Camperex 2016. Bath and West Showground. 8th to 10th April 2016. (1 Viewer)

O

Old Soldier

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Hi all.
Has anyone attended one of these Camperex outdoor exhibitions / shows.?
In what was the traditional motorhome / camping slot at the B&A, which was not doing too well over recent years, we now have this Camperex show. Another later in the year.
Here's the exhibitor list. <Broken link removed> .
I see that both Cherston Motorhomes and West Country Motorhomes are having their own shows over the same weekend.
We are going to see what Camperex have to offer on Saturday. Bought tickets online at £7.50 each, otherwise £10 each on the gate and no offers in the CC or C&CC magazines as use to be the norm.
Will let you know how it goes. :frowny:
 
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O

Old Soldier

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Hi. Anyone want to comment on this forthcoming show?
 
Oct 18, 2014
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Hi. Anyone want to comment on this forthcoming show?
Looks like a real mix of exhibitors that include caravan club & sat navs.
Would go for a nose around for ideas but have never been to a camperex before.

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Jim

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Camperex is a new name for Stone leisure, the've always done two shows at Sheption and the Stratford Show in the summer.
 
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O

Old Soldier

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Camperex is a new name for Stone leisure, the've always done two shows at Sheption and the Stratford Show in the summer.

Thought it might be. Under "Stone Leasure" the shows at Shepton went down hill rapidly over the past few years. It will be interesting to see if they're is any improvement or is this just another con when companies fold and change their names. Will let you all know on Saturday.

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OP
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O

Old Soldier

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Just thought I would bring this back to the top of the pile should anyone be interested. Starts tommorow until Sunday afternoon.
 

travelling wilbury

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ill be going tomorrow morning, not far for me....nice bike ride.....but not tomorrow, lol....
not been to a Camperex before, dont expect it to be the NEC;)
 
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O

Old Soldier

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Well,at least two of us are going!!. ::bigsmile:

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OP
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O

Old Soldier

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not far for you Pete....Dorset Diver also visiting this morning....

About 5 miles from us, that's why it was so handy in the past.
Three of us funsters going now......bloody hell, they will be having to open another car park soon!! Whatever you do, don't buy all the goodies before I get there!! If you get the chance Chris, let us know your thoughts on it when you get home, good or bad!
 

travelling wilbury

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pete, in fairness, not much of a show....west country MH and Chelstons both have their own shows this weekend....whereas they normally take up quite an area.
Davan were there and Somerset Motorhomes....ok but not large.
a few exhibitors for 'stuff'....gas it, fire extinguishers, reversing cameras...
met up with DD but other than that, i didnt think it was upto much...
if you're bored and its on your doorstep.....

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OP
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O

Old Soldier

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Thanks for the heads up Chris. As they say, we have paid our monies and will go anyway. Just a good thing we live so close, would be really annoyed if we had traveled afar!
You never know, perhaps all the other traders arrived overnight and it will be jammed pack full of tempting goodies!!
Will report back later. :hi:
 
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O

Old Soldier

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Well, been there, done it, worn the T shirt and back home all within an hour. I knew it was going to be small but that was the worst show yet. If you went to buy some chemical toilet cleaner you would have been dissapointed..not one stand that sold camping bits and bobs. Someone selling small portable air cooling devices for £250 each ( show price ), someone else selling refillable gas bottles and someone else selling reversing cameras and solar panels. You could buy a mobility scooter or a book called "The Badge" sold by the author, Ashley Topham, an EX Army W01 about his experiences in the Royal Artillary (a bargin at £5) You could also buy a wood cladded caravan, an electric bike or a new or second hand motorhome or tent (limited choice as very few exibitors), You could have a beer or cup of tea or a burger and chips but you couldn't buy and toilet fluid or wind-breaks or camping chairs or wheel ramps or batteries or BBQ cookers, etc, etc, etc. Oh, you could do a manoeuvering course with caravan or motorhome with the Caravan Club. In all, not a lot for £7 each advanced booking or £10 each on the gate. I'm told the same show in September is much bigger and better......It needs to be! I expect we will go if we are around after all we have been going to motorhome shows at The Bath and West for over 20 years as it is so close to home, each time ( over recent years) we say it must get better next time, perhaps in September it will!!! :giggler:
 
D

deleted-member02

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Well, been there, done it, worn the T shirt and back home all within an hour. I knew it was going to be small but that was the worst show yet.
:eek: Gosh, it must have been bad.... after previous April shows, we vowed never to return ! Get a better morning out at Cheddar car boot !!

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Aug 19, 2013
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My van is there for sale right now, I took it over at opening time yesterday, but I didn't stay. It looked like a desolated airfield with a load of puddles, one French (similar to my avatar) lonely canteen van stuck on a separate location all by itself, a number of small marquees with some worried looking salespeople peering out. It was early, but didn't look very promising, and the feed back hasn't been good.
I understand the plan was to make it a sort of fun day out, with a drinks tent, live groups, plenty of food outlets, and not to be specific to motorhomes but to leisure in general.
We've just had a very heavy sleety storm, and from experience if it's bad here it is much worse in Shepton, just down the road, it seems to attract rain there. Being a big open area it's pretty miserable in bad weather. So that probably emptied whatever "crowds" that were there. I shall be going over later to collect van. No sale, apparently.
 
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O

Old Soldier

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Hi @Dorwyn.. Yes, saw your van. Went over to buy a bagette or a croissant but it was closed!! Looked very lonely on it's own!!
Had a good hailstorm whilst we were there, only excitement we had!!
 
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It was in a gurt big puddle, and of course we had trouble getting it out, but with the aid of some hay under the wheels, and a few helpers pushing, managed to make it. And then the sun came out!! Davan were having a number of their vans dragged out by a 4-wheel drive, and there were almost no visitors about. Rumours of paying customers asking for their money back, exhibitors too, I'd think.

I can't see the exhibition being repeated next year, though I suppose the September bash might be better supported. It's very disappointing for all involved.

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Went yesterday (Friday). Did meet a friend but the show was very poor. A total waste of money. I wish I could get my entrance fee refunded.
 
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O

Old Soldier

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I can't see the exhibition being repeated next year

It would be interesting to see how many exhibitors are still around tomorrow, let alone next year! I didn't speak to many but 3 said they were probably pulling out tonight and that was before 11 today....
Just tried to find a contact email address for camperex, not easy, haven't found one yet and the one I have found for Stone Leasure may not be valid anymore, used it last year with no response.
 
Aug 19, 2013
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It would be interesting to see how many exhibitors are still around tomorrow, let alone next year! I didn't speak to many but 3 said they were probably pulling out tonight and that was before 11 today....
Just tried to find a contact email address for camperex, not easy, haven't found one yet and the one I have found for Stone Leasure may not be valid anymore, used it last year with no response.
They were deserting like a sinking ship.

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Jabberwocky

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We were going to pop over tomorrow but reading this thread has put us off.

Oh and stall holders really shouldn't be able to pull out early of a show that has sold advanced tickets, should be part of the contract for being there that they have to stay to a certain time on the final day.

Nothing worse than going to a show of any kind on the Sunday only to find everyone has gone home early.
 

androidGB

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I'm probably missing something, but I've never seen the fascination of these shows.

Anything you want is available on line, and if you are seriously interested in a van I presume you would go to a dealer where you could inspect it at your leisure without worrying about the next "potential customer" wanting to get in an have a look around.

Andrew
 
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O

Old Soldier

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I did see the chap from @BritStops was at the show, it would be interesting to get his opinion on the event. :happy:

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Landy lover

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We were going to pop over tomorrow but reading this thread has put us off.

Oh and stall holders really shouldn't be able to pull out early of a show that has sold advanced tickets, should be part of the contract for being there that they have to stay to a certain time on the final day.

Nothing worse than going to a show of any kind on the Sunday only to find everyone has gone home early.

We used to marshal at this show for the RVOC ( sister club to this one two years ago we decided it was a waste of time as one two others turned up. At that point the show was dying on its feet and people were asking for money back and traders pulling off early. You will never be able to stop people pulling out early unless you are prepared to sue them and when the show is rubbish and not standing up to promises you really would not have a case. Worth noting there was also a good turn out on Fun at these in previous years but again nothing for a few year. Tells a sad story - its dead but will not lay down,!!!!

I'm probably missing something, but I've never seen the fascination of these shows.

Anything you want is available on line, and if you are seriously interested in a van I presume you would go to a dealer where you could inspect it at your leisure without worrying about the next "potential customer" wanting to get in an have a look around.

Andrew

Realistically when we started going to shows probably in probably in 2005 it was for ideas and new gadgets - as time went on we need less and less but we had met many people and made lots of friends and the shows became good rallies to meet up and the show infact became secondary to a good get together with the show as something to wander around during the day. I think that is the reason Warners are successful they keep adding items to the shows and making them more interesting and even so I think they are slowly losing to 'themed' shows such as Hurn route 66 - Retrofestival - even cooking shows that were one day events and are now welcoming campers and ralliers. Your then have 'private' rallies such a Bagwell .

Any one wanting to look at a range of vans only need to Run between say Bristol and Newton abbot and you can visit about 20 sales areas not going more than 5 miles off the motorway.
 

androidGB

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I wondered if that was probably the reason.

I go to Le Mans every year and that's more about meeting up with people than the race

Andrew
 

s7ev0

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Hi everyone, it's the "chap from @BritStops here". I agree with @Jabberwocky that traders shouldn't leave shows early, and wouldn't normally, but I confess I was one of those who gave up early today, mainly because my gazebo took off and got bent to b*ggery at around 11am. I tried to soldier on with just my counter, but it was just a little bit soul destroying tbh.

There are many reasons why a show might not go as well as hoped, and unfortunately the Shepton show fell foul of several at the same time.

First there was the clash with the Romsey show. The problem they have there is that they usually have to book at least a year in advance, and they are in competition from other organisations for the dates. You can't just pick any date, as they are often already booked by a county show, or steam show, etc. It clashed last year too and we did both shows, but the stretch was too much so we plumped for just the one this year.

Then there was the weather. Nothing anyone can do about that. Goes with the territory of any outdoor show. Remember Peterborough or Cheshire a few years ago, or Harrogate in the snow? It'll always be a gamble in Britain, even in the summer!

The more knotty problem the new organisers had to solve was the unfortunate legacy of several years of a shrinking show. They rebranded as Camperex, and widened the appeal to include camping and other outdoor activities. The activities on site were actually very good - a climbing wall and other games for kids, caravan manoeuvring sessions (think I've only seen that at the NEC before now), a big kind of teepee marquee for the entertainment that looked great inside and an outdoor cinema showing Skyfall that was popular with those hardy campers who turned out for it. They also put in place prime time TV advertising for the show. Maybe if there had been no clash, there would have been more dealers and traders there. Maybe if the weather had been decent there would have been more punters. I suspect this would have been a very different thread in that case.

For what it's worth, my thoughts are that to reboot a shrinking show you'd need to make a big gesture to either punters or traders - say for one year offer free entry / free camping, or a free pitch for traders. I tend to favour free entry/camping for punters, as we traders would more than likely turn up if we thought footfall would be good, whereas if a show is getting negative reviews online then it's going to be harder to convince punters to come back to it, and I don't think promising more traders would necessarily do the trick.

Some say there are just too many shows, and that's possible too I guess.

So there you go, my thoughts, for what they are worth. And if you were wondering, we did ok thanks!

Steve :)

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Aug 19, 2013
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I understand that they were letting people in free on Sunday, at least for some of the time, but I think by then the show was almost literally sunk.

With regard to not knowing what is the attraction to these shows, that is up to the visitors themselves. I like going, my wife less so. It is an odd concept, to charge someone to go shopping, but it's been so for years, and has generally worked to everyone's satisfaction, otherwise they wouldn't exist.

This one won't, though. No trade visitors will go again, and without those ....
 

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