Stafford Show 2015

[Colin Sparrow]

Just to confirm that there will be a GRA stand at the Stafford Show this coming weekend (25th/26th April).

As John W points out there are five tasty Greeves scramblers in the Bonhams auction.

The full range of GRA regalia will be on offer at our stand, which will be in the main hall. I will also have copies of my book available.

Looking forward to a weekend of Greeves chat. See you there.

[Andy Z]

Its all bad timing this weekend!

Stafford, British champs and Sproxton all at once.

[Rob]

If members want to meet up on the stand, could I suggest 12 noon and 3 pm as a meeting time on both days? Just an idea as each year, members try to meet up with various other members and fail!

[Colin Sparrow]

Oh dear!

We sure drew the short straw at Stafford. I don't think we've ever had a more cramped, inconvenient and poorly sited space in all the many years we've been supporting the Stafford Show (and its predecessors). We turn out for that show every year and try to put on a good, varied display. To be frank what we had to endure over the weekend was an insult.

Really horrid little space opposite the (increasingly smelly) gents' lavatory with really poor lighting and difficult access which meant we had to cram the bikes in and no-one could really see them properly. Bit of an insult to those who went to the trouble and expense of bringing bikes along.

Thanks to everyone who came to see us (and well done to even find us!).

Next year? Going to need some thought, that...

[Dogsbody]

Colin, Well done for making the best out of a poor location. Certainly questions need to be asked of the show organisers, it is noticeable how cramped some club stands are now. Perhaps retailing in the main hall should be reduced ? Would appear that the main criteria is to sell as much retailing space as possible to maximise profits and make the clubs a secondary consideration. Thanks for your efforts, much appreciated. Colin

[Dick F]

Stafford Show

Hi Colin, sorry to hear of the disaster stand they gave the club this year, I think that we have discused this allready this year about the shows.

I have thought for the last year now, that all these Major show )rganisers are using it for there own ends to promote there magazines, and sell stands to dealers which i know they need to do but in the correct proportions.

But not at the expence of the general supporters, being clubs, and individuals who are the backbone of there shows, if they continue this approach i can see them being bitten in the arse and loose all support, at Telford 3 years ago i understand they were charging some small clubs an entry stand fee!!!, irest my case:

[John Wakefield]

I think it begs the question of whether it is worth the expense & time of members to exhibit at these shows now, do we sign up enough members to make it worth while. I personally have no interest in these big professionally run shows & only support local shows like the one the Cambridge section organise annually at Cambridge which benefits the local Cambridge Museum of Technology. Its on 28th June this year

[Colin Sparrow]

Colin, Well done for making the best out of a poor location. Certainly questions need to be asked of the show organisers, it is noticeable how cramped some club stands are now. Perhaps retailing in the main hall should be reduced ? Would appear that the main criteria is to sell as much retailing space as possible to maximise profits and make the clubs a secondary consideration. Thanks for your efforts, much appreciated. Colin

Thanks, but I don't really take much of the credit for making the best of a bad job. It was a team effort, in particular the patience shown by Mike Eady and Peter Smith, and the sheer effort made by Mike Norris and Ian Hodge.

We coped - we always do.

[Brian Catt]

I think a carefully worded letter to the organisers is called for. It seems that the paying trade stalls at most events are given much precedence, but if they are given total carte-blanche to flourish, the club display side will wither and die away. We might be advised to ask what size stand and a map of location before we actually decide to go to this or other shows.
The general "County Show" scene is getting slightly worse, certainly our local show at Uxbridge is now a virtual non-event for bikes, but if you are in to 300db stereos in Subarus........I spent much of last year's event in ear defenders!

[mayfield]

Stafford show stand.

It appears that you suffered the same as Carol and myself came across when we started organising the GRA stand at the Bristol show,We refused to exhibit on the balcony,complained when we were cramped along a book stall,{they moved the book stall} Unless the organisers are made aware robustly nothing will change. Long may our good relationship continue at Bristol. We missed Stafford this year, Best wishes, LES,

[fioand]

After visitng the stand at Stafford I to was amazed at the dark little area that had been allocated.
Very dissappointing for the people who had made the effort to display.
I noted in the main hall one guy who occupied a double pitch selling old motorcycle books, which when laid flat , were struggling to cover the table tops they were displayed on.
I have visited the show for many years, but this year felt the organisers are loosing the plot.

[Phil Hyde]

monopoly, surely not.

With one company monopolizing the classic show scene there can be little room to complain. One of the early Stafford shows found us up on the balcony. Since then we have been fortunate and enjoyed good positioning. Looks like this year was a poor affair.

A carefully worded letter from the club requesting a better position might work. Equally, it might go badly wrong. Damned if if you do........

A bit like biting the hand that feeds you. If the classic clubs banded together the show organisers would soon pay a bit more attention. No clubs, no shows.

[aa will]

stafford

hi its not only the gra who have suffered from ever smaller and smaller club stands at shows run by,(you know who) as some members know i am also a big panther fan and have exhibited bikes at stafford many times,the poc this year were offered such a small out of the way stand that after weeks of talks it seemed that we should be lucky to have anything that was available, and the unofficial quote was "clubs cost us money and would prefer paying traders "as a result of this the panther club declined the offer of an out of the way corner and have now decided to support the vmcc founders day which gets bigger each year with real people and they welcome owners clubs of all makes with open arms,there is choice out there, will

[Buzzer]

hi its not only the gra who have suffered from ever smaller and smaller club stands at shows run by,(you know who) as some members know i am also a big panther fan and have exhibited bikes at stafford many times,the poc this year were offered such a small out of the way stand that after weeks of talks it seemed that we should be lucky to have anything that was available, and the unofficial quote was "clubs cost us money and would prefer paying traders "as a result of this the panther club declined the offer of an out of the way corner and have now decided to support the vmcc founders day which gets bigger each year with real people and they welcome owners clubs of all makes with open arms,there is choice out there, will

I'm with you there, Will. Becoming despondent with the "Mega-Shows". Founders Day is a far more pleasant and relaxed experience. Many thanks to the GRA members who manned the Stafford stand and still managed to remain cheerful.

[Rob]

Dave Bradley did speak to the organisers and expressed our displeasure but I don't think it will do much good as it always seems a 'take it or leave it' situation. I'm afraid profit maximisation is the name of the game and classic bikes are merely a convenient platform.

This year, the crowd on Saturday was more the size of a Sunday crowd. Normally, you have to push through the sheer mass of people but not this year. Also, I noticed that people were strolling past stalls and just glancing at them without a lot of business seeming to take place. There were also quite a few of the regulars missing, especially in the outside area. I spoke to one trader who also does Kempton and he said this will be his last year down there as no one is spending any money.

I spoke to a couple of traders I know in the main hall. The first said that although they were fairly busy on Saturday, their takings were down on last year and the year before. The second said his takings were down, "very much so".

Are we seeing a gradual change in the scene or is it just that there is less discretionary spending money about despite our political masters telling us that the economy has recovered (??!!) ?

SOMETHING MORE PRACTICAL - DID ANYONE BUY SOME METAL FROM STEVE TAYLOR (THE METAL MAN) AND THEN LEAVE IT BEHIND ON OUR STAND?

If so, it is here with me.