Euro 2015 - and RP Models

[Adrian Cowdry]

My point about Folkestone being convenient for European traders/modellers is because if travelling to the UK it is a mere hop over in the tunnel or train - I do take into account anyone coming up from the further reaches of Europe - but flying is cheap - £60 return from Italy. Easy Jet is a good friend, Hugo Periera came into Gatwick. So I imagine there is a mix of drivers and flyers.

For someone to get from say Birmingham or Liverpool it's a trek in a car and our trains are not exactly cheap.

That really is my point.

But as long as you don't mind spending your petrol etc and you get enjoyment then fine - do you bring your family? I don't because it would bore them but some do - a pensioner can't necessarily spend £70 on petrol - I know there are concessions but I feel £10 when you compare Telford and even Hornchurch Euro is perhaps snobbishly over priced. And if I were a trader I could not afford to attend...Traders when attending Euro must in some way have gaurantees of selling - probaly pre sales - certainly a few on PF announced their new releases and low and behold sold at Euro. But they could just as well have sold via the net.If you observe the show - I suspect many dealers trade and exchange - dropping off wares to dealers in this country and picking up to sell abroad. Otherwise for a trader to come from Spain and set up for the weekend with a car load of gear (or suitcases) would be economically non viable. Even if 10% of the punters bought one model from each dealer it still would not be a great profit maker.

I am just airing my opinions - I don't want to appear to set the cat among the pigeons.

For me as I say - airing my opinion Euro is over priced - I would begrudge £2.00 for a packet of nuts, I wouldn't entertain the cafe food which is over priced - it's a matter of principal.

 

[Adrian Cowdry]

Ian

Ellies miniatures are superb and you have illustrated what is wrong with Euro - your figures are superb and at the premier figure show in the UK you cannot be expected to do reasonable trade at that exhorbitant cost of a table - if the cost was down the traders would still be there...at £300 plus travel and accomodation you need to sell a lot of units to start into profit. If the traders diminish all that will be left are the show pieces - no traders paying for the venue then iot will be entrance fees to cover the venue - £20 entrance fee - £30? If Pegaso didn't attend the centre piece has gone.

You tell me Ian - how many punters were there in total - lucky to have had 2000-3000 - when I left I would have said 600 max - at £300 plus for a table that is not enough punters through the door.

 

[Babelfish]

My point about Folkestone being convenient for European traders/modellers is because if travelling to the UK it is a mere hop over in the tunnel or train

Absolutely right, it is a "mere hop" from Europe - once you have arrived at the Calais ferry port terminal or the Eurotunnel terminus and paid your fare for the crossing. Pegaso I know do not fly over, they drive over because they have way too much stock and their custom stand to haul along. Hugo and Nino flew in as you say - then had to drive down from Gatwick in a hire car. Which is roughly the same amount of travel involved as for a regular punter from somewhere like Basingstoke or Rickmansworth except that the latter don't have to hire a car or buy an airline ticket (not even a budget one ). I also think I'm right in saying that the only "stock" they brought with them was the master of their forthcoming new Goblin piece, which was displayed on the SK Miniatures stand. So for that reason, flying was an easy & viable option for them.

I do take into account anyone coming up from the further reaches of Europe - but flying is cheap - £60 return from Italy. Easy Jet is a good friend,

Sixty quid by Easyjet. So flying from Italy can cost the same as it costs in petrol for a return trip from Derby. Which is great - except that the guy travelling down from Derby doesn't have to worry about the cost of hire cars, trains or taxis to & from airports, doesn't have to worry about baggage weight limits, doesn't have to sit in a waiting room for an hour or more before he sets off, doesn't have to worry about needing to be in a certain place by a certain time ... etc.

I agree that Birmingham or Liverpool involve a "a trek". But then so do Lisbon, Düsseldorf, Warsaw, Siena etc - whichever way you slice it. Most of them more so.

Seems we agree about table prices but not on geography. I'll have to leave it now though. Too much to do.

- Steve

 

[Babelfish]

Quick final question Adrian: Are you intending going next year?

- Steve

 

[ellie]

Hi Adrian

Thanks for the kind words, we along with others thought it was a bit flat, it was better on the Sunday as far as we were concerned. I can only say how we saw it. I was talking to a couple of Spanish guys who were disappointed with the turn out and they said they would have to think weather it was good to do the show again. so a lot of talk not all good. but will they listen I think not as I said in my post we hope things will change but they never do.

we will do the small shows, and maybe one or two on the continent next year but will be giving Euro a miss as a trader but will be their as a punter.

Cheers

Ian

www.elliesminiatures.com

 

[Nap]

Hi Guys ,

Totally agree with Ian's comments and for his reasoning in not attending next year ....the smaller and up and coming traders want to support but are being priced out with the costs .

The show has changed immensely sometimes not all for good , empty floor spaces seen etc, these brave guys who trade have a big outlay even before they sell a thing .

I will always support the smaller trader when possible and however possible.

My comment to the organising team ...REDUCE the TRADER COSTS or they will not be there

Nap

 

[Uruk-Hai]

One thing that is important for attendence is the quality of the hotels in Folkestone.

This year we stayed at the Salisbury and it was the worst hotel I ever stayed at, nor only in Folkestone alone but ever and everywhere. Thing like this will put people off from going. Especially since there now are quite a few other shows all over Europe. Its strange that the locals does not address this factor as it affect them as well if having some income on visitors, like stores, pubs, restuarant, taxis etc.

More vendors will certainly atract more visitors especially if they sell things that are hard to get otherwise or few possibilities to see in real life.

That being said, its always the people, old and new friends, fantastic models and trade stands altogether that makes it such a nice experience.

Cheers
Janne Nilsson

 

[Nap]

Janne ,

Great to talk to you my friend ...you hit the nail on the head ...we were at the Carlton ..well..that was not good either ...to say the least

The hotels need all updating especially with all the events at the Leas

Happy modelling mate

Nap

 

[gforceman]

Gino
That is very interesting - no entry fees - in the UK I don't think that possible - all the venues have to be charged.

I am going to ask here - if I could organise a cheaper alternative at a good venue would you as a punter or trader be interested?

Hi Adrian,

due to health problems it's impossible for me to travel as far as the U.K. There is a chance though that I can get a lift next year, so I might be able to attend Euro for 1 day. Over here in Belgium we get our money through publicity for (attending) traders, entry money in the competitions (which is never more then 1.5 euro's a piece and often you get the 3rd or 5th entry for free), a rafle, selling meals, etc... We also have the cost of hiring a venue, insurance, etc... but we manage to get the money through other source. Most shows also have one or more special guests who do demo's and who need to get paid too! Oh, and many shows are only 1 day shows, so we attract more visitors from further aways as they don't need to pay for an hotel etc and they want to enter in the competition. I'm not saying this is THE way to organise modelling events, but several shows are 20+ years old.

Cheers,

Gino

 

[gforceman]

I think there's one BIG problem : Euro is organised by a company which wants to make profits? here it are the modelling clubs themselves who organise their shows. Although, some profit is always nice most are happy to be able to break even. Maybe Euro has become too commercial and focuse too much on making money instead than on the hobby. Surely something to think about I think.

Cheers,

Gino

 

[Colin_Fraser]

Interesting you guys are talking value for money and focussing on traders rather than talking about the show. I would gladly pay double the asking price of ten quid just to see the competition for two hours given the quality, even if the only trader was a little girl selling lemonade. I guess you are spoiled for choice. In my neck of the woods one goes to Chicago or MFCA to see decent work and both are a day's drive with a significant cost in travel and accomodation. Our local shows are all IPMS format or toy soldier focused and IMO are not really worth the price of admission or time expenditure to spend a day there if you are a figure modeller.

Just an outsider's view for context.

 

[Nige]

A few thoughts of my own on Euro. Takes a long time for us to reach there from the North of Scotland at some expense and the thing that has struck me the most over the past few years is that with dwindling traders, less punters, less spectacle and fluctuating entries is does Euro even justify being a 2 day show anymore.

Have to say I have a great deal of sympathy for our traders simply because IMO there appeared to be a pretty poor turnout of customers for them to sell to. Compare the heady days of a few years ago (with cheaper entry prices and cheaper tables) where you had to squeeze down the aisles between trader stands and sweaty bodies to this years relatively easy browsing - and its plain to see that the show is sagging slowly but surely. Far less traders than there used to be.

The competition is still exciting and extremely high quality (mind blowing in fact) but no matter how the organisers dress it up I can still remember when every bit of space in the competition room was taken including extra little side tables.

Hotels - Is there a decent hotel actually in Folkestone ? I've stayed at a few - Rhodesia house x 4, Westward x1, Shakespeare x2, Clifton x2 and a few others that I can't even remember the names of and all of them are instantly forgettable. (If anyone is thinking of upgrading to the Clifton BTW save your money - there may be a little less wallpaper peeling off the wall but in reality its as bad as the others )

Will I go again - probably - It is still good meeting up with old friends and other like mindeds - though Mrs Nige is of the opinion that we should maybe try other ones including those on the continent - we are open to suggestions there.
Would I miss Euro it if it stopped - I used to think I would until I took a break from the hobby for more years than I should have and the short answer is I didn't. Other shows are sprouting up and appear to be gaining popularity all the time and that should serve as a reminder to the organisers of Euro that they shouldn't get complacent.

 

[Babelfish]

Hotels - Is there a decent hotel actually in Folkestone ? I've stayed at a few - Rhodesia house x 4, Westward x1, Shakespeare x2, Clifton x2 and a few others that I can't even remember the names of and all of them are instantly forgettable. (If anyone is thinking of upgrading to the Clifton BTW save your money - there may be a little less wallpaper peeling off the wall but in reality its as bad as the others

Not sure I agree about the Clifton, Nige. I think that it's about the best hotel in that part of Folkestone.

That's not to say that it's not living off former glories (it was probably the last word in luxury and sophistication in 1910) or that it doesn't have delusions of grandeur way above its station. But in comparison to the others you mention, at least the rooms & en suite showers are clean, the toilets flush properly, the ceilings don't leak etc. And when I arrived this year, it struck me that my room (I've booked the same room every year for the past few years) had seen the business end of a paintbrush since my previous visit in 2014, and I got the impression that the whole place had been spruced up a bit - albeit without having had any sort of "wow-factor" major facelift.

There are some proper flea-pits in and around the Leas (I stayed in the Southcliffe myself one year, and I've been inside a couple of others) but by comparison the Clifton is OK I think.

But I agree with your general point that the standard of accommodation around that area is pretty shoddy on the whole.

- Steve

 

[Nige]

Oh it's probably the best of a bad bunch Steve but at extra expense - it is slightly less of a flea pit. Service in the breakfast room was crap for this year anyway - its actually been better in some of the flea pits - and to be honest I've stayed in 5 star for the prices that the cliffy charges. (In one of my stays at the Shakespeare the roof actually fell onto my suitcase beside the bed after a nights rain . Maybe the organisers should consider moving to a completely different area if the locale isn't offering value for money ?

 

[Babelfish]

You are right about the breakfast service Nige, we noticed that as well.

On all three mornings our 'full English' was only luke warm, but Sunday morning was particularly bad. The little bloke in charge of the dining room (can't think of his name - 'cockney geezer' accent, looks like cross between an Italian wine waiter and Parker out of 'Thunderbirds' - you know the one) was nowhere to be seen until about 9 o'clock and up until then, chaos reigned. It took them 40 minutes to finally bring us our food. We ordered it at just after 8:30 and it was 9:10 before we got it ('Parker' having returned to sort things out). They did bring us our pots of tea more quickly - but no cups & saucers, so we had to go chasing after those! Piss-poor service by any standards that.

The service in there is usually okay, but this year it seemed to be characterised by mind-boggling ineptitude all round. The lads serving in there last year had all either left or been "promoted" to the front desk this year, and their successors were - frankly - rubbish.

- Steve

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Well at Mondays breakfast they did not have real glases for the juice, they had disposable glases that clearly had been washed?

Cheers
Janne Nilsson

 

[Babelfish]

Mine was a real glass Janne.

- Steve

 

[Nige]

Bang on about Sunday Steve. Glad it wasn't just us lol ! Wife waited 35 mins for her brekkie and when it arrived it was stone cold. She just left it and walked out. I just wanted a croissant so I was OK If this is the best that Folkestone has to offer then its got problems. The town itself was also dead on Saturday night - as was the Clifton and that is the place where most used to meet up for a few.

 

[Uruk-Hai]

I should have specified, I was talking about the Salisbury.

Cheers
Janne Nilsson

 

[Babelfish]

Ah okay Janne. Crossed wires there mate.

- Steve