CLA will no longer run the CLA Game Fair

I. Farticus

Well-Known Member
Statement on the future of the CLA Game Fair:
The CLA regrets that it will no longer run the annual CLA Game Fair. This decision includes cancelling the planned event scheduled to be at Ragley Hall in 2016.
The decision has been taken by the CLA Board after the event failed to generate enough income in each of the last three years.
Director General of the CLA Helen Woolley said: “The Game Fair is an important and well loved event with a long tradition. It is a difficult decision that we deeply regret having to take.
“We are extremely proud of the Game Fairs that we have put on in recent years and we are grateful to our Game Fair team that has delivered these high quality, professional, events.
“Unfortunately an increasingly crowded summer calendar of outdoor events has contributed to falling attendance in each of the last three years. This has led to the event failing to generate enough income and has made the event financially unsustainable.
“Over the last three years the Board made the decision to invest in the Game Fair because of our strong desire to turn the event around. We have been able to make this investment because of the otherwise robust financial position of the CLA. However we can no longer ask CLA members to allow their membership subscriptions to underwrite the losses the event makes.
“We are clear that the Game Fair can no longer be run by the CLA in its current form. We will, however, begin a period of consultation in which we will invite proposals from other organisations on how the Game Fair might be able to continue.”
“The CLA remains committed to providing industry-leading advice and support, running a busy schedule of other national and regional events and being an effective lobbying voice for rural business."
 
Damn! I haven't been able to go for a few years and was looking forward to a return to the fray and inaugural camping weekend with YPM next summer!
 
I only went once and felt it was just a commercial money spinning circus anyway.
The best part was camping alongside like minded people.
 
Strangely, they have not mentioned their persistent price increases, which have made it unaffordable for many people.
The price of trade stands has soared too.
 
Strangely, they have not mentioned their persistent price increases, which have made it unaffordable for many people.
The price of trade stands has soared too.

I think the reality is that it just wasn't big enough to bring in enough money. The market they're in is events like the Goodwood festivals, the huge growth in music festivals, which all use similar sorts of venues, and the tickets for which are much more expensive than the Game Fair ones. So the cost of running the thing just grew and grew, until it priced itself out of too small a market. It's a shame though, I loved going there.
 
The CLA have brought this on themselves !!!!!!!!!!!!!.
it has been going down hill for the last 5 Years & the midland wont survive either if they don't get there act together , was there for 2 days . its full of clothes stalls , all the big names were gone .

this used to be the best show in the diary .

ATB Jason
 
Strangely, they have not mentioned their persistent price increases, which have made it unaffordable for many people.
The price of trade stands has soared too.
Quite right uncle norm, can't help thinking they're a victim of their own doing
Regards
Jimmy
 
I've no sympathy. Last went to the one at Blenheim Palace about ten years ago. And the one at Belvoir Castle in the 2000s that wasn't can cancelled through rain.

Self inflicted wound. Few gun sellers, let alone gun makers on gun maker's row and few decent fishing tackle stands either. Just masses of cheap corduroy trousres and "investment opportunities" and other crap that just made the place look full but offered no value to the event.

I am glad it's gone. maybe something better might emerge.
 
Honestly, I just think there's a huge mismatch between what the organisers, exhibitors and punters want. As I said, the costs of running the thing and especially the venue hire have been driven up hugely by the growth in other outdoor festival type events, that charge much higher gate prices. So they have to hike up exhibitor fees. Only people don't buy enough stuff to make it worthwhile, because that's not how people do most of their shopping anymore. They expect bargains, but exhibitors can't afford to the discounts. So the punters feel it's poor value. Meanwhile, the people hiring out the venue could host the Barbie and Ken Festival or something and fill it with people paying £100 each. The overlapping big of the Venn diagram becomes a bit narrow...
 
Until recently the game fair toured the country which enabled the public to visit the event every few years without too much travelling, however lately it seems to have taken root in the midlands, which together with high entry fees has deterred people from going.
 
Never been and not bothered, having been blessed with annual visits to arguably the best shooting show ever staged in the UK, i doubt whether the game fair could hold a candle to it.
I am of course talking about the much loved and lost Ano Domini NRA Pistol meets at Bisley.

Ian
 
“Unfortunately an increasingly crowded summer calendar of outdoor events has contributed to falling attendance in each of the last three years. This has led to the event failing to generate enough income and has made the event financially unsustainable."

Crack-on then with a Stalking Fair for the soft Lowlander and who needs all that clothing and a hot tub.

K
 
People who have attended and exhibited at the show for a number of years have seen this coming.
Increasing the entry fee,and exhibitors fee can only work for a short time.

This year's CLA felt it was missing a fair amount of traders,as was the Midland game fair,
You have to totally support and back the NGO for their commendable stance of not exhibiting due to the increased cost.
Average foot visitors for the CLA has been around the 140,000, all paying an average of £20 entry, from 2011,that's nearly £3million on the entry fee alone.

Camping was £300 for the weekend,and has been for a few years,we were on pitch no 2115,so I can only assume that's another 60,000,not to mention the turn over of the show itself which estimates to be around the £15 million mark.

It's gotten too expensive to attend and exhibit,certainly not run by people of the countryside,for people of the countryside anymore.
 
In a previous life I was involved with the Game Fair and had some sight of the planning and astounding cost that went into it. The point made about similar length events in similar venues being able to charge hundreds of pounds for a ticket is very valid because increasingly the show and event model is changing from trade stands and sponsors covering the costs, and visitor tickets delivering profit. They're now mainly underwritten by pre-sold high-value sponsorships and visitor tickets, with stalls as the profit on top.
If you're launching a new festival with camping and headline acts, £200 for a weekend sounds (to enough people, it seems) like good value. If you've got an existing show and have to take the ticket price from £20 to £200 it ain't going to happen unless you put on the Beatles with Elvis supporting.
The real shame is the dilution of all the game fairs as they've tried to compete. My guess is that, as with so many outgrown corporations, events etc. it could regain support and relevance by radically downsizing and starting again. Not very appealing for the owners, but at least it ensures the CLA members have something as a focus point.
 
Try taking a 30% hit on the exchange rate and still traveout to the UK.

Its a good show for all its faults hope it can be sorted out, but it does need a revamp it was meant to be a Shooting/ Fishing man show, not a day out for people with no interest in the countryside or its people.
 
As a stark contrast the BASC Gamekeepers fair In Derby I thought was fantastic.
£10 entry fee with under 15's free,and a country fair selling and exhibiting just that.
No div with a hoover,or the horrible Mer car polish,and certainly no over pretentious pompous stall holders selling junk.
 
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