Baz48 Posted July 22, 2018 Share Posted July 22, 2018 One topic that comes up fairly regularly whoever ‘s running W&P are the few unfriendly/unhelpful/downright rude individuals with a badge supposedly giving them authority over what everyone else are permitted to do/access while on site. It always occurs following the show post on social media bemoaning various encounters with said individuals. Often nothing can be done the organisers are oblivious possibly by choice and uncaring by design or am I being harsh to deal with such minor indignities perceived by the paying exhibitor/trader/mum dad gran and granddad plus two point five children. What can be done engage in verbal fisticuffs’ is one but that tends to leave me annoyed I allowed it to degenerate to their level. One way I have found when confronted by someone whose standpoint I disagree with or find illogical devoid of reason especially if they can’t justify by explanation of regulations applicable to the point of contention is to take my phone and tell them I am recording them and as a safeguard photographing them for there and my personal safety, result issue magically despairs and sanity reigns Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matchlesswdg3 Posted July 22, 2018 Share Posted July 22, 2018 Don't worty! Its all going to be........like this??! Isn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted July 22, 2018 Share Posted July 22, 2018 Booked in this afternoon, no queue and staff were polite. requested my sons wristband be applied loosely so he can take it off (he has swimming lessons this week) and ‘man in the van’ was fine about it. Fields seem very quiet this year, a lot of areas marked out though with nothing in them ! lots of space in the green camping field, very little in America’s field, this may be because the MOP camping now takes up nearly 30% of the field and is much bigger than last year! I think if I was visiting I’d think I was at the camping and caravan show in America’s , not a great mv to tent ratio. Sales stalls also appear down, unless they are all turning up in the next 24 hours ? Just realised I was never given a programme when I booked in , is there one ? Still some nice looking mv’s around and having seen a few items on the stalls to add to the stash and the weathers shining it’ll still be a good show. I just hope it’s fortunes change and it remains in the calendar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.303fan Posted July 22, 2018 Share Posted July 22, 2018 So, it is business as usual, extra toilet charge did not help with extra toilets? Smaller show at more cost is what i read, it is a shame really. Under the last year of Rex, we even put up a show on the last day for exactly 5 people because it was what they came to see. My disagreement was of the trash being put in seperate bins for general waste, recycling and being dumped in a on site fire pit together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTB MAN Posted July 22, 2018 Share Posted July 22, 2018 Called in to W&P to day to find our camping area . I had a MV booked in online .Not interested in Mv did give me two rist bands so we drove the car in. .cheap way to go ot W&P for 5 days. T CORBIN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted July 22, 2018 Share Posted July 22, 2018 Can’t say I saw a big increase in toilets, America’s field seemed to have some at the top which were not there last year, but again they werent the trailer units of previous years but the Porto loo type. Not sure if they were the ‘controversial’open trap type though ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryH57 Posted July 22, 2018 Author Share Posted July 22, 2018 At its height how many MVs turned up at W&P for the show before it became WPR / moved to Folkstone & back to Beltring etc? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted July 23, 2018 Share Posted July 23, 2018 Hard to tell if numbers have dropped, in Rex’s day you go a nice programme listing exhibitors, this has been dropped since the takeover, so there’s no comparison. I would say visually they have, the last show at the race course it was noticeable, and given the large area now taken over by MOP camping in America’s field the exhibit area feels smaller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grasshopper Posted July 23, 2018 Share Posted July 23, 2018 I read somewhere that at it's peak W&P had somewhere near 4000 vehicles exhibited. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul connor Posted July 23, 2018 Share Posted July 23, 2018 In my opinion it really is declining in numbers of exhibits and stalls. New organisers who don't care for the people who are vital to their own income - wake up! Less security, crap facilities, expensive, nothing enforced, rude staff, caravans and transit vans taking priority over displays - the list goes on. If they can charge for it, they will. Rex did a fantastic job and it is a real shame as those days are easily achieved with some thought, care, and absorbing some constructive criticism. If I had the means I would happily run the show, and I know I could do a far better job than they currently are, that's for sure! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryH57 Posted July 23, 2018 Author Share Posted July 23, 2018 (edited) So is anyone on site now who can give a visual estimation of those who have arrived so far. I can only get down for 8am on Wednesday but I guess most of the stuff that gets trailered in will be there already?. Edited July 23, 2018 by LarryH57 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matchlesswdg3 Posted July 23, 2018 Share Posted July 23, 2018 Just got back from the site. Monktons seems pretty full, but not yet bursting. MV area of Americas filling, but still room and the large public camping area is almost empty. Check in area is quite busy but operating smoothly. Boy it was HOT! 31C but so far, not much dust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted July 23, 2018 Share Posted July 23, 2018 Pleased to report there s been a steady influx all day of both exhibitors and traders, although traders are still down and many have still not set up properly yet. Traders field is still very empty though at the bottom end (beyond the model tent). have to say all staff I encountered today all very amicable again, and the booking process this year has been improved with a hold area and vehicles being called forward to the ‘lanes’ in the booking area. It is hot though, when the ice cream van finally turned up he had a constant queue! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornishbloke Posted July 24, 2018 Share Posted July 24, 2018 Setting off tomorrow from Cornwall. I've always enjoyed the show at both locations. It's a chance to meet friends, poke around stalls and see stuff that I wouldn't see otherwise. I usually come back with things I didn't know I needed and ideas for jobs to do over the winter. Paid in to a group toilet hire so that nightmare is sorted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryH57 Posted July 24, 2018 Author Share Posted July 24, 2018 I had a look at the WPR web page but could not find the MV booking in opening times. Does anyone know for sure? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gordonb Posted July 24, 2018 Share Posted July 24, 2018 I was pre-booked and more or less drove straight in today at 0815. Big queue for new bookers-in but will no doubt drop as the week progresses. I booked in last thursday, only wanted to be there an hour or so to help put up a tent and asked if I could carry my arm band. Told it had to be worn, but if damaged then a free replacement would be issued in exchange. Fair enough. Last year I had to pay £30 for my hour or so but got it back on the way out. Also fair enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baz48 Posted July 24, 2018 Share Posted July 24, 2018 Went to-day met one unhelpful feller at booking in full of his self importance and totally devoid of reasoning every other member of the team a pleasant surprise helpful considerate and polite. If it works a few photos of the show which I think is chaotic in layout fewer stall but most of the usual suspects with a few exceptions - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squirrel_sport Posted July 24, 2018 Share Posted July 24, 2018 Went today as a day visitor.. to be honest I thought it was a good day out.. the staff I spoke to were all helpful. The only things that could have been better were more loo's and bins . Food and drink prices were the normal for a show. Arriving, parking up and leaving the public car park was good. Saturday may be a different story though... Prices for admission were a bit steep but I know they have a lot of overheads so I guess someone has to pay for it... But all in all a nice day out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.303fan Posted July 24, 2018 Share Posted July 24, 2018 That is why we took our own food and cooker. The engel fridge used batteries but chaging those was a problem. A gen set shall be build with a 2.2 BMC diesel as base with a 2a land rover main box to drive two generators giving a few kva. My wife and myself can't accept the toilet fee put on price of entry while she cannot make the trip by wheelchair and a bucket got used instead why pay for something you don't use? Toilets will always be a issue, the value for money feeling plays as we paid £1500 to get to the show with a 101fc and 109 with Sankey next to a crew support car. My wife is pissed on the new organiser as he called us allsorts to get in the show cheap. We shall see, we might just say no to the W&PR for ever. I do like smaller steam shows to show the vehicles and have fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andym Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 Just back from two days as a visitor - the stalls seemed a bit down on last year (lots of what could politely be called "bric-a-brac") and there's a distinct shortage of heavy armour with the notable exception of Andy Baker's Challenger 1. Still good fun though, and yes - 35 degrees on the car thermometer this afternoon! Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.303fan Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 Pictures are welcome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB1944 Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 Just got back today from 2 day visit. I found that the lack of traders was very disappointing, i estimate down by a third on previous years. Many of the stall holders were complaining at the extortionate charges and saying they would be looking at whether it was worth attending next year in view of the shrinking number of stallholders. As regards members of the public attending there did not seem to be a great number either yesterday or today. Looking around the vehicle fields there was vey little armour compared to years gone by, and very few British vehicles if Land Rovers are excluded. All in all I think that our "friend" is doing a fine job of running a once great show into the ground. I for one will not be returning until there is a change of ownership. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv1609 Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 Enjoying the show, no problems encountered other than the heat & hay fever but I can't blame anyone for that. Some interesting documents unearthed DCIs, EMERs etc Only picture I've got is this one that I have just taken of our radio group. Masts supporting aerials for various HF bands, the exception is my 3 element working quite well on 4 metres (70 MHz) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surveyor Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 Unfortunately cant make it for 2 reasons, picked up 2 jobs which if pans out means can indulge my hobby of military vehicles Hate to ask If anyone sees a Clarks PU 12 Halyard can they ask the seller to give me a shout? Richard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rnixartillery Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 14 hours ago, MB1944 said: Just got back today from 2 day visit. I found that the lack of traders was very disappointing, i estimate down by a third on previous years. Many of the stall holders were complaining at the extortionate charges and saying they would be looking at whether it was worth attending next year in view of the shrinking number of stallholders. As regards members of the public attending there did not seem to be a great number either yesterday or today. Looking around the vehicle fields there was vey little armour compared to years gone by, and very few British vehicles if Land Rovers are excluded. All in all I think that our "friend" is doing a fine job of running a once great show into the ground. I for one will not be returning until there is a change of ownership. I couldn't agree more, this show is well past its best . A real shame............. Rob.......rnixartillery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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