Gamefair organisers, another star performance...

[Craig-P]

I was supposed to ge to our stall for 7.00am to help set up etc. However, I had a comfortable night on the piss and slept in until 7.10am. I left the house at 7.30am after the three 'S's', expecting to be sitting in traffic for a few hours - but I managed to drive straight in through the Trade entrance and up to the stall without waiting once.
The place was pretty much dead until 10.00am and some people were calling it a bit of a washout. The first few customers starting pouring in, complaining about the traffic control and the way five lanes went into one once they were through the gates. Traffic was backed up from the main gates onto the M6 at this point...
The waiting time was around 2.5 hours, most folk I spoke to were blaming the paying system ( 5 lanes of traffic, going into one lane with one attendant taking fees ). The disabled car park was a joke and disabled/elderly visitors were facing a ten minute walk to and from their cars as the organisers had cocked things up and blocked access to it.
I helped an old, ex-big game hunter and boxer back to his motor. He wanted to buy a rifle box ( not from us though - swine ) but couldn't carry carry it and use his walking stick. So, he was going to leave it until I offered him a hand. I wonder how many other traders lost out due to this bad planning?
I love the MGF, I've attended for as long as I can remember and enjoy meeting up with other BBS'ers etc - but I do think it needs to be thought out with a bit more care. I heard so many people saying 'last time' and 'never again' etc also the numbers were way down on previous years - which is a terrible shame from a sporting point of view.
There are at least four more entries to Weston Park that aren't used that would help no end. Other shows that I've attended ( some twice the size of the MGF ), haven't suffered the same troubles, so why do we put up with it?

Other than that, it was good fun meeting up with good guys off here ( you know who you are ) ( Oh, Mick, did you manage to find your 'specialist' rifle? ) and when the heavens opened, being undercover and watching people getting soaked was a comforting experience .

Nearly forgot, should that bloke who was moaning about the prices be reading, well we've reduced them even further today - so 'ha f****** ha'

[Taff Williams]

Craig,
I have to concur that some aspects the show needed more thought and planning. However, following last years traffic standstill, I set out very early (06:30) from Mid Wales and followed the website directions to the site. I went further down the M54 than last year to Junction 2, so I guess logically I went past Weston and then turned back to it.
I sat in stationary traffic for long enough to roll a fag and when I got into the estate the one lane branched into 5 to pay, then back to one to carry on to the car park. All this meant I was on the show ground by 8:30ish
The one thing I thought crazy was the use of big off-roaders/tractors/Quads that were collecting the rubbish all day and churning the ground into a quagmire.

Hope you all had a good show

Ogri the trog

[airgunner2388]

Glad I went out shooting today

[sammy the bull]

it was my first time to the midland, and i was well impressed with it, there were a few things that could have been done to help the public but thats life i suppose. my only real gripe was it was extremely muddy with no real footpaths{ metal or wood layed down for the vehicles in side to drive on, and the people to walk on. but hey, nobodies perfect eh !
met some really great people and the food wasnt over priced either. and even got a few bargains aswell.........all in all a really good day.will be definatly going back next year...

[Craig-P]

I thought I'd test it out again so I went back after finishing work this morning ( set out at 12.00 and drove straight in - I can't work this traffic thing out! )

[dazzpol]

I had a brilliant day. Thanks to Terry on the Venom stand I got loads of grief from the missus!

Wished I could have got back there today but I had to work (and what a **** it was)

Dazz

[rudy]

well just got home only took about one hour to get out of weston park(and i was parked in area 7) then another 2hours because of traffic. should of only taken 1 hour and a half.
to be honest i thought the airgun expo was crap it was good that most makers had a stall to answer questions, but the number of actual airgun dealers was next to non compared to all the other dealers selling shootguns/rims etc the guys that were selling airguns were great, answered any questions and said to call the shop tuesday and they would sell me the gun i wanted at the fair price. i went to try out a few new guns at the airgun range, again the lack of choice and the queues......
a complete waste of money wish i had gone hunting instead. I wont be going back can some please let me know when a proper airgun event is going to take place and not another circus event

[kirky]

Just got back from another excellent MGF,lots more toilets this year to,which was nice.Set out this morning at 07:10 arrived at the MGF 08:45 which is good going from Liverpool.had an excellent day,then I left the gamefair at 16:30 or should I say I got in my car at 16:30 managed to get to the main gate at 17:30,yes a whole hour to get from where I was parked to the gate.The same situation on the A5 going to the M6,get on the M6 and everything is great,then it suddenly becomes a giant carpark.Apparently the police closed J19 to look for a package on the hard shoulder,eventually got home at 19:45...so 1hr 35mins to get there and 3hrs 15mins to get back....and I have a headache. I got a nice knife though.
Dave.

I was parked in area 3.

[Hares Ear]

Th entry price is a piss take if ever there was one.
If I cannot scrounge some complimentary tickets next year, I will not be attending.

[kirky]

£13 for me ,£3 for my son.....bargain.
Dave.

[Bicycle Repair Man.]

Got there about 9.00 on Sat. after sitting in traffic on the A5 for about15- 20 mins and 10 in the one lane to five lanes back to one lane system. The organisers should put more emphasis on getting incoming vehicles parked quickly by using all the space they have to park in multiple blocks simultaneously Left at 4.00 and got straight out onto the A5. Traffic was moving nicely up to the roundabout, waited about 5 mins there then straight onto the M6 and back to Bolton, where we were staying, without a hitch. A bit damp early on but not for long. A grand day, played with some nice guns on the range, met Terry D! got a couple of bargains. I'll be back next year.

cheers

[rudy]

what happens with our £13 ?????? i had to pay for everything else in this fair. tea = £1, pint = £2.80, shot 4 airguns = £4 etc etc etc the only decent thing was the flint lock guns. I'm sure all the dealers and gun makers etc had to pay a fee so where does the £13 go and dont say the staff, toilets, bin men etc that would easliy be covered by the nurmerous burger vans.
s##t fair been to much better. wont make that mistake again