V8CAMEL Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 The announcement on Difflock came from the very top and since Simon and Peter from that company share their website with the LRE bookshop I am pretty sure it is NOT a rumour! http://www.landroverenthusiast.com/kelmarsh.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gelf Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 i might be a bit slow here but i thought that there were no shows to be held at Billing........ hense Kelmarsh. or am i wrong? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveG Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 http://www.landroverenthusiast.com/kelmarsh.html it must be true, as we've been given the same link in the post twice!! ;) ;) Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamesm Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 I've just booked on line. Hope the show's better put together than the webshop - it was the shonkiest I've seen in ages! Too bad about Kelmarsh, eh? Couldn't have happened to a nicer mag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Henson Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 Offical http://www.landroverenthusiast.com/kelmarsh.html Haaaaaaaa,ha,ha,ha,haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, PMSL, ROFL, ICFBI, BTLRE, RGIAT, what comes around, goes around. Hope Billing improves - LRE was the mistake. Les. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 I've just booked on line. Hope the show's better put together than the webshop - it was the shonkiest I've seen in ages!Too bad about Kelmarsh, eh? Couldn't have happened to a nicer mag James! You are still alive! You've been keeping a low profile. "shonkiest" is a good word! See you at Billing! Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gelf Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 whose organising the Billing show? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 whose organising the Billing show? I think it's Les Henson and Turbocharger this year. Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbocharger Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 Yes, tis true. Hayneson and I have been working on this in secret for some months. We drafted in some rotten trees and high winds (and arranged parking beneath them), a special climbable beer tent for drunkards and built a single-tone oscillator to send a drone over the tannoy (so we don't have to pay David Bowyer). There will be a reserved camping area (with minefield boundary) for the ORRP boys so that nobody can get annoyed by their bottle rockets and custard pies, and a boat will be provided so they can row across the lake if they like. Most importantly, there's plenty of room for people to chill out and look at each other's cars, some space for clubs to advertise and vendors to peddle their wares and a square arena in the middle for someone to drive round in if they like. We supply the water and await the thirsty horses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBMUD Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 whose organising the Billing show? As I understand it this is how it went: Billing Aquadrome told LRE how much it would cost them for the usual show at the usual time. LRE thought that they were more important to Billing Aquadrome than they were and said that if the price were not lowered then they would go elsewhere. Billing Aquadrome called their bluff and so LRE went to Kelmarsh Hall and arranged a show on their lawn for the same date. Meantime, Billing Aquadrome went and touted their ability to hold a show as well as thier space on the calendar to the other mags. LRM, not knowing about Kelmarsh at this point I guess, agreed with Billing Aquadrome to hold a show there on the usual date. From then on it has been uncertain whether either show would be any good as the traders were split between the shows. Some preferred Billing Aquadrome as, IMHO, most people go to the Billing show not the LRE show and others stayed with the LRE show. Somewhere in all this David Bowyer fell out with LRE although I do not know the ins and outs of that. Whatever has been said about him, David is a genuinely nice guy and I hope that he does do the arena at Billing this year. He is genuinely enthusiastic and, while we obviously know it all, lots of people (kids and first timers) really enjoy the dispays in the areana. As I said above, I think that LRE should simply move their show to another (late summer/autumn?) date rather than throwing their toys out and having a tantrum. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
headhunter Posted January 23, 2007 Author Share Posted January 23, 2007 At least I/we can get off the fence now, as to which show to not attend. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 Following on from Chris.... There was a meeting of the traders at Billing in November. I went along with Northern Chris (mostly for the free lunch to be honest!). At the start of the meeting, confusion reigned, but I reckon more people were erring towards Kelmarsh because of the security & toilet issues with Billing. The general consensus was that there could not be two shows the same weekend - that was damaging to everyone. Since the two mags were not going to sort it out, the traders should do something. Several different suggestions were aired to try to force one of their hands but the one which was most likely to succeed was suggested by David Bowyer. It appeared that Billing was booked most weekends this year and there was little scope to change the date. Kelmarsh on the other hand had several weeks clear on either side. David suggested (and only because Kelmarsh has the flexibility) that all the traders say to LRE that they will support Kelmarsh, but only if the date is changed. If LRE would not play, the majority would go with LRM. This was the cause of the falling out between David & Richard. I would say however that David, to his credit, did not diss LRE or Richard in any way and in fact what he suggested was to the benefit of both parties. Characteristically, Mr Green had a bit of a wobbly. He refused to budge and instead entrenched his position. The door is still open if Mr Green wants to run an event at a different time - but that's his call. I think he's determined to fall on his sword though. LRM for their part have said they will do their best to improve the problems that have dogged the Billing site for years. David B is going to be doing his thing in the arena, but not full time (so he can spend more time on his stand). There will be an RTI ramp and a few other attractions which sound good (to me anyway). There is a high level of optimism amongst the traders that this will be a good show - and I for one am looking forward to it! Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Henson Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 Thanks for that Si. Seems to me that Richard Greens stubborness has always been the problem with LRE, does he own the company or something? Couldn't LRE sack him or vote him out? I can't imagine that the likes of James Taylor are happy with the way things have been lately. Les. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigSi110 Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 This will be my first ever Billing show. I was bitterly disappointed when two shows appeared for the same weekend as I didn't want to miss out on anything. I accept the problems Billing has had and sincerely hope they're either not there anymore, or that they don't spoil my enjoyment. The infighting this seems to have created is both highly negative and destructive but also bucks the notion of a caring and considerate Land Rover community. What an absolute shame! It has been suggested (on another forum...) that a common mega-show is the only way forward where we can all meet and have a good time. No fighting, competition or negativity. It seems highly unlikely though. I'm really looking forward to Billing. I'm taking a (semi) open wallet and a (very) open mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4.6v8lwt Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 Having been to every show at Billing except one,the changes over the years have been to the shows detriment. As a senior club member we decided to poll our members and the result was to go to Kelmarsh. As everyone was of the same opinion that things at Billing Aquadrome were just getting worse, and here was the chance for everyone to benefit and improve things. I must say that i am dismayed that all the traders and visitors who have been shouting and complaining about Billing for a number of years are not prepared to stand by what they have said and want to go back to the same place with exactly the same poor facilities,overcrowding etc. Heres hoping that it dosnt come and bit them all in the a**e. The one thing that has not been mentioned is how much longer can Billing be used to host shows with the continual increase in static caravans,there will be adequete facilities when theres just one field with a arena and a few "special" traders with everyone else being walk in visitors. As there is only one show that weekend we will be going to Billing, all i can say is we will just wait and see wether things improve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 When this whole thing blew up, I was of the same opinion - Kelmarsh was worth supporting because Billing had never really addressed any of the issues that dogged it. I have been to every Billing so far - the last one as a trader. I was however persuaded by the attitude of Billings new owners and LRM. Here is why..... As I may have mentioned before, Billing only ever supplied the brick built toilets & showers and their own small security team. Anything additional was the responsibility of the show organiser. LRE were very quick to blame Billing for the problems (as they did loudly in the mag and in mailshots), but any solution always was down to LRE. The thing that stopped it happening? Cost. Cost also seems to have been the reason for the move to Kelmarsh - and as such I was not so convinced they would do better on the whole toilet & shower front. Billings current owners showed us the detail on the number of pitches available on the site over the past 10 years or so. There has been a decline, but if they are to be believed, it is not that huge. The intention was to use the fields over the bridge (by the off road course) as overspill when necessary. The field owner has built toilets etc to caravan club standards. If you add these into the equation, there are more pitches available than at the first Billing show. Why did LRE not use this space? You guessed it - Cost! Why pay the farmer for space when you can pack them all into Billing. It may be that LRM will be just as cost sensitive and the problems will remain - but the attitude they have taken so far gave me enough confidence to back them. It may come to bite us in the bum - only time will tell. Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 The infighting this seems to have created is both highly negative and destructive but also bucks the notion of a caring and considerate Land Rover community. What an absolute shame! This always happens when money is involved. Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G_Cam Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 I'm really looking forward to Billing. I'm taking a (semi) open wallet and a (very) open mind. I'd...watch that wallet of yours or the... Local Pikies will avit.......! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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