The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

Mike357 wrote:Perhaps it needs to move again, NEC perhaps

Then you might see me there I can walk there in 20 mins

HALODIN wrote:Does anyone know what happened with the parking today? The fields had loads of spaces, but the security guards were holding the gates closed not letting anyone in. Very frustrating. I did ask a security guard what happened and he just said there was a misunderstanding, I wonder if he meant they forgot to open the gates... Was it run by G4S?

It certainly was a fiasco, I got there about 8am and went in gate 3 but didn't know there was any other entrances, there were marshals as we drove in until you got to the parking areas then no one, ended up parking in the hotel carpark there, luckily wasn't too far from the venue but then no exit signs to find way out, there were big queues when I left at 11.15.

I had a couple of specific stalls I wanted to visit but they ended up being either end of the venue, so by the time I had gone to the second and found the first to be cheaper and then headed back to the first you couldn't get near it and then thought sod it I will go back to the other and pay a bit more, that was as bad so didn't end up getting anything as the ammo sellers (both shotgun and rifle) show special prices were still more than what I pay at the club, I should of stuck to my guns and done what I said last year and not gone, I must remember to not go next year.

Wow that was busy. Got caught by an accident on the M40 early doors and then queues to get in. Didnt get any beneficial parking with the advance ticket P sign. It was a bit of a mess and i warn those with cars not to park on the grass, i saw a few cars get stuck.

One the one hand it was great to see sooooo many shooters but it made it impossible to buy anything or talk to vendors without getting constantly interrupted.

By the way, airsoft should have their own event. Its not real shooting and mutlicam from head to toe with tactical patches with their callsigns, packs with more pouches than i could count, water bottles on carabiners and plastic guns....the boys i can forgive but the grown men cracked me up LOL.

Not great!
Preferential parking was non existent, to be fair I walked across a grassy area and nearly sunk to my ankles in the soggy ground so maybe the fields were out if bounds
Took about 25 mins to get in at 930ish, not to bad.
Place was rammed though, doubt I'd go again, can't get near most of the stalls, and the few I actually wanted to look at I gave up trying after 10 mins hanging around trying to get for be front, particularly annoying one chap I front decided this was a good time to bring a gun back for repair, personally would've told him not today, but the chap on the stand tried his best, much to the detriment of the queues of people waiting to view his wares.
Prices were nothing special, fuel and enters ace fee would've been better spent on a round robin of gun shops for a haggle up.

Glad I couldn't make it now! Sounds shocking!!

Hope there's some photos to be shown??

To be fair, the letter that comes with the tickets does suggest getting there early tesnews

1 1/2 hours from Stoneleigh village to get to the entry - 3 roads funnelled into two lanes throught he gate then down to one lane!!!
Pathetic.
If I hadn't had to be there as an exhibitor I'd have gone home.
One of my customers turned round and went back to Lincolnshire!
I went to Tulsa last year, to the Gun Show there, with 5 times the attendance - NO queues at all. Why do the Brits put up with this level of (dis)service?

We saw people turning around and heading off the other way, we came in on the little road opposite the main entrance which I suspect was a good move and even then we queued for 15-20 minutes to get to the entrance and crawled through the ground itself. Parking was quite a walk from the show with no evidence of any preferential parking despite buying advance tickets but at least we know what to expect next time.

Inside it seemed a lot bigger than Newark and as people have suggested, it was absolutely packed out. Food prices were typical show rates. bargain wise I came away with nothing in fact I did not even open my wallet on the day. We did get to meet a few forum members and put faces to names and I had a good chat with a couple of handy people.

dodgyrog wrote:1 1/2 hours from Stoneleigh village to get to the entry - 3 roads funnelled into two lanes throught he gate then down to one lane!!!
Pathetic.
If I hadn't had to be there as an exhibitor I'd have gone home.
One of my customers turned round and went back to Lincolnshire!
I went to Tulsa last year, to the Gun Show there, with 5 times the attendance - NO queues at all. Why do the Brits put up with this level of (dis)service?

Luxury, I was still a good hour away from Stoneleigh village before I gave up. I don't put up with this which is why I came home rather than give them my dosh.

I was appalled at the lack of organisation with regards to the parking, as others have said, the 'preferential parking' was non existent. The place was absolutely packed out and I gave up with a number of stalls before I got a chance to look at anything I really wanted to look at. Saw Christel and David by the Dolphin stand in the afternoon, got distracted by the STG44 on Low Mills stand that I really wanted to see 'in the flesh' and, by the time I'd stopped fondling it, you guys had gone! Sorry to have missed you, would have been nice to have said 'hi'.

Again, repeating what others have said, nothing really special to make me want to go again next year, prices were nothing that couldn't be matched with a bit of time on tinternet. I did find a MAS 36 though - overpriced of course and, as I've given up that slot on my FAC, I'll keep half-arsed looking on the web for another.