RailEX NE 2021 Cancelled

[lippy]

Yesterday, I asked the committee of the Blyth and Tyne Model Railway Society, (who put on RailexNE), their thoughts about our 2021 Exhibition in July. 

 

I wanted to know if it was viable from their point of view, before I went ahead and started to finalise the planning over the next few months. 

 

After a lot of careful thought it was a majority decision that we Cancel RailexNE in 2021.

The reasons behind the decision were varied, but in general the view was that the financial risk to the club is too great. With Social distancing, along with other Covid restrictions that are currentley in place, which may not be lifted sufficiently, even with the roll out of a Vaccine by July.

 

The club has also experienced a big drop in members attending the club, before the new restrictions came in, after the first Lockdown was lifted. In the region of 50-60% of members hadn't come back or been in contact. Given the age profile of a majority of our members we fear they might not come back.

We now need to concentrate on reopening the Club rooms when permitted, shut since we went into Tier 2 in mid September and rebuild our membership. 

 

2021 was also to be my last as Exhibition manager, I had informed the AGM last February that I would not be seeking re election at the 2021 AGM (If we can hold it).  

 

At some point the club will be in a position to hold another Exhibition, but I cannot see it being on the same scale as RailexNE, as the costs and reduced attendance figures before Covid were getting to the point of us having to look carefully at what layouts were brought in.  

 

Many thanks for your willingness to attend, stay safe and more importantly Keep modelling

 

Lee Davies Exhibition manager

[BoD]

I suspect that you won’t be the only club/exhibition experiencing the scenario you describe.

 

I do hope that we see your exhibition return in some form in the future but inthe mean time many thanks to you and the club for organising what has been an excellent exhibition over recent years. 

[D9020 Nimbus]

The exhibition will be missed. Nevertheless, the continual changes of venue and time of year that have taken place over the last several years will not have helped attendances. I can't think of any other exhibition I've attended that has done this — Newcastle have changed venue but not the time of year; Wigan the time of year (twice) but not the venue. In the last 12 years it's been held at five different venues, first in late November, then August Bank Holiday, then December and last year in July.

[D9020 Nimbus]

Just another thought — you say members have not been in contact, but have you (I.e. the club) been in contact with them? Some groups have been using Zoom, newsletters, and other means to stay in touch.

[lippy]

On 09/12/2020 at 16:27, D9020 Nimbus said:

Just another thought — you say members have not been in contact, but have you (I.e. the club) been in contact with them? Some groups have been using Zoom, newsletters, and other means to stay in touch.

No idea what the secretary has been doing, ive personally been in touch with those I have contact details for. Trying to get anything done throughout Covid has been like pulling teeth. 

[lippy]

On 09/12/2020 at 16:24, D9020 Nimbus said:

The exhibition will be missed. Nevertheless, the continual changes of venue and time of year that have taken place over the last several years will not have helped attendances. I can't think of any other exhibition I've attended that has done this — Newcastle have changed venue but not the time of year; Wigan the time of year (twice) but not the venue. In the last 12 years it's been held at five different venues, first in late November, then August Bank Holiday, then December and last year in July.

Yes, these have caused us problems, but 90% of it is outside the clubs control. Venue upped their costs (August BH), we had no choice but to move, the exhibitors had an extra days vehicle hire which was extra cost too. Next place wasn't available after the first year (December show), numbers down due to weather too.

Took a year to find a suitable new venue.

Venue won't let us in to set up until the Kids have left (safeguarding). We also had to find a date that the traders had free hence move to July. A free air show coincided with us 2 years meant even less numbers. 

So not an easy task to organise and Covid has been the final step.