ExCel in London will host the combined Outdoors Show and boat show
This month’s Outdoors Show will be the last one at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre.
From next year, the event will move to London and will be combined with the International Boat Show. The show will be held in January rather than March.
The Birmingham NEC has been home to the Outdoors Show since 2002. The combined event will now take place at ExCel in London’s Docklands.
This year’s Outdoors Show will take place between 26 and 28 March and will include the usual stands plus appearances by Doug Scott, Joe Simpson and Leo Houlding.
Visitors can also try their hand on the indoor climbing walls and mountain biking courses.
carter
15 March 2010outrageous london get all the best shows!!!
the outdoor s show has been a great success
and now london want to steal it from us
this is bad news for climbers and walkers
as we up north are where the hills and mountains are...
perhaps the southerners would prefer it if we move them south as well....
that would save them a bloody fortune in second homes too!!!!
plastic people!!!
roworth
15 March 2010A trip to Birmingham was acceptable, a trip to london and all the associated expense makes it not worth it.
Why hold this show in one of the least accessible places to the majority of The UK?
Dr P Whiteman
16 March 2010Another London centric decision.
Woody
16 March 2010CRAZY!!! With the costs of staying in London not to mention to shear amount of time that will need to be spent travelling. Most outdoor people I know are not remotely interested in boating. I think one of the main reasons of the success of this show is ease of access for all.
Why change what is an easily accessible venue for the majority of the UK with good rail, airport and road links.
Is it at all possible to get the show any further away from the very people who visit it? In an age when we are as a society looking at reducing carbon emissions, someone thinks it wise to move to a location that will undoubtedly mean that people will need to travel further to visit this excellent show. You can leave the railway station and gain easy access to the NEC without having to use any other form of transport.
Cush
16 March 2010I dont know what the fuss is about, it was always a "Fur coats and no knickers" show anyway. So let London have it or move it in to the true North, somewhere like Newcastle or York.
S. Wood
16 March 2010Bad decision, this years outdoors show will be my last, and I've been to every one so far, too much hassle and expense to travel to London. Why move a show which is of interest to lots of people all over the country as far away as possible from the majority. The whole idea of building the NEC was to enable more people from different parts of the country to attend shows like this more easily and cheaply. And January, not the best time of year to hold an outdoors show.... Can someone arrange to start a petition which we can all sign at the NEC at the end of this month?
Cush
16 March 2010It might have the name out doors but from what I can remember, it was all indoors, so what difference does it make when it is held and since when did Brum become the centre of outdoor activitys. The only time I have been scared on a footpath was when I was walking the canals and seen some of the characters hnging around under the bridges.
Pat
16 March 2010Crazy, this will be a marrige like Ashley's and Cheryl's - a big false splash with one ending up having an affair and getting fu**ed. The boaters don't want us and we don't want them. I notice the marine side is having the same debate here http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2828157&trk=myg_ugrp_ovr
It must stop
David
16 March 2010What a ridiculous decision. I wonder what the exhibitors think of all this. I'm sure finding storage and accomodation to be at the Boat Show will be more expensive in London than Birmingham plus sharing it with the Boat Show will dilute their market.
I suppose the organisers will use the high turnout to the Boat Show to massage their figures and show it was a "success". but perhaps the exhibitors from the OS side will tell another story.
Geraldine
19 March 2010Thanks you for your comments regarding the move of the Outdoors Show to London. I'm the show manager for this event and whilst I understand your concerns about us moving the show from away from the NEC, the reporting of this move has not been made accurately in this article.
The show is not combining with the Boat Show, it will still be a completely separate show, and will not be incorporated in to the Boat Show. The event will be held at ExCel at the same time as the Boat Show, in adjacent halls. Visitors will have the opportunity to vist both shows if they wish, however the show will continue to appeal to core outdoors enthusiasts, of which there are increasing numbers in London and the South East, and will not be diluted in any way. We adhere to strict reporting procedures regarding visitor numbers, so we cannot and would not massage visitor numbers.
This move was prompted by feedback from visitors, exhibitors and sponsors. If you would like to contact me directly with your comments and questions I would be happy to hear from you. Please email geraldine@vosmedia.co.uk
Julie
21 March 2010So how does it work then? Do I have to pay again to go into the Boat Show or not? If one ticket gets you into both shows then the events are merged, and if you have to buy two tickets, what's the point of having them together in the first place?
Julie
Geraldine
22 March 2010The shows are not merged, they are adjacent to each other. If you buy a ticket to the Outdoors Show this will give you free entry to the Boat Show which is taking place next door. We have done this in the past with some of the shows that have taken place in adjacent halls at the NEC such as the Go Fishing Show in 2007 and 2008 and Opportunities New Zealand in 2009.
Jonathan
29 March 2010Hi Geraldine
This years (2010) show was a total 'RIP OFF'. £18.00 entrence fee - £8.00 parking you also have to pay for hearing some speakers and the show was much smaller and not much to see.
I don't mind paying the parking and entrance fee, IF it's a show that I felt value for money BUT after many years visiting the Out Door Show, this year is so disappointing.
I think you have let the paying public down. The show needs to get moving again and have a real buzz about it.
Maybe its need a new person to organise it!
I hear numerous comments at the show saying how dissapointed people felt.
Ross
01 April 2010I agree with Jonathan above.....waste of money this year and people will vote with their feet. Our family was very disappointed and will not go to the show again.
I spoke to a number of exhibitors prior to the event to check they would be at the show, 2 told me that they wouldn't be bothering as the show had been scaled down significantly and they couldn't justify the outlay. How right they were!
As far as I’m concerned London is welcome to host the event and if it continues to get scaled down and the organisers continue to fleece the public, I expect to see it in a village hall somewhere soon.