B.t.s 2009!!!

[Naython J]

im sorry but i cant resist only


360 days 02 hrs 39mins and 27 secs (at time of post) till the next bts show WOOOOHOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

Sad i know but i couldnot resist!!!

[Mark Pennell]

im sorry but i cant resist only


360 days 02 hrs 39mins and 27 secs (at time of post) till the next bts show WOOOOHOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

Sad i know but i couldnot resist!!!

Thats was quick I just updated that!

[mary walters]

Nowt sad at all Naython, we all count down from one year to next, get xmas over and it will be here woohoo

[Naython J]

get xmas over and it will be here woohoo

if only mary thats the busiest time for me ..

we got xmas then 14th feb my sons birthday then 28th feb my Daughters birthday then 2nd march my birthday and theres the bts lectures some point in feb too i hate Q1 of the year

[Nicola Dolby]

I hope Ray & Mark won't hate me for this, but how about a second show for people in Scotland and Northern Ireland? Based in, say, Glasgow or Edinburgh? There seem to be a lot of people on these forums from Scotland and to be honest Coseley, whilst only an hour on the train for me, is a massive journey for some people. Maybe something to have a look at, I dunno

[Ray Hale]

To be fair Nicola I live in Eastbourne so it is four hours for me and I make the trip at leats five times a year to sort things out. When I organise the exhibition I take into a account a number of factors.
1. Is the venue accessible?
2. Will the public attend ?
3. Will the traders attend?
4. Will it make a profit for the club.

Is the venue accesssible? Well our original site, Woodgreen School was very easy to find but as time went by we found this venue was put out of our reach by expansion, the retiring of my contact and she being replaced by someone with total indifference and in the main a general lack of space. The decision was made to keep it in the Midlands. I suppose I could have moved it South after all it would have made my job easier but we chose to stay central. Thus Coseley

Will the public attend. If Sunday was anything to go by then yes is the answer. I realise that we have many members in the North and South (me for a start) but logistically it could prove difficult.
Will the traders attend? A lot of our traders attend only a handful of shows. the Europeans coming only to the AES and the BTS in the UK. I dont think they would come to more, its just to cost prohibitive.
The main reason and this is purely selfish here, is that by running two events one North and one South we would without doubt split our attendance with you guys choosing to visit the nearest and thus reducing our turnover at the Midland show. Its not all about money I hear you all scream as you reach for your keyboard but sadly it is. The show costs the club an arm and a leg to host, hiring of the hall, the tables, public liability insurances, fire inspections, all have a monetray value. Host a show in the North as well and we doulble that outlay. ( I would add here that NONE of the BTS Commitee have ever nor will ever profit from the show. All money goes straight back into the running of the club In fact this weekend probaly cost each commitee member around £200 in petrol and hotels and i never bought a thing from the show). Split the attendance and the club loses out big time. The club is run on subscription basis and the money from the Expo boosts the coffers to allow us to carry on.

However all this being said. I beleive there is room for a private event in the north or even Scotland and I would welcomly advise on th logistical side of things to anyone who wishes to host one. Would the BTS organise it? Personally I wouldnt I just dont have the time, One a years kills me. There are pitfalls........If the show is run by a society like ours then conscripts will help out on a voluntary basis. If the show is privatly run then the organisers would have to pay for staff. After all if they are making money then why shouldnt the guy humping tables? All this bites into the coffers.
If there are any Scotish members who would like a crack at it I am more than willing to advise but the rest is up to you.

Hell of an answer I know Nicola for such a simple question but I felt it was important to show the other side of the arguement.

[James Box]

fair points, Ray!
we do have a number of good shows...shame it's always going to be a mission for some to attend.

i'd love every day of the year to be a show, but alas no one would pay me to attend them full time

[Nicola Dolby]

Thanks Ray,
They're all fair points and I know what you mean about the travelling as I used to live in Brighton myself. Travelling up to Cheshire used to be a real pain. It is a bit much to run two shows a year and although there would be the public attendance, if the main European dealers weren't there as well it would be detrimental.
Regarding the AES, does this event include many tarantulas or is it concentrated on non-tarantula spiders? Its just that it sounds intruiging and I wouldn't mind going along to the next one if its open to the public. Thanks

[James Box]

the AES in Kempton Park Racecourse had alot of everything last year...i saw no shortage of Tarantulas and other crazy things. the main difference is there are alot of pinned bugs, so if that isn't interesting to you, it's a lot of tables that are wasted. but i wasn't disappointed, and it was nice to have a show so relatively close.
that's where i met Andy Hood, Jay and Sonny! good times

[matthew spooner]

even worse a journey for you nicola but to anyone else who might be interested, i am trying to persuade our club chairman to allow our club to organize a show in the south of england, would this be something that many people would be interested in?

[Tom Forman]

so Ray, do you know how many people attended this year?

[Kate Arbon]

Matthew I am Portsmouth based and would definitely be interested in a show closer to home. If only to get to meet some local T enthusiasts.

[matthew spooner]

Matthew I am Portsmouth based and would definitely be interested in a show closer to home. If only to get to meet some local T enthusiasts.

brilliant kate, i will keep you informed of any progress i make in organising the event