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bogtrotter

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Any other members at Scone today ? what did you think of it? in general I thought it was a good fair weather turned out to be a lot better than expected, not as busy as I have seen it in the past but still a reasonable turnout.

Bought a few bits and pieces nothing big and can't say I saw any real bargains other than the Vortex binoculars on Moray
Outfittings stall a real bargain for anyone in the market for a decent pair of binoculars at a budget price.

I should state I have no connection to Moray Outfitting , Andy, John is that enough of a plug :rofl:

Seriously though had a great day caught up with a lot of people that I don't see very often the Craig was brilliant which is my main reason for going.

was just thinking I have only missed two fairs at Scone since they started when was that sometime in the 1980s I think,
once because it was cancelled due to the weather and once because I was I'll.
 
I was there yesterday and enjoyed my day walking round the various stalls however the only item bought was a jumper by my wife from a stall which had nothing to do with game shooting or fishing. I was on the lookout for a pair of ear defenders but no one could offer a price which was close to what I could buy online. I appreciate that if we don't use it we will lose it but the price difference was such that I couldn't justify the extra spend.

Calum
 
I was down with a group of friends on Friday, same as we do every year, and as usual had a great time. We met up with people we rarely see, had a good laugh and chat with old friends. We saw a few things we had not see before in real life, a fully shrouded .22 rim fire nice bit of kit we had only seen on line and in magazines. We saw a type of shooting stick we had never seen before, and after a splendid demonstration bought 2 sets. There were lots of little bits and pieces we liked, and saw a change in the new argos we will be making in our one after seeing it.
Before Ebay and the like it was a great place to get stuff cheap, but i dont think that is what it is about these days, it is a chance to see kit that local shops dont hold, or you have only seen on line / in mags and to meet up with folks you dont see often. I was told that a number of shops have had folks coming in to try on jackets and the like in the run up to the show, only to try to buy them cheap at the show, a great way to loose your local shops. The same happened in the diving industry years ago, and not 60% of the scuba shops in the UK have closed down. Dont get me wrong, i like a bargain, but putting on a stand at a show costs a small fortune, particularly if you have to pay staff to run your shop, and to run your stand, and to feed them and give them accommodation for the weekend. To then sell things you stock in your shop cheaper at the show than you do in your shop makes no sense unless you can sell in volumes or showcase something difficult to sell or new.
I had a great time, but noticed a number of shooting and fishing, food shops and stalls that we have visit every year were missing this year, and there are only perhaps a couple of dozen big shops represented that really make up the majority of the fishing and shooting kit on show. If they cancel then it is an arts and crafts show and far less interesting to the majority of SD members. I would miss it if it closed.
 
Scone was always a great day out but things are not cheap. One of the main reasons being the cost to traders. Some 8 years ago the cost for a framed marquee 20ft x 20ft was in the region of £1200 and I can't see it being any cheaper now. That is an awful lot of goods you need to sell to break even without taking in travel or accommodation. I'm afraid this is one of the reasons for the eventual demise of these fairs as you could double+ those costs for the CLA.
 
Stingercargill said:
I was there on Friday
Click to expand...

Yep, so were we. £19 each to get through the gate, £4 just to park, and then they wanted another fiver for a bloody program??? :shock:

Not a cheap day out, by any stretch. And it was exactly the same old crap we saw from ten years ago
 
We went and had a go at the gnat shoot as its something i've wanted a go of for a few years. Dont get too many opportunities to shoot at a model plane. When they told me the cost of their pitch i couldnt believe it. Plus vat and wages and travel and accomodation it soon adds up to a scary number.
 
The problem with a game fair is we all want something different from it. As woodsmoke says above, it will always be the same stuff as previous years (except small and cheaper thermal imagers, LED lamps, diverdaves brilliant water repellent!!!! the shrouded barrel .22 and sticks i found) because in these days when someone comes up with something new (like the superb swivel free standing high seat we found) it is on line, on here and in all the mags the next day. It will be a rare thing indeed these days to see something totally new. One reason it will always be similar stuff is that is what sells

I dont see it as a cheap place to buy things, those days are largely gone. But it is a place to try the whole range of thermal imagers and speak to experts on them, as most shops wont have the whole range. It is a chance to directly compare £2500 binos when your local shops only do one or the other. Basically you can try things, compare things and poke and prod things you may have been thinking about but have not had the opportunity to see. If you already have almost everything then it will be difficult to find new stuff.
 
Dear Uncle.... er I mean Bogtrotter ( who we've never met and defn haven't know for anything like decades ) - you missed out plugging the Ballistol! :D

The debate about shows, retail pricing etc has been covered and will go on. There is no easy answer.

BT - thanks again for the jaffa 'bag'.


I would say that this year the new lady doing the organising actually had the guts/ intelligence to go round as many traders as she could at the end and find out views - and not least she listened to those views without bluster etc. Thats a first in our experience and is to be applauded regardless. Be assured we put the view of an ever decreasing cycle - high pitch costs reduce stand variety, high entry fees reduce crowds, fewer punters mean fewer stands and higher prices - and round she goes. That somehow the cycle needed to be broken and entrance fees were a good place to start. We'll see.
 
Andy regarding the Ballistol I am sure the claims you made for it are authentic, in fact I am confident in your claim that it rejuvenates, so confident in fact that today I purchased a pair Levis 32 inch waist and a comb , just about to give myself a quick spray.

Tomorrow I will send you before and after photos that you can use in advertising , much better than any plug I'm sure.
 
Went up on Sunday with the family,had a relaxing day wandering round, the kids fleeced me at the kids activity area but that's what it's all about letting them enjoy it.

Family ticket £40 thought is fair price, shopping wise I bought very little couple little bits which was fine as had a good wallet emptying week before in the fortis stand at the highland show.

I don't go to the fair looking for bargains, those days are gone with the Internet, but for a day out with the family and to catch up with friends, many of whom I have not seen since the game season finished.
 
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I can remember when it came 3:30 on the sunday, you could make an offer on anything and be able to haggle a deal. nowadays if they don't sell it at scone, they just take it to the next show in a couple of weeks! like has been said, high pitch prices means they cant afford to sell "bargains", which means less people next year! personaly I now just go to get a feel for the products, see what size fits me, look through a scope etc. you can always get it cheaper online, (sadly)!
 
They can only pay out for a pitch for so many times with folk coming to get a hands on feel then buying online .....
Before go bust or decide to veto whatever fair in question ... Then we all lose out

Cheaper entry fees
Stock at as close to prices as net or store
Relevant type stores & events

Then watch the crowds return

Paul
 
TheOldGamey said:
Scone Estates take the lions share.
Click to expand...

Yes the landowner will get a rent but lets consider what other cost there are in running this. I am involved with running a local agricultural show - nothing on the scale of the game fair but it does give a flavour of the costs.

Marquees to hire
toilets to hire
car park stewards to pay
Gate stewards to pay
security staff to pay
Policing to pay
security fencing to hire and erect
car park tracking to hire
Entertainment to pay
Pre event Organising staff to pay
event staff
Insurance, including all liabilities and event cancellation - not cheap!!
Council licencing - events, food standards, alcohol etc
tickets to print
programmes to print
Advertising
Tractors on standby to tow in/out traders and tow car out in wet conditions,
Feel free to add to the list because it goes on and on

So traders need to pay a hefty price for stand space, punter come along - look and feel then go away and buy for £1 cheaper on the 'net and complain less traders come next year.

And £19 for a whole days entertainment - what cost 2 hours at the cinemas of 2 hours watching 22 over paid prima donna's kick a ball about? - I know where I'd rather spend my money.
 
I agree the costs are high. In the 70,s when I sat on the BDS committee we had a stand at the game fair, and the cost was so high after a few years pulled out, then we were offered the stand free as they knew this is why people attend these shows to meet their local clubs WAGBI /BASC etc.
I have held a stand at Scone over the last few years, with the local wildfowling club, and know the cost, we did not go this year because of this.
People complain on the cost to get in, and park at the show, I have no problem with it, I wait all year on it, and go with a shopping list, and enjoy the fair.
 
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