LoggyDriver Posted August 1, 2009 Author Share Posted August 1, 2009 I happen to know the contractor who supplied the toilets this year, as the decision was taken not to renew with the previous lot. I warned the new guy what our expectations were and what the actuality of usage would be. His original brief had been very misleading as he thought the toilets would only be used from the public open days, at the time of the tender he had not been told MVers would be on site early and expecting to use them. Originally he not even been expecting to have to service them every day.:sweat: I will not divulge his contact details, but safe to say he provided a level of service which reflected the considerably reduced fee he was paid - being in the "business" he also knew very well what the previous contactor was paid and therefore that on the reduced budget this year neither he nor the previous guy was ever going to be able to repeat last year's standards. Surely he has to provide a service, regardless of cost, that complies with the relevent Health and Safty laws in force? Those toilets (the ones I used) were blatently a health hazzard and as such laws were broken. As he is the contractor providing the service, then it is up to him to stay within the law, if he can't provide the service for the money on offer legaly, then he should have declined the contract. The refuse collections were good, but the standard of service provided by the toilet contractor was non existant. I hope he has got the contract next year and leaves the toilets in the same state, as next time I will be armed with the contact details of Kent Environmental Health and will be demanding their pressence. Also I will be taking pictures and sending them to the Kent Messanger to see what they can make of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoggyDriver Posted August 1, 2009 Author Share Posted August 1, 2009 The mayhem is the same every year & yes we all moan about it, it's just part of what makes up the W&P show.. but at the end of the day you make your own entertainment & all that just fades into the background.. the one thing that has changed this year is the amount of civy stuff passing as MV's, stick a UN or KFOR sticker (even a Redcross) on anything and you're in.. caravans, I suppose that's a sign of the times, all the folk that started going years ago are now a little bit older & want a bit more comfort.. there was even a motorhome in a WW2 display, didn't get what all that was about (Wayne will have sleepless nights over that one) As I said everyone moans every year but nearly all will be back next year... where else can you break down in a tracked MV, pick up a spare engine, have a crane on standby & change the engine in the field?? I wouldn't miss it for the world... So why can't the "management" make sure that all the civvy stuff is sent to a different field? It happens at other shows? This year was unbelievable regarding all the civvy stuff. It totally spoils the show. One guy opposite me was one of these guys that sticks his nose in everybodys business. He made the point that Generators were very much NOT welcome where he was (not that I had one) and yet there he was in his Caravan and civvy car. What a joke. A good mate of mine was disturbed numerous times by a group opposite that had a massive camp consisting of nothing but Caravans and civvy tents. All they had to their name was a non working quad bike. To say they came close to getting filled in was an understatement, and my mate is not one to get on the wrong side of. I know you have said all you have said about moaning and still going to the show. I'm the same, however I wouldn't call it moaning, as that implies that the concerns raised are being brushed aside, more constructive criticism. The reason people go back is because it's the only 5 day show. I'm sure that if another club or show had access to a site as big and made it into a 5 day show, then that would be a serious contender to W&P. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabre Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 The reason people go back is because it's the only 5 day show. I'm sure that if another club or show had access to a site as big and made it into a 5 day show, then that would be a serious contender to W&P. +1 additional reasons we are returning: - stalls - diversity of the show. If a small number of rules were watched over by the organisers and some facilities would have normal standard, W&P would be the perfect show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 Best way to make the point, DON'T GO! But tell the orginisers why you aren't going. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabre Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 @ the moment pros still outnumber contras Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted August 1, 2009 Share Posted August 1, 2009 You are very forgiving then! :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyFowler Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 I was very pleased with the toilet block that opened in the corner of outer Monktons next to the exit from the show on the Wednesday that it opened ! Modern clean and spacious ! Unfortuanately it soon became literally a s--thole and was unusable due to the two W/C's overflowing with raw sewage as the urinals were being used this seemed to indicate that its holding tank was full ! It stayed this way for the whole show ! I dread to think how the ladies at the show cope with these conditions ! When I have been to Great Dorset Steam Fair they have a system of urinals that are very basic but very effective and they go some way to keeping the W/C's in better condition as they get less use by the chaps ! My only other complaint is GENERATORS :argh: Why they need to run from 8:00am til on some occasions 1:00am is beyond me ! Me and Dave have a fridge,lighting,cooker,and oven working for 7 days with just gas,parrafin and one 12volt battery ! AND WHY would you have a large encampment with all your living and dining equipment at one end and a long lead going to the other end of the area with a generator in a box with its exhaust facing directly at your neighbours living area ! Selfish people in all hobbies ! Rant over ! Roll on next year ! :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabre Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 You are very forgiving then! Well, over here on the continent we don't have many possibilities when it comes to entertaining events/shows, especially when you are into UK post war stuff and not in the WWII scene (not to speak the Yankee one). Piet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lardrover Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 When I have been to Great Dorset Steam Fair they have a system of urinals that are very basic but very effective and they go some way to keeping the W/C's in better condition as they get less use by the chaps Seen this at the Pickering Steam Fair, much more convenient compared to a row of tardis toilets. Never seen them used anywhere else though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv1609 Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 GDSF used to have improvised urinals that looked much like those described in 1900 Field Service Regulations. In recent years the enclosures have centrally grouped plastic modules. Instead of staring at the wall, you find you are having to face a fellow user doing the same. For some this can be inhibiting. These installations are not illuminated after dark, so one has to operate to some degree on guesswork. They can be hazardous if they become clogged with fag ends. I know this to my cost once as I was unaware that one was on the point of overflow when I started procedures. It required a rapid exit then hobbling back to base for an extensive body wash & a change of clothes. It rather put a damper on the evenings activities. So even these things are not without their shortcomings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 GDSF used to have improvised urinals that looked much like those described in 1900 Field Service Regulations. Clive, I well remember back in the Stourpaine days at GDSF, they had what was like a big portable shed parked over a large hole in the ground, a bit disconcerting when using it, because of the delay before hearing the s**t hit the bottom :-D. H&S put paid to that sort of thing. Another classic one was many years ago at the Air Fair when it was held at Greenham Common airbase ( before the missiles were there ), the Gents was a large circular hessian screen, there was a queue to get in, once in you were confronted with a large hole in the ground and everyone standing around it, some desperate guy ran in, and had to be grabbed from falling in :shake: Things have improved, but it is how people treat the facilities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonylightweight Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 at the end of the day its a military show have a dump in a plastic bag and take it home or chuck it in a bin and burn it just keep away from the curries Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv1609 Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 desperate guy ran in, and had to be grabbed from falling in :shake: yes well you should be more careful :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 yes well you should be more careful :-D Was not me, I hasten to add, you should have seen the look on the guys face :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonsfotos Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 I have been following this htread ever since it started and am quite frankly amazed that the loos at W&P are like this. In this day and age we are supposed to be hygenic for goodness sake and there is no excuse whatsoever for the organisers of ANY event, no matter how large or small, to treat the people who pay (often large sums of money) to attend their event in this way. Before anyone gets on their high horse with me, no I haven't attended W&P. However, I do attends events all over the country, aviation and military vehicle, and never come across this sort of treatment at any of those in a great many years. Some of those events have upwards of 20,000 people per day attending, some in fact many thousands more than that. So, for something billing itself as the largest event of its kind to still be in the dark ages when it comes to basic hygene is beyond me and I fail to understand how some people can ignore it or even condone it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HotBed Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 glastonbury had some similer bogs as richard described, big hole, and a frame work of slam doors around it from memory it was a 2 second drop :shocked: before a splash, someone fell in and had to be dragged out buy the fire brigade, that was in 1997, a very wet weekend :-D regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Degsy Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 A number of people advocate taking your own portaloo or hiring a tardis. A cynic such as me would suggest that is exactly what they want you to do, thereby reducing costs even further. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Farrant Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 A number of people advocate taking your own portaloo or hiring a tardis. Our group has been doing this for years, when you number 12 to 15, the cost is acceptable for a week, no queing or hiking across the site and you know it is clean, just remember to lock it as everyone will be in there. No different to those bringing caravans using their own facilities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmite!! Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 A number of people advocate taking your own portaloo or hiring a tardis.A cynic such as me would suggest that is exactly what they want you to do, thereby reducing costs even further. They have to have x-amount in place for the Public... they have the same amount of toilets each year.. the toilets when delivered are steam cleaned & spotless, within a day they are starting to get in a state, not from public, the exhibitors themselves messing them up.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fv1609 Posted August 2, 2009 Share Posted August 2, 2009 A number of people advocate taking your own portaloo Even if the loos were A1, I would still take my own. The effort of getting dressed to make an expedition in the middle of the night, when it might even be raining is just too much to contemplate, especially at my age. Not to mention the sense of reassurance that it is only you who uses the facility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Degsy Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 They have to have x-amount in place for the Public... they have the same amount of toilets each year.. the toilets when delivered are steam cleaned & spotless, within a day they are starting to get in a state, not from public, the exhibitors themselves messing them up.. Rex has been qouted more than once ' There will be more toilets next year', it appears next year never comes and it was stated in a previous post that the number had been reduced this year. At large shows I have been involved with the contractor is on site for the duration of the show and even for small events services the units at least once per day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maverick Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 Regarding the toilets I have two comments, the first is that Rex doesn't have control of the contactor, he is hired and fired by the hop farm owner and this year the owner changed the contractor and cut the budget, as did the new owner with other things he was supposed to supply to the show. Secondly if morons used the toilet correctly and had respect for other users then they wouldnt be in such a mess half the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LoggyDriver Posted August 3, 2009 Author Share Posted August 3, 2009 A mate of mine went into the toilets we were using (the notorious Monktons field ones) and did his business. On exit a foreign gentleman proceded to use the one my mate just used. As my mate was washing his hands, the door flew open and the said gentleman proceded to do his business with the door wide open as he couldn't take the smell.:rofl: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rambo1969 Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 The whole toilets facilities were a disgrace this year!! I have tried twice to post a full story on the toilets but keep getting logged out, will try again tommorow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willyslancs Posted August 3, 2009 Share Posted August 3, 2009 8 pages about bloody toilets !:rofl: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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