bagobitz
Veteran
Location: saddleworth,lancs,UK
| Conveyor belt thread's gone quiet, so i wound up here.
First,- there is no restriction on "private use" video
Second, MONEY. Having been involved in several trade-shows, I know the enormous costs faced by the organisers. Venue charges usually start from "first foot in the door"
outdoor venues have to hire portable bogs, water supplies, fire-fighting facilities, policing, first-aid, sign posting, local gov't permits, statutory press amnnouncements advertising, brochures (for visitors AND for potential exhibitors)
......
Ever tried getting electricity laid on to temporary stands?
yup, even a 1/2 -day show, 10 am -4 pm on a Sunday, still cost over 20K to stage in a hall in Blackpool!(rent had to be paid for the setting-up day AND the clearing-day (despite the fact almost everyone was away by 8 PM.
I can't say what sort of money was-or wasn't made, but if the event is run as a limited company, a search should establish some idea. likewise if a private club does it...the members should have access to "the books"
An enormous amount of effort goes into getting bookings, making sure they actually show, laying on their requested facilities..and getting PAID!
I've seen a "regular" exhibitor banned, because organisers wound up with legal action in order to get paid!
the entry price structure DOES seem odd!...there again, look at rail fares!...They're structured (supposedly)to encourage you to use the facilities outwith of the peak period.
IF that field was farmland, it will have needed a substantial amount of preparatory work to make it fit for flying....also it would take a while to recover...so, 3 day event could quite easily take the ground out for 3-6 weeks....that bumps up the hire! and, yes, I agree contingency should be properly thought out...you should expect fair value for your money....the crappy food is , again down to the cost of pitching up,versus the expected return.....if it pees down, there's all the unsold perishables,cost to get there and back, cost of pitch....and the caterer has to pay his staff as well...so how much do you want to flog your nuts off all weekend????
just playing devils advocate here, not taking sides. I wouldn't pay that sort of figure either...I don't value that sort of event that highly.....there again, I don't go to the F1 Grand Prix at Silverstone... They put up more stands (COST TO USE) leaving less banking...and seemed to let more people in! VFM fell to low for me, I voted with my feet!
£dm will find it's own level in the marketplace..if that's too low to be worthwhile, it will collapse. |
Bad organisation and little effort to make good contingency plans, at least for the spectators who will all have been chomping at the bit to be at THE event. Sadly, as positive as I was, even a couple of years back (& even then the sunday was rained off), this year left a bad taste in my mouth for many reasons and i'm questioning whether I'll bother next year 
