2012 and 2013:

 

For 2012 it was:

- Thursday £47.00

- Friday £44.00

 

For 2013 it is:

- Thursday Arrival - £57

- Friday Arrival - £54

 

An increase of £10 a night, or 21%-23% ... that's a bit OTT don't you think?

 

I haven't checked the prices of other shows yet but assume they're as bad ...

 

More info on 2013 here:

 

http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/Shows/The-Western-Motorhome-Show/Campers-Information-_sh6

[Wooie]

It`s one way of keeping the revenue up despite falling attendance numbers.

 

The £10 difference now between Booked and Non-Booked is very unfair because a lot of people

are not sure whether they will be able to attend until a short time before the event.

 

You`ve also need to take into account the weather and i`m sure i`m not the only one who does

not want to pay for the privilege of spending the weekend in a ......Mud Bath.

 

The only one we would now consider is Peterborough and that is now £59 Non-Booked !

 

One of the reasons is that this is the only one left that isn`t " Fenced Off " and guarded by the " SS "

some of which i`m sure would be more than happy with a " MP40 and a Alsatian ".

 

Both myself and the wife like to have a look round once all the " Idiots " have gone home and

things have quietened down. We are not the only ones who do this and lots of people have

the same idea.

 

We do not attend these events for the entertainment but many do and thoroughly enjoy it.

 

By the way it`s a rise of " £10 for the weekend and not a night " a simple Typo i`m sure

which even your good self is not immune from making.

 

All the best and A Happy New Year.

[roger s]

For around 13 years we have attended outdoor shows and for 3 years have marshalled a groups rally area.

 

I made the decision at the end of last year we would not go to any more outdoor shows due to the unpredictability of our weather. If there was a local show and the weather was ok we would possibly go for a day but there is no way I would pay a premium.

 

This year we will be attending just the Manchester Show and the NEC one later in the year

[Brock]

We gave up attending shows for an extended period a long time ago. We could only find time to spend Saturday night there and when there was only two of us in the van, the cost was too much. However, we have tended to go for single days not withstanding that Lincoln and Peterborough are both 3 hour+ journeys. The evening entertainment has never interested us.

 

Motorhoming, like everything else, is getting more expensive. CLs are no longer a bargain. Perhaps people in the industry will realise that even the mature, working or retired, are short of cash and so fewer bells and whistles and better value core services are the way forward.

 

I'd be tempted back to the shows with a no frills overnight rate, discounted for those staying for more than one night.

[gocro]

Caravan Club NEC £30 a night on a car park, no members discount,Pah! No chance .

[Dr Dave]

In my opinion it just emphasises that companies and the clubs are out of touch and detached from the harsh economic conditions that normal working / retired people are having to deal with. Low interest rates negligible wage increases and the cost of utilities are all rising. So what do these organisations do? they of course put there prices up and this has the effect of actually reducing revenue as customers decide that they can no longer afford the services that are being offered. I for one would like a back to basics approach. Because of this we will not be attending any shows this year and i am going to cancel the caravan club subscription as most of the CL's are overpriced and the club site fees exorbitant.

[kelly58]

We only do day visits which are reasonally local The Spring Fair at Newark and the Warners Show at Peterborough just for a good day out and to look for any little extra's we could use. Not paying to " Camp " on site gives us more money to spend at the shows . At least if the weather is foul and we do not go then its no big loss.

[Wooie]

We have now decided that we will not be attending any more Outdoor Shows for the simple reason

that they have now become too expensive and in my opinion not worth it.

 

I`m sure now that i will " Take Some Flak " for that statement but i don`t really care and i was under

the impression that forums like these are about gathering information and sharing experiences of

all things " Motorhomey " and if that doesn`t fall in line with " The Few " then so be it.

 

We are in both the CC club and the C&CC club and i`ve just had a look back over the last 12 months

to see how often we actually used them and it`s making me now think as to whether it`s worth the

membership or not. We kept them going so far because we`ve been in them so long now you tend

to just leave them be and it`s only when a thread like this comes up that it makes you sit back and

think.

[Rayjsj]

We only attended shows if we were considering changing our van, at the NEC that proved to be a bad idea, as the queues to look over the vans we were interested in, were too long, and once 'In' it was impossible to evaluate before others were wanting 'in' too. SO, the dealers forecourts proved to be the best places. Now we have our new van, we won't be attending shows, if I need an accessory I'll look online. far cheaper and less hassle.

In saying that, we bought our last van at the 'Western motorhome show' 3 years ago. So, never say never. Ray

 

[PCC]

Just checked what I paid for Dusseldorf last September:

3 nights camping 24 Euro; 2 days admission 15 Euro; total 39 Euro or about £32.

 

Shame about the petrol and ferry costs of £200

[Guest 1footinthegrave]

I go to lots of Motor Home shows throughout the year for a nose or to buy an accessory , they are all free, they are called dealerships. :-S

[malc d]

1footinthegrave - 2013-01-06 3:20 PM

 

I go to lots of Motor Home shows throughout the year for a nose or to buy an accessory , they are all free, they are called dealerships. :-S

 

 

.............. with VERY limited stock.

 

;-)

 

 

It's never cost me much to attend a show - but I don't camp there as well.

 

Three or four hours of viewing is enough for me - can't imagine how people fill a couple of days there.

 

 

:-|

[Guest peter]

malc d - 2013-01-06 4:10 PM

 

1footinthegrave - 2013-01-06 3:20 PM

 

I go to lots of Motor Home shows throughout the year for a nose or to buy an accessory , they are all free, they are called dealerships. :-S

 

 

.............. with VERY limited stock.

 

;-)

 

 

It's never cost me much to attend a show - but I don't camp there as well.

 

Three or four hours of viewing is enough for me - can't imagine how people fill a couple of days there.

 

 

:-|

It's not just about looking around the exhibits. It gives a lot of people the chance to meet up with pals and have a drink in the marquees and a barbecue or whatever. That's why we go, and have a great time, weather permitting. We went to the western show at malvern for the first time last year, and it was great.

[lizken]

wooie,

it's a catch 22 situation, if you, like us, have travel nearly 300 miles each way.

Last year we pre-booked Peterborough, as usual, and enjoyed the mud bath.

Had we gone non-booked, we would have been "extremely annoyed" to find on arrival that non-booked campers would not be allowed in.

 

Have you looked at the new show at Harrogate - NO CAMPERS AND NO DOGS ON THE SHOWFIELD.

 

WARNERS SEEM TO BE LOOKING FOR REVENUE, WHILST CHASING CAMPERS AWAY - NOT DONE THEIR MATHS!!!!

 

[Keithl]

lizken - 2013-01-06 7:41 PM

 

Have you looked at the new show at Harrogate - NO CAMPERS AND NO DOGS ON THE SHOWFIELD.

 

 

Ken,

 

Warners issued an update to this a couple of days ago... Link,

 

Dogs ARE now allowed on the showground (but unfortunately campers still are not :-( )

 

Keith.

[Mel B]

Wooie - 2013-01-06 6:56 AM

 

By the way it`s a rise of " £10 for the weekend and not a night " a simple Typo i`m sure

which even your good self is not immune from making.

 

All the best and A Happy New Year.

 

Thanks for catching that Wooie, I must remember NOT to start new threads when it's late at night!!! (lol)

[lennyhb]

PCC - 2013-01-06 2:12 PM

 

Just checked what I paid for Dusseldorf last September:

3 nights camping 24 Euro; 2 days admission 15 Euro; total 39 Euro or about £32.

 

Shame about the petrol and ferry costs of £200

 

Yer but it's the only show worth going to. :D

[Wooie]

lizken - 2013-01-06 7:41 PM

 

wooie,

it's a catch 22 situation, if you, like us, have travel nearly 300 miles each way.

Last year we pre-booked Peterborough, as usual, and enjoyed the mud bath.

Had we gone non-booked, we would have been "extremely annoyed" to find on arrival that non-booked campers would not be allowed in.

 

Have you looked at the new show at Harrogate - NO CAMPERS AND NO DOGS ON THE SHOWFIELD.

 

WARNERS SEEM TO BE LOOKING FOR REVENUE, WHILST CHASING CAMPERS AWAY - NOT DONE THEIR MATHS!!!!

 

 

 

 

Hi There,

Yes i fully understand where you are coming from, but i still do not think that people who for

one reason or another " Do Not or Cannot " book in advance.

 

Hospital Appointments / Peoples Health Conditions etc. etc. = £10 Extra ?....... Not Really Fair !

 

As for the Harrogate Showground i would never dream of " Camping " on that one because

i know how soft the ground is there at the best of times.

 

There used to be a Caravan Club site within the Showground and if you dared so much as to

put 1 wheel off the Road / Track / Pitch you was in grave danger of becoming well and truly stuck.

 

I also fully agree that it`s all about The Revenue and i was always amazed at how many Campers

at the shows were actually Non-Booked, easily recognised by the Codes on the Tickets in the

windscreens and i`m sure created a sizable sum.

 

Given last years weather conditions it`s fully understandable why people didn`t want to Pre-Book

and the Extra £5 it used to be was OK....... i suppose.

 

To double it to £10 is probably their way of trying to " Force " people back into Pre-Booking in my

opinion, but i`m sure this will be disputed by the " Regular Ones " who i`m sure just argue

for argues sake.

[Derek Uzzell]

lennyhb - 2013-01-06 10:05 PM

 

PCC - 2013-01-06 2:12 PM

 

Just checked what I paid for Dusseldorf last September:

3 nights camping 24 Euro; 2 days admission 15 Euro; total 39 Euro or about £32.

 

Shame about the petrol and ferry costs of £200

 

Yer but it's the only show worth going to. :D

 

There's also the Le Bourget show

 

http://www.salon-vehicules-loisirs.com/en/01-presentation.htm

 

Not as large as Dusseldorf, but the entrance fee (wth voucher) is pretty cheap, as is parkig/overnighting.

[hallii]

From speaking to dealers who go to shows, and some who do not, it seems they are of much the same opinion, and that is they find them very expensive.

 

It seems to me that whenever I grit my teeth and go to a show, I find that the dealers I expected to see are not there.So I only go to the NEC now, (it's just down the road :-D ).

 

If there is something I want to see I do my research onlne and then make an appointment with a dealer who has exactly what I want on display. I would rather spend a few bob on fuel than on exorbitant show fees, avoid the crush, and actually be able to see what I want to. I have gone to shows and been unable to get into what I wanted to see, and when I was able to get in to something else being joined by 10 others in a small space is not my idea of fun.

 

H

[Guest JudgeMental]

I have done the UK shows in the past but honestly they are a nonsense and laughable in comparison to European shows. We visit Dusseldorf occasionally and it is a revelation.. The shear scale, the facilities and prices, all very reasonable..massive camping ground, no one turned away free shuttle bus to show, intertainment on site and a great atmosphere...

 

When we went a few years ago meet lots from Ireland buying very expensive and large motorhomes seemed to have money to burn...last time as the Celtic tiger has imploded their absence was conspicuous . I had a short list of a few vans with one particular model firmly in mind, but after spending 2 days looking specifically at panel vans of interest I changed my mind. Point being, when you get the opportunity to see all at same show you have a better chance of making an informed decision .....

[Dr Dave]

I would like to know if the cost for businesses wanting to exhibit has increased because if the number of traders is reduced it will make it even less attractive to attend the events.