What feedback has there been regarding the success (or failure) of shows which have gone ahead so far?

[TEAMYAKIMA]

I've read a few posts from visitors saying that they have enjoyed visiting the shows which have gone ahead so far, but I've not seen anything from the organisers saying that they made/lost money. How have the few early shows done from the organisers' point of view?

[Benjamin Brady]

Hello .

  Would be interesting , not nice if you have lost money , but may save other clubs making the same mistake , after all we are all this together , one big community trying to help each other ,

 

  Thanks Mr Teamyakima for bringing it up . 

[JSModels]

I posted this back on 2nd August in the Exhibition Organiser's section, but I don't think there's much of an audience there! The show was on 1st August:

Quote

 

I don't know if anyone will find this useful or not, but our club (Aire Valley Railway Modellers Club, in Keighley, West Yorkshire) held an open day yesterday. It's the first one since August 2019 for obvious reasons, and we were unsure as to how successful or otherwise it would be.

 

It's not quite the same crowd as a 'proper' exhibition (we tend to get more families/kids than an exhibition might, and it's free entry) but the numbers were very reassuring. We also had a fair few 'new' modellers, who took up the hobby again, or for the first time, during lockdown, and we had 4-5 times the number of new members join than we've ever had previously, which was great for the club.

 

The upshot of this post is that we found the attendance level to be pretty consistent with pre-Covid levels, maybe even slightly higher.

 

Obviously everyone's experience will be different, but hope that's helpful for anyone considering an event.

 

Jonathan

Obo AVRMC

 

 

[JSModels]

Also, several members of our club were helping out at the Model Railway Weekend at Carnforth Heritage Centre last weekend (21st & 22nd August). They said that the Sunday was slightly higher on numbers than pre-covid, and that the Saturday was "absolutely heaving" with way more visitors than they're ever had previously. I don't have anything in terms of concrete numbers, but they said it was extremely encouraging!

 

Jonathan

[MarkSG]

I suspect there are two opposing factors at play here. One is lingering reluctance, particularly on the part of those who consider themselves more vulnerable, to spend time in crowded places. The other is pent-up demand for something to do, having spent so much time sitting at home with nowhere to go. The former will tend to reduce attendance, the latter will tend to increase it.

 

Based on my own observation of non-modelling events, I think these are, broadly, balancing out, but obviously a lot will depend on the demographics of an event's target market.

[2mmMark]

I'm a volunteer at Brooklands Museum. We're seeing much improved daily attendance and the numbers attending our special events are getting back to the levels prior to Covid.  It's very apparent that people are keen to get out and about.  The recent "Brooklands Relived" 1930s revival event was well attended despite some heavy rain during the morning - this normally deters visitors.

Now I know this isn't fully comparable to indoor model railway exhibitions as a good percentage of Brooklands is outdoors but it's possibly an indicator to the mood of potential visitors.

 

[Oldddudders]

4 minutes ago, 2mmMark said:

I'm a volunteer at Brooklands Museum. 

I hope it was still 'The Right Crowd and No Crowding'!