1:24th Scale Model Truck Forum
General Category => Events, Clubs & Exhibitions => Topic started by: tctopcat on September 23, 2012, 09:38:28 PM
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Lifted from TMW
Hi all:- PLEASE read the following information and pass around to anyone you think may benifit from it.
After our 2012 model festival concluded, I was called to a meeting with HMC (Heritage Motor Centre) management to discuss some issues which unfortunately tarnished our show.
Their main concern was with the way “we” were parking our vehicles in our allocated area. On both days and on numerous occasions, I was asked to get certain vehicles moved. Some owners complied, but sadly there were some who did not, due either to a lack of willingness, or not being contactable.
In our defence; due to the wet weather, some of the traders used our parking area which restricted it for us. There was no proper marshalling and no proper signage to direct traffic and although “the organisers” tried to alleviate HMC concerns, it was always a losing battle with some people, who simply disregarded any requests to “move on” or park elsewhere.
Nevertheless, I am pleased to announce that there will be a model show next year, but HMC (who apply the rules) have now decided that there will be some major changes and restrictions which EVERYONE must abide with. I’m sure we ALL agree that the HMC is a superb venue and that there is no where better to hold our festival, so I would urge everyone who attends, to please take note of the new regulations. At the end of the day, HMC provide the hall free of charge so we have no option but to follow their rules. If it weren’t for their generosity, we would not even have a model festival!
I shall be detailing the following changes again, when I send out the model festival invitations during January/February 2013, but in the meantime, to give you all plenty of time to digest the new rules and changes, they are as follows:
* The model festival will be a full two day event. (Dates still to be confirmed)
* No exhibitors will be allowed on Sunday only. This is partly due to the need to keep vehicle movements to a minimum, but in any case there are very few “Sunday only” exhibitors. It also means that the judges can spend more time on Saturday afternoon looking at all the entries.
* Entry on Saturday for all exhibitors will be between 0730-1100 only.
* No vehicle movements into, or around the HMC will be allowed between 1100-1600.
* Vehicle parking adjacent to the exhibition hall will be strictly limited to 80 spaces. After the area is full, all other exhibitor vehicles will be required to “drop and go” to the overspill area (directions to be confirmed). NO EXCEPTIONS!
*It would be helpful if ALL exhibitors could provide a mobile phone number which they can be contacted on at any time during the show, in case a vehicle has to be moved, or to let someone out in an emergency.
* Tables will be strictly limited. These will be allocated as usual on a first come first served basis and may be restricted to one (or less) per person depending on demand. This is due to HMC concerns about overcrowding and blocking fire exits.
* Clubs may also be restricted depending on demand.
*Competitions will be judged on Saturday afternoon/evening.
*Results will be announced as usual on Sunday afternoon.
*The radio controlled trucks area will be restricted to a maximum of 15 exhibitors. Again, HMC have concerns about overcrowding particularly if the weather is bad and the outside area cannot be used, which has previously led to some people running their trucks in corridors and even the main hall, which has health and safety implications.
*However: There is some great news for R/C fans! There will be a better opportunity to demonstrate R/C models at the Retro show (September 2013) where there will be NO restrictions on numbers and a much larger area will be made freely available.
If anyone has any queries or concerns about any of the above information, please do not hesitate to contact me:
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one thing that worries me is that all the people who drop and go still have to come and collect and they will all be doing it at the same time. i can see it being even worse at 16:30 on the Sunday :shocked:
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Must admit I got there early last year and TC was there plus a few others and we all parked fairly well I think BUT there were no staff there to tell us where to park until quite a bit later. If they want to make sure we park correctly they really need to be more vocal about it.
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The thing that gets me about limiting numbers, limiting tables, limiting parking spaces and nobody been able to exibit on Sunday only means one thing THECLICK are going to get the lion,s share as usual and everyone else will just have to grin and bear it. FACT. It goes hand in hand with prizes.
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Those who exhibited last year SHOULD get automatic invites but it seems that as it gets closer more people want to exhibit so there may be more people with fewer tables each. Trouble is truck models take up a fair amount of space.
As Steve said if a lot of people drop off models and park away from the hall, come the Sunday after prizegiving it will be a free for all trying to get parked up and loaded. I don't envy Ash at all trying to organise everything and keep all of us AND the Heritage Centre happy!!
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Yes sure it's difficult for Ash to keep everyone happy.
I remember a few years back, the same question came: "Please all modellers move your cars to the camping site or to the car park" (across the road!!!). He came and "ordered" me to move my car. Not difficult to know whose car that is, it's one of the very few with belgian numberplates. So I moved my car to the camping, when I returned I saw that someone else had taken my place. And that car didn't move for the rest of the day. A bit (in fact very) frustrating. The next years I pretended not having heard the message to move the car.
It's easy to have the car near the hall, everytime you need something (or you want to put your purchases away), it saves you a walk to the camping and back (which is not done in 5 minutes, and I'm always short in time in Gaydon).
In the end I have to move my car (van) to the camping because I sleep in it, on Sunday morning they won't let me in anymore, so in the late afternoon it's a real rush: go and collect the car, find a parking space, pack and load the models, say goodbye to the ones you bump into (sorry for the others), leave the site, drive to Dover to catch the ferry/shuttle (hoping there are no queues on the M25), well, every year it's a real relief to arrive in Calais (not that I didn't enjoy Gaydon, on the contrary ...).
But for me that parking issue .......
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I can understand the 1 table per person but the amount of table space I require is justified by the size of my builds!. Can anybody tell me how to fit a 1.8 metre model on a 6x2 table unless I put it in a washing machine on a boil wash.
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the annoying thing about last year is there was a whole area conned off which could of fit at least 10-15 cars in it. it didn't get used all weekend :rolleyes:
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as it stated in the post the traders were parking up there all weekend as well so they should have been moved on once they had unpacked. i for one thinks ash does an amazing job organising gaydon so we shouldnt be too critical i think it is one of the best shows along with jabbeke and lets hope it stays that way. i cant wait for the next show :smiley:
alan
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Hi all: Just reading through your posts, it seems there are some concerns (and moans) about the "new rules". I'd like to answer the concerns and make one or two points.
Firstly: To reiterate, it is HMC who have decided to impliment the new rules, so we must do as they say. Considering we get the hall for free, makes sense that we should ALL respect that no matter how hard it is to swallow. I for one am not too happy with some of the things the HMC are saying..... Nevertheless, to answer your comments:
one thing that worries me is that all the people who drop and go still have to come and collect and they will all be doing it at the same time. i can see it being even worse at 16:30 on the Sunday :shocked:
I agree: so I have emailed HMC and put this point to them. I will post their reply asap.
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Thanks for posting Ash, at least you got comments on here, moans and all :thumbsupup: :grin:
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thank you for taking the time to reply Ash :thumbsupup: keep us informed :wink:
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just another thought on the parking situation Ash.
would it make the HMC happier if you was to provide your own parking assistant. he/she could take names, phone numbers and registration numbers of anyone parking in the allotted area. if a car needs moving then he/she would know exactly who's car it is and how to contact them. he/she could also stop anyone who is not associated to the model show and received a parking badge from yourself from parking in the allotted area. he/she could make sure the drivers who are allowed to park in the area, park in a reasonable fashion without leaving a 6 foot gap between their vehicle and the vehicle next to them :rolleyes:
this person would obviously want paying for spending his/her time in the sun rain all weekend. i bet someone knows a candidate who would do it for £100 or so. this extra cost could be added to the ticket price which would be negligible or i am sure we could come up with another way of funding it.
what you think ???
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As a bog standard visitor and none exhibitor, my memory of parking was a hell of a long walk and the first available parking spot being against the hedge at the rear perimeter of the car park (about a 3/4 mile walk). :shocked:
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The thing that gets me about limiting numbers, limiting tables, limiting parking spaces and nobody been able to exibit on Sunday only means one thing THECLICK are going to get the lion,s share as usual and everyone else will just have to grin and bear it. FACT. It goes hand in hand with prizes.
Be interested to know exactly who 'THECLICK' are Tony..........do you know something we don't :shocked:
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Tony has had a few prizes so he must be in 'THECLICK' :grin: :grin:
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As a bog standard visitor and none exhibitor, my memory of parking was a hell of a long walk and the first available parking spot being against the hedge at the rear perimeter of the car park (about a 3/4 mile walk). :shocked:
You need to get there earlier :grin:
I think prize winners from the previous year should get priority parking....... :grin:
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As a bog standard visitor and none exhibitor, my memory of parking was a hell of a long walk and the first available parking spot being against the hedge at the rear perimeter of the car park (about a 3/4 mile walk). :shocked:
You need to get there earlier :grin:
I think prize winners from the previous year should get priority parking....... :grin:
:thumbsupup: :thumbsupup: :grin: