simonr Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 I just received the following email from LRO: Dear Sir/Madam, On behalf of the Land Rover Owner International team, I’m delighted to be able to share some exciting news about the 2013 Land Rover Owner Show with you. For next year, all of our efforts are going behind one show, the Peterborough show (September 7-8, 2013), with a simpleaim: to grow the LRO Show into the UK’s largest and most enjoyable event for Land Rover enthusiasts, and their families – bringing the world’s best-selling Land Rover magazine to life. The event at the East of England Showground is our own show, so we’re committed to evolving and improving it. We surveyed exhibitors and visitors following the 2012 LRO Show, and we’re using that feedback to drive our plans. The 2013 LRO Show will continue to be run by show organiser Live Promotions Events Ltd. We will be working more closely than ever with them, to ensure a good quality service for exhibitors and visitors. LRO will be taking control of event marketing activity, and much more closely involved in developing the show content andentertainment. We have a marketing plan to drive visitor numbers higher, and want to work with the trade to ensure we reach the widest possible audience of like-minded Land Rover enthusiasts. We’ve some exciting developments planned for the show content, and will share more details as the year progresses, but we’re very open to ideas. If you have a suggestion for how we can work together to improve the show experience, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me. To ensure we can give the Peterborough show our full attention we’ll no longer be media partners for other Land Rover events run by Live Promotions Events Ltd, including the Spring Adventure and Billing shows. With your support we can make the 2013 LRO Show a great event for the Land Rover community to be proud of. I look forward to working with you. Kind regards, Mike Goodbun Editor, Land Rover Owner International I wonder if this is the end of Billing or if someone else is going to pick it up? Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickeyw Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 I can't imagine that one of the other mags will pass the opportunity to pick this one up. The 'Billing Show' has changed hands enough times over the years. Billing as a venue, is possibly the best known for Landrover shows in the UK, and as such I feel it will always draw visitors. Of course Billing 2012 was a rather damp affair, and the date change must have mucked a lot of people up, hence the poor turnout I witnessed. From a personal perspective of a southerner, Billing is a good deal closer to home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 I doubt Live Promotions will just drop the event, even without a headline magazine, and as is said above I bet Live are trying to find a new key sponsor. I hope it does not mean that it will be left to fester and die like the Indoor and 4x4 show was, I wonder how much influence LRO had over the show anyway? I guess that by not having LRO as the key sponsor they loose a lot of coverage, and possibly footfall and then loose vendors, and we end up with more drill bit salesmen!! Jason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted November 22, 2012 Author Share Posted November 22, 2012 and we end up with more drill bit salesmen!! So, not all bad then! Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigelw Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 I don't know, Billing was and still is a great venue but I think LRO were trying to spread themselves too thinly to cover the two events and so close to one another respective of timelines. I wonder if any of the other mags will pick it up? Be amazed if they didn't but I am wondering if we as Land Rover enthusiasts are a dying breed? Lets hope that Billing is rescued by another victim for a few years to come shal we?..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingnut Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-20441866 Just as well the show was not this week. Peter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoflse Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 Well, the now defunct LRE ran Billing for a while then shot themselves in the foot by trying to run an alternative show at Kelmarsh on the same weekend. LRM also had a half hearted attempt at running the show at Billing. So I doubt if either of them will want to front Billing again. That leaves LRW, and they seem to get on well with their own show. Perhaps one of the 4x4 magazines will have a go. I don't know what the facilities are like at Peterborough, but I doubt if we'll drive down from Scotland to find out. I hope the Billing Show will live on in some shape or form. Geoff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moose Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 http://www.bbc.co.uk...nshire-20441866 Just as well the show was not this week. Peter. What it pretty much looks like that every time i have been to a show there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daan Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 Awesome offroad! I have been to peterborough... once. but have been to billing almost every year I can remember, so no guesses what I prefer. And it is not just that billing is 40 minutes up the road. This Landrover mag show war thing thats been going on is not helping anyone. I think they should just drop all their shows and let live promotions organise an independant landrover show in billing. Daan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigelw Posted November 23, 2012 Share Posted November 23, 2012 Awesome offroad! I have been to peterborough... once. but have been to billing almost every year I can remember, so no guesses what I prefer. And it is not just that billing is 40 minutes up the road. This Landrover mag show war thing thats been going on is not helping anyone. I think they should just drop all their shows and let live promotions organise an independant landrover show in billing. Daan I think it has always been a joint venture type thing where by both parties should get something back, Live host a show and the mag provides a loyal following as an audience? I don't think it is so much a show war anymore, but looking in to it from the LRO point, they were not especially happy with the way Live Promotions has handled things for their main show at Pbog, last year was a camping and club shambles, and that is something they want to avoid, it pi55es people off, and the main ring entertainment was a little silly too, BMX bikes and the likes and very little Land Rover action in the ring at all!! And most of it organised by Live not LRO, we are told that they would rather have one main show in the year and it be a cracker than two floppy ones due to poorly managed event organisation....... Shame though, but would be better for someone like Total Off Road to take it on and open it up to a wider audience IMHO? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat_pending Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 I was at the first Billing show and just about every one since, until about four years ago. The show outgrew the site at least ten years ago, it's an over developed camp site, not a show venue.Then poor organization the inability of the site to cope with the weather and the "show war" killed it for me. Peterborough is a purpose built site and has far better facilities and a better layout. Wins hands down for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoflse Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 We've been to the Billing Show every year since '97 except last year, when we couldn't make the alternative dates. We've tented, caravanned and hotelled for the weekend. For the past 3 years we've rented a static caravan from Billing Aquadrome for the show weekend. Does the Peterborough Show have that facility? I'm past my "pretend to be Bear Grylls" days!! Geoff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat_pending Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 Neither show is worth the cost of an overnight stopover, IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirtyninety Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 I was at the first Billing show and just about every one since, until about four years ago. The show outgrew the site at least ten years ago, it's an over developed camp site, not a show venue.Then poor organization the inability of the site to cope with the weather and the "show war" killed it for me. Peterborough is a purpose built site and has far better facilities and a better layout. Wins hands down for me. Neither show is worth the cost of an overnight stopover, IMO. Absolutely agree entirely with both your points. I much much prefer the East of England showground. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcc1979ian Posted November 25, 2012 Share Posted November 25, 2012 No east of england showground for 2013 though, the booking forms for 2013 came this week and its been relocated to Harrogate and Billing wasnt on the actual booking form. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted November 25, 2012 Author Share Posted November 25, 2012 No east of england showground for 2013 though, the booking forms for 2013 came this week and its been relocated to Harrogate and Billing wasnt on the actual booking form. Are you sure about that? I was given to understand that Driffield has been moved to Harrogate, Billing is no longer with LRO and Peterborough is where it always was. I could easily be wrong though. I've been to all but the very first Billing. Every one has been different, some good, some bad, good and bad weather - but always a great bunch of people. It's the only time I see a lot of old friends from the LR community. I've not given up on it yet! If there is a show, I'll be there even if it Snows! The weather has done damn near everything else - so I'd not be surprised! Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happyoldgit Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 I was at the first Billing show and just about every one since, until about four years ago. The show outgrew the site at least ten years ago, it's an over developed camp site, not a show venue.Then poor organization the inability of the site to cope with the weather and the "show war" killed it for me. Peterborough is a purpose built site and has far better facilities and a better layout. Wins hands down for me. Around the same attendance and sentiments as me then. The show outgrew Billing years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickeyw Posted November 26, 2012 Share Posted November 26, 2012 Absolutely agree entirely with both your points. Ditto The show outgrew Billing years ago. I am hesitant in agreeing with this point. A can't comment on camping facilities (re point above), but the 2012 showground was had empty spaces everywhere, hardly too big for the venue!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat_pending Posted November 27, 2012 Share Posted November 27, 2012 The empty spaces at Billing this year were probably due to traders pulling out because they couldn't make the change of date. The change of date was due to Billing flooding (again). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcc1979ian Posted December 1, 2012 Share Posted December 1, 2012 Are you sure about that? I was given to understand that Driffield has been moved to Harrogate, Billing is no longer with LRO and Peterborough is where it always was. I could easily be wrong though. I've been to all but the very first Billing. Every one has been different, some good, some bad, good and bad weather - but always a great bunch of people. It's the only time I see a lot of old friends from the LR community. I've not given up on it yet! If there is a show, I'll be there even if it Snows! The weather has done damn near everything else - so I'd not be surprised! Si oops silly me was getting mixed up with showground names there, your right enough si......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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