A small chink of light appeared this week. I got a short email asking about a layout for a show in sunny Eastbourne - not town most linked to major exhibitions, though it used to have a very active club, an American NMRA chapter and no less than two model shops.
I've been saying to anyone who would listen over the last year that shows would re-open with the very large and the light and fleet-of-foot. It seems that I was on the money. Anything that usually holds the event in schools, colleges or leisure centres is toast; for the time being anyway, there is too much tied up in cleaning and more to the point, internal lateral flow testing. You aren't going to spend cash and time testing your staff and students twice a week and then let 1,000 unwashed anoraks in to touch all the surfaces. Much easier to say no. The really big events that use exhibition centres will come on stream in the Autumn in some form. What will happen is the small events will run as soon as the basic restrictions are lifted. There are those that I know that describe this type as 'piddly', not worth the effort, and I've always disagreed. Village halls and church halls; it's where the exhibition side of the hobby has its root.
This in particular fits the brief; a church hall and partly sanctioned (or blessed?) by the church. No fees to pay to a hiring committee and no staff or students to use the rooms immediately afterwards. I foresee these small events springing up all over by the end of the summer - events to break the pressure that has built up. Events that can cancel at a minute's notice if the government shuts the country down or can change the regulations on how they're run in a similar time scale. On the phone I asked about plan B's. The reply was sensible: 'We can quickly change to whatever the government guidelines are at the time.' We should be out of masks indoors by then, but if not, that could be a way to move forward. Similarly, enforced entry numbers. Not perfect and not what what we all want, but half a loaf is better than no loaf and half a chink is better than no floodlights. This is good news.
Now that IS good news...hope I'll be able to get to it!
ReplyDeleteIf you do Simon, a lot of your friends will be there. This is something to look forward to - and a deadline at last!
DeleteExcellent! As Kane says below, a date would be handy. If it's a saturday I am likely to need to book it as leave, unless it's June 19th or 26th in which case we'll be in Wales!
DeleteI've always liked the smaller shows whether a general model railway show or something more specialised (Such as many club open days WRGPLEx,Cam/Larkrail etc.
Sounds like the organiser of the Eastbourne event has his/her head screwed on...
Chris.
ReplyDeleteGood news. Can you give us a date? With our second jabs in sight the possibility of attending a show in that area is a great thought as there are lots of other places to visit on a short break that would make the journey from Dorset worth while and after the last year a proper treat.
Oct 30th. But I wouldn't book a bus ticket just yet. I'm still cautious. We'll see the landscape better by the summer. What I think is important is that things are generated and put in the calendar; almost more important than them actually happening. We need targets right now.
Delete👍
DeleteThanks Chris. Still a long a rocky road to go I guess and you are right to counsel caution.
However well things go I figure it will be this time next year before we see the wood for the trees.
Having said that if we get to do stuff masked up and socially distanced this year it will be a step forward.
That's good news. Another show which is planning to open in 2021 (church/church hall type) is the Beckenham & West Wycombe on October 16th. Within 5 minutes walk from Eden Park station on the Hayes branch. Usually has a very large second hand sales collection in a room to itself, and well worth the visit just for that.
Delete