ArtistsRifles Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 Hopefully this is under the right heading..... If not will one of the Mods relocate it please. Whilst talking to some one tonight on non-MV matters the topic of the Hop Farm came up and I was told that the current owners were selling out to a Butlins type consortium in 2009 and this will be the last year any events are held there... The new owners apparently will be setting up as a holiday village with either cabins or static vans in the event fields Any one else heard this?? Or have they got their wires crossed???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 No it has been mentioned before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmite!! Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 I believe they already have planning permission for 64 Chalets.. not sure if they have gone up yet... anyone local know :dunno: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmite!! Posted January 8, 2008 Share Posted January 8, 2008 1.3.3 The Hop Farm, East Peckham – The Hop Farm was taken over from Whitbread in 1997. Since then visitor numbers have increased from 60,000 to over 500,000 per annum. Recently planning permission was granted and, for the first time since it was a working ‘hop farm’, permanent accommodation will be offered to visitors, with the construction of 64 chalets due to start in 2007/08. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cripp Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 The log cabin type chalets are supposed to be going up this year. My brother's firm have priced the job of finishing the woodwork. Whether it actually goes ahead is another thing. :dunno: I believe the area they will be going along with a conference centre is to the left of the main entrance which won't really affect any of the show area. There has been a lot of talk about the W&P show ending but they must make a huge profit from this show alone not counting all the other shows they have throughout the year. I heard that the profit from W&P used to pay for the running of the hop farm for the rest of the year. I hope it continues. Mark :modpwr: may have more info as he's fairly close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
da bomb Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 Does that mean there will be "Redcoats" at W&P 2009!! :rofl: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lightweight Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 That would be good - we could have the battle re-enactment, then the armour, and then the knobbly knees competition in the arena! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 I too believe this to be true, the local rumour is Butlins is involved and 2008 is the last show, War and Peace may I stress may move to Thetford where I believe the Royal Tank Museum is with 25,000 acres to play with, now whether this is correct I do not know but it is a very strong rumour hereabouts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marmite!! Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 Butlins say NO Hi Lee Thanks for your recent email. We are not opening any new camps. I hope this information is useful. If you require any further assistance, please do not hesitate to call me on the number below. Please ensure that you include any previous correspondence as this will enable us to answer your enquiry more efficiently Alternatively, you can email us: butlins.holidays@bourne-leisure.co.uk or visit our frequently asked questions page for everyday enquiries. Kind Regards, Jo Butlins Email Advisor 01442 203057 ext 6452 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony B Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 OH goody, thetford! I'll be going back then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Markheliops Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 I have heard the 2008 show may well be the last W+P at The Hop Farm - More likely due to the fact the main show organisers are stepping down after the 2008 show. We shall wait and see but it's worth remembering the majority of the Hop Farm's income is from all the events which are staged on the land. It would be a brave man to try and equal the revenue gained from ALL the events at the farm by doing something else. It may well be the case that the show organisers, move W+P to another site. Markheliops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted January 9, 2008 Author Share Posted January 9, 2008 I sincerely hope Lee's right and the show continues where it is. However I was told a Butlins type bunch as opposed to specifically Butlins. I guess if it moves to Thetford at least those of us North of theThames will be spared the Dartford crossing and thus swelling the coffers of the French owners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rambo1969 Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 I was told that they are building holiday homes where the stall holders are and that the stalls would be moved to where the re-enactors normally are. Last year they started using a field at the back off the hop farm for the first time, maybe in preperation for this year?. To be honest it's all speculation, the only one who can confirm/deny this is rex, and would he tell the truth?. To be honest, I would not be bothered if w+p closed, as long as another week long show took it's place. I think it's a p*ss take charging MV owners to attend w+p anyway. If a show want's to charge MV owners and operate as a money making show then the facilities must be perfect, and at w+p there not. On the w+p website they are saying that they know about the problems with the toilets and have a different supplier this year, they say the same thing every year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great War truck Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 There is too much money involved at W&P to let it die off. The owners of the site would be idiots to cancel the event for the future. However, if they did i am sure that someone else would be delighted to pick up the torch and find a different venue. Actually it might be a good thing. Maybe even better toilets, but Rex set a precedent with the charging of vehicles for access, so i dont expect that to go away. Tim (too) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny666 Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 well when i was there this year we were talking to some of the staff and we were told that rex has signed another 10 year contract with the new owners to continue the show and run it for another 10 years, so i dont know but the holiday homes will just make more money for the hop farm so it makes sense to build some and it also makes sense to keep the showing going. also the guy who heads up the company who have bought it is as mad about military vehicles as we are (yet again so i am told) so he wont be stopping it, i think its the rumor mill stirring again, like last years with the that been the last one which turned out to be wrong so in my eyes its just the rumor mill yet again stirring back to life, plus paying for entry to the show i dont think is bad because look at what you get, i dont mind paying it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rambo1969 Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 Remember this johnathon, without us mv owners, there would be no show. If you are paying to go to a show then the facilities must be perfect, after all, if you go to a camp site you would expect first class toilets and showers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashley Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 Remember this johnathon, without us mv owners, there would be no show. If you are paying to go to a show then the facilities must be perfect, after all, if you go to a camp site you would expect first class toilets and showers. I would agree with the above entirely, but as we`ve put up with it for so long i don`t really see the circumstances changing in the foreseeable future. I am also tend to think the individuals will suffer like my self who travel alone to the show (with/without a support vehicle ) for me, it is my selfish owntime away and with more shows than i could ever attend starting to post out their flyer's in the next couple of years something will have to give. Ashley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny666 Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 Remember this johnathon, without us mv owners, there would be no show. If you are paying to go to a show then the facilities must be perfect, after all, if you go to a camp site you would expect first class toilets and showers. i am not forgetting that fact but i have been to campsites and paid more than at the war and peace and got worse toilets showers etc, but i also look at it this way i would rather pay alittle to keep it going because lets face it, its the best and biggest show in the world that something i think if it takes us to pay alittle to keep that going then i am not gunna complain, i have been to shows where i have paid nothing and not got treated half as good as you do at the war and peace because some show organisers have no idea what they are dealing with, where clearly the war and peace has. but getting back to the point i was making the show wont close after this year it makes really really bad business sense Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted January 9, 2008 Share Posted January 9, 2008 also the guy who heads up the company who have bought it is as mad about military vehicles as we are (yet again so i am told) so he wont be stopping it, The guy who HEADS the company is just that a figurehead, voice, spokesperson call it what you like, he joined the IMPS at the show as it was good PR, and what is £25.00 compared to "18,000,000. The company that owns the Hop Farm is a buisness and they are out to make as much money as they can by whatever means are available to them, and if that is building A: Holiday Camp, B: a golf course etc then they will, one show that runs for 5 days does not make enough money to keep the farm going. I for one do not want a holiday camp on my doorstep or another bloody golf course but if that is the way the planners/owners are going and the council say yes. :dunno: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonny666 Posted January 10, 2008 Share Posted January 10, 2008 but even so it still makes bad business sense because the weeks show must make £3million easy it has to on the public alone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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