Maybe it would be worth a contact with the IPMS, to have a Figure hall/section within the SMW Show, as there are now many more figure traders/modellers who attend...?
Just thinking out loud...?
No-one has ever stopped us Steve except for the self perceived barriers between different sectors of our hobby.
I do so enjoy pointing out that I am the only one whi does what the society espouses.....
"International Plastic Model Soldiers".
I know, I know it's the International Plane Making Society
at the moment to most people, but only because we let them.
There's plenty of figures at shows to represent us, but hey, we should remember there's far more planes boats cars tanks etc ever sold than figs...It's us that send out signals of elitism to the kitbashing lads.
I personally would want all Modelling brought together with no barriers, we can all use each others techniques.
I only make and paint figures, but why shouldn't I paint a figure between someone building a dolls house and another soldering together a steam train, we are all miniaturists and I shall be doing that at a two day exhibition of modelmaking in Cheshire in three weeks time.
That used to happen at Northern Militaire in late September and again at the M.E.E. at the Wembly conference centre every January YEARS BEFORE Euromilitaire was ever held.
I cannot tell you how thrilling it was to travel alone aged 13 from Liverpool on an overnight coach to see this with money hoarded from Xmas.
There are many forms of show, yes it's nice to have figures only, but are we really that elitist that we can't learn from others sucess, I hope not.
Good luck to everyone that is trying to keep going with what so many of us love dearly, but I have to say it was meeting and socialisng with you guys that kept me attending, even when some of you didn't go. I still enjoyed this year, It wasn't the sane, but the 'diehards' were the same.
My hotel is still re-booked, I haven't cancelled it ...yet.
I do feel there is however little point in keeping the booking .
Happy modelling.
Paul.