Stoneleigh and Newark Shows 2022

[Strat Fan]

They’re getting greedy on the entry fee I think.

It's an ever decreasing spiral I fear.
Traditionally they would cover the cost of hiring the venue and hosting the event by selling floor space to the exhibitors and then maybe turn this into profit by selling tickets to the visitors/foot traffic who visit the show.
Nowadays there are considerably less exhibitors and the show is smaller so to balance the (no doubt escalating) venue costs they then have to use the visitors entrance fee instead of selling the exhibitor stand space to help cover the cost of hosting the event.
The lower the attendance and number of exhibitors one year then the higher the ticket price has to be the following year just to break even. The irony being that it therefore now costs the public more to gain entrance to see a much smaller show....

[Normb666]

Craig, you're right, but what else can they do? At least they're still making the effort. And a fiver's not much for a day out....in fact I always used to wonder how they managed to make it work, letting so many in for free. I guess we'll soon see if it's a show that can continue to sustain itself. But we also had this discussion pre-covid when they were looking at resurrecting Newark in 2020, wondering if having two shows would split the exhibitors and public between them, rather than everyone attending both. I expect they must have run the figures and they think they can make it work, rather than just jumping in with a large dollop of hope? Or maybe that's just me being optimistic!

[renmure]

It just occurred to me that I've visited the Newark Show way (way, way) back in 2001 on my way down to Centre Parcs in Elveden for a weekend. I guess it must have been on the main road because I'd no idea it was on and only saw a sign for it as I was passing by. I remember nothing about it other than Robin Hoods seemed pretty cool.

[Strat Fan]

I'm not saying they are wrong for trying it's just a reflection of the times we live in. From my experience though the organisers could be a bit more proactive in inviting/encouraging exhibitors to attend.
I know the people who ran Newark previously struggled to break even which then lead to its demise.
The event clashed with LeMans or another major event and it subsequently only took a bad weather forecast to put visitors off & the organisers then find themselves on the wrong side of breaking even.

[Stratos Fear]

I'm inclined to agree with Norm - I really dont think a fiver is a lot of money to get into the show with a kitcar (or even a Stratos replica!) - and even £15 quid isnt bad these days for non-kitcar attendees.. The Goodwood FoS - although hardly a straight comparison - is around £70 . I applaud the effort of Grosvenor shows for trying to make it work - but if they cant make it work what are the alternatives ?

[ProtoTipo]

Nowadays there are considerably less exhibitors and the show is smaller so to balance the (no doubt escalating) venue costs they then have to use the visitors entrance fee instead of selling the exhibitor stand space to help cover the cost of hosting the event.

Are you going to have a stand at either show Craig?

[Strat Fan]

Are you going to have a stand at either show Craig?

I see what you are trying to say Chris.
In our current situation however it seems unlikely that we will have a stand at either Stoneleigh or Newark this year.
From our perspective it seems rather futile for us to have a stand at either event to promote a product which at the time of the shows we won't actually be able to take any orders for.
I think it would be very frustrating for both parties to spend 20 minutes talking to a customer about the car to then turn around and tell them that the order book is currently closed and we can't take their order anyway.
It was our intention to participate in the Newark event last year but it then got cancelled due to the uncertainty of Covid.

[Guy Mayers]

I fully support Craig’s reasoning. Gerry will be attending and maybe taking orders but with minimal deposits and customers understanding he has a 2 year waiting list for most models. I think the ally cars may be on a shorter lead time.

After 2 years of Covid restrictions there are a lot of potential customers out there wanting to spend but the bigger manufacturers have full order books and don’t need to attend.

if this goes on for another year and the show generates losses the organisers aren’t going to risk it again.

So once current orders are filled there’ll be now more shows to promote kits at and we’ll be reliant on magazines, clubs and manufacturers websites. But with no more big kit car gatherings will the market shrink further? I don’t know. Does anyone know what the future holds?

[ProtoTipo]

I see what you are trying to say Chris.

I wasn't "trying" to say anything Craig, but I'm interested in your viewpoint.
The component Stratos is booming, and therefore rather at odds with the rest of the kit car market.

More than ever, I felt that last year, the club stands reflected the yesteryear of the kit car scene.
Almost a 'classic kit car show'?

[ProtoTipo]

What's the argument against ramping up the production of Stratos replicas?
'Nobody capable to outsource to, I guess.