Cost of attending exhibitions

[Andymsa]

I thought I would see if anyone has changed how many exhibitions they will attend due to the cost of living crises.

[dagrizz]

No change here.

 

After missing out for two years because of covid, I'm going to go to as many as I want. If I stay home to save money now, what will be the next crisis to stop me enjoying the rest of my life before I peg it? 

 

Graham

 

[Rivercider]

No reduction for me. I will try to visit as many exhibitions in my local area as I can.

I have just been to Rail-Ex in Taunton this afternoon, and thoroughly enjoyed it.

 

cheers

[Wheatley]

Same, as many as I can get away with. 

 

Limit for me is travelling time rather than cost, anything up to an hour's drive is fine, beyond that it depends on what's been booked and I'll go a bit further if I can get a train without too much of a walk at the other end. I'll do Glasgow by train (from W Yorks) despite it being an 18 hour day but that's exceptional and I go for free so it's only time for me.

 

I don't drink, smoke, watch football or pay for anything on telly other than the licence so it's still cheap entertainment. 

[enginelane]

Running an exhibition after a three year layoff due to covid etc has shown that tip front costs have increased and keeping prices at same level is proving to be difficult. 

[TheSignalEngineer]

At the moment I'm having more problems due to lack of trains and congestion due to roadworks, otherwise I am going to as many as I can get to.

 

[Andy Hayter]

Very few exhibitions here in deepest rural France, so I shall attend as many as I can.  Next one is near Dijon and that is the best part of an 8 hour round trip by car for me.  Provided that fuel is available at the pumps*, I will be there.

 

* Our equivalent of rail strikes is refinery workers on strike.

[Pete the Elaner]

Cost is not a consideration for me yet.

Doing too many shows is. I live within decent distance of so many places, but that is why I chose where I live.

[TEAMYAKIMA]

As another has said, compared to going to watch football or going to the theatre, any model railway exhibition (including those like Warley) is very cheap entertainment for an enthusiast. 

[Andymsa]

1 hour ago, TEAMYAKIMA said:

As another has said, compared to going to watch football or going to the theatre, any model railway exhibition (including those like Warley) is very cheap entertainment for an enthusiast. 

comparison of events or hobbies is subjective, but if comparisons need to be made look at the price of the Dortmund intermodelbau, that’s 8 whole halls of different models. We always have seemed to pay more here in the U.K. for the bigger shows than our European modellers do, but when making such comparisons it’s for someone who is relative local to there event. Once you factor travelling costs into things then regardless of where the exhibition is it can push such costs as attending up far higher than your average person might be prepared to pay. Then of course there is the repeat factor modellers who attend a lot of shows might see the same layout at more than one show, of course it may be a layout that’s enjoyed by the modeller and likes to see it at various shows, but would it then make it good value if the same layouts go to many events. Then there is the usual scrum to see layouts, or that popular trader. I suppose the question should of been said in this way where would cut backs need to be made if either attend a exhibition or use that money towards something for the layout was the only option if money was tight. But I do fear for the future of exhibitions because as the cost of living goes up who will bear the costs of staging exhibitions, as running exhibitions at a loss is unviable.

[Gilbert]

Turning this round a bit - it is clear organisers are definitely more cost sensitive now. I've helped with a friend's layout at two recent biggish shows and in both cases we've contributed to accommodation costs rather than reduce the operating team to a minimum level - exhibiting is part of our version of the hobby. I have a number of layouts booked for shows next year and we'll certainly be mindful of what expenses we ask for so hopefully that will at least help keep their overall costs down. I do appreciate that not all exhibitors are in the same position so the whole thing needs to be sensitively managed. The dilemma discussed in recent posts on the Wigan thread is presumably not unique.

Bottom line - if we want shows to continue both visitors and exhibitors need to go....a recent 2-day show we attended seemed very poorly patronised and I do wonder how the financial picture turned out. I assume most shows can stand one bad year but probably no more than that...

Chris H

[PaulRhB]

10 hours ago, John M Upton said:

missed two shows this year due to no trains to get me there thanks to the silly rail strikes and now I have lost another show I wanted to go to on the 5th of November

 

A tad ironic with the company you work for . . .

 

10 hours ago, John M Upton said:

so I am a tad miffed...

 

Well so are those poorest paid workers who’s t&c’s stood to change and cost them £5-7k+ a year in extra travel. The anger on our area was over the t&cs meaning they could travel up to an hour in their own time to work ‘flexibly’ at other depots and mostly on nights, not pay or modernisation. 
 

I’d suggest reading up properly on what they were proposing to find out why the lowest paid were being hit so hard and reacted as they did. Too much media bs on the extremes of both sides hiding real issues. 
 

 

Anyway no it’s not affecting where i go to shows. 

[Chris M]

1 hour ago, Gilbert said:

Turning this round a bit - it is clear organisers are definitely more cost sensitive now. I've helped with a friend's layout at two recent biggish shows and in both cases we've contributed to accommodation costs rather than reduce the operating team to a minimum level - exhibiting is part of our version of the hobby. I have a number of layouts booked for shows next year and we'll certainly be mindful of what expenses we ask for so hopefully that will at least help keep their overall costs down. I do appreciate that not all exhibitors are in the same position so the whole thing needs to be sensitively managed. The dilemma discussed in recent posts on the Wigan thread is presumably not unique.

Bottom line - if we want shows to continue both visitors and exhibitors need to go....a recent 2-day show we attended seemed very poorly patronised and I do wonder how the financial picture turned out. I assume most shows can stand one bad year but probably no more than that...

Chris H

My experience of exhibiting at three recent shows differs from this. Firstly I see no evidence of exhibition managers trying to cut costs. All three shows had a lot of layouts from all over the country. Secondly, attendances appeared to be a bit mixed between ok to very good indeed. One was a bit lower than hoped, one was a lot more than expected and the third seemed to do as well as expected. In all cases the paying customers seemed very happy and from behind the layout there seemed to be a never ending supply of visitors wanting to see trains running.

To me, the exhibition scene seems to be back with a bang and doing pretty well. Long may it continue.

[Andymsa]

10 minutes ago, Chris M said:

My experience of exhibiting at three recent shows differs from this. Firstly I see no evidence of exhibition managers trying to cut costs. All three shows had a lot of layouts from all over the country. Secondly, attendances appeared to be a bit mixed between ok to very good indeed. One was a bit lower than hoped, one was a lot more than expected and the third seemed to do as well as expected. In all cases the paying customers seemed very happy and from behind the layout there seemed to be a never ending supply of visitors wanting to see trains running.

To me, the exhibition scene seems to be back with a bang and doing pretty well. Long may it continue.

 

very good news about attendance of exhibitions, but this should be tempered that’s it still early days. 

[Oldddudders]

Two shows this year, thank goodness! I suppose Taunton RMweb Day hardly counts as it is is free to members, but the content is always top-drawer. I note the organiser, Rob, is looking for funds to help the show in 2023, though, so costs have obviously shot up.

 

My other show was Stafford last month - absolute cracker! Lots of layouts, lots of trade, huge, spacious venue. Now I believe the deal with the venue is unlikely to be repeated at a similar price, which may mean space contraction, but the organisers were clearly attracting the right mix. The footfall on the Sunday seemed reasonable, but the space meant it was hard to compare to most shows, really. 

 

I am retired, have a reasonable couple of pensions, no dependants or descendants. Hard times haven't really hit me yet. 

[Talltim]

I would imagine that, apart from your local small exhibition, the cost of travel and food outweighs the entry fee.

[TheQ]

27 minutes ago, Talltim said:

I would imagine that, apart from your local small exhibition, the cost of travel and food outweighs the entry fee.

just about any show that is the case, the next show I will go it is Spalding about 90 miles each way, so at least 4 gallons of fuel, so that's around £30 the ticket to go in is £10.

 

I will go to more shows next year.. I'll have retired😀 and more of the must do's can be done during the week.

 

I think the biggest danger to shows is the cost of hall hire, especially council owned halls, as they try to make up holes in their budgets..

 

The second biggest threat is aging club membership, I know of a couple of good shows, that have gone, as the membership could no longer do the tasks needed in running a show.

 

My own club lost the use of it's big hall, so have gone to two smaller shows. In two different village halls. The loss of big crowds is compensated for by a much smaller hall charge... 

[hayfield]

My own view is at first thought, that the cost aspect of attending shows will have a minimal effect, granted for some it will be a limiting factor. But I am thinking of people of my own age, it may well be younger modellers, especially those with school age (or younger) children may decide its either too expensive or they will cut out unnecessary spending

 

It will depend greatly on the type of customers the show attracts. More importantly for the older folk it may be the fear of getting infected with covid or influenza that dictated show attendance, some are conscious of the cost fuel, I fall into the group of those who do not do many miles and have fuel efficient car, so the odd trip is not an issue

 

Things may change later once the larger energy bills arrive

[Andy Hayter]

9 hours ago, Andymsa said:

comparison of events or hobbies is subjective, but if comparisons need to be made look at the price of the Dortmund intermodelbau, that’s 8 whole halls of different models. We always have seemed to pay more here in the U.K. for the bigger shows than our European modellers do, but when making such comparisons it’s for someone who is relative local to there event. 

 

 

Be a little bit careful with making comparison with exhibitions in other countries.

 

I do not know how Intermodelbau is financed but very often shows like this are sponsored by the local authorities to some extent or another.   The theory being that local shows demonstrate to the local populace things that are available to them to join, and for bigger shows such as Dortmund, they bring in a lot of money to the local economy - hotels, cafes, taxis, etc..

 

UK accounting seems to be done very differently, with  no support from authorities.  Yes I know that manufacturers and publication producers often supporting major event, but if the venue is charging top dollar then costs will be high and entrance fees will have to match.  

[Andymsa]

2 minutes ago, Andy Hayter said:

 

 

Be a little bit careful with making comparison with exhibitions in other countries.

 

I do not know how Intermodelbau is financed but very often shows like this are sponsored by the local authorities to some extent or another.   The theory being that local shows demonstrate to the local populace things that are available to them to join, and for bigger shows such as Dortmund, they bring in a lot of money to the local economy - hotels, cafes, taxis, etc..

 

UK accounting seems to be done very differently, with  no support from authorities.  Yes I know that manufacturers and publication producers often supporting major event, but if the venue is charging top dollar then costs will be high and entrance fees will have to match.  

I would say that makes a good point to our local authorities, invest in your local exhibitions. But we here in the U.K. seem to have a different mindset and are stuck in our ways.  

[Andymsa]

1 hour ago, hayfield said:

My own view is at first thought, that the cost aspect of attending shows will have a minimal effect, granted for some it will be a limiting factor. But I am thinking of people of my own age, it may well be younger modellers, especially those with school age (or younger) children may decide its either too expensive or they will cut out unnecessary spending

 

It will depend greatly on the type of customers the show attracts. More importantly for the older folk it may be the fear of getting infected with covid or influenza that dictated show attendance, some are conscious of the cost fuel, I fall into the group of those who do not do many miles and have fuel efficient car, so the odd trip is not an issue

 

Things may change later once the larger energy bills arrive

You hit the nail on the head here. 

[Ross34]

13 hours ago, Andymsa said:

I thought I would see if anyone has changed how many exhibitions they will attend due to the cost of living crises.

 

Yes.. I make reasonable living but even so. travel & food costs are too high for me to spend on model railway shows. ..and perhaps the occasional too high an entry fee but that isn't universal. 

And it doesn't make the shows 'bad' (that's probably a poor choice of word) - most are very good but if the money isn't there ..it isn't there. 

To be brutally frank, I find the hobby in general is getting too expensive.

[PaulRhB]

2 minutes ago, Ross34 said:

To be brutally frank, I find the hobby in general is getting too expensive.

Parts of it are expensive but that’s been true since I was a small kid drooling over LGB trains in a local shop. There are still lots of cheaper ways to enjoy the hobby possibly not with the latest super detail model rtr but there are kits and secondhand ways to do it. 
I’m lucky to afford some of the great stuff that’s being released but I can’t afford all of it and I’ve got into other scales like 16mm for a bit of fun using under £50 laser kits for locos and stock. 
 

When someone can create something like this I think the door is still wide open with a bit of creativity. 
 

 

[AY Mod]

1 hour ago, Oldddudders said:

I note the organiser, Rob, is looking for funds to help the show in 2023, though, so costs have obviously shot up.

 

Not so much the costs increasing but that I can't afford to continue to cover the whole of the insurance costs and neither should Peter cover all of the hall costs which, in effect, was a donation to the event.

[TheQ]

Whilst we don't get sponsorship from the local council, one of the two halls we use, gives us a substantial discount on the public hire rate of the hall as we are classed as a local community group, and give us assistance in publicity...

Edited October 24, 2022 by TheQ