Mrs T and myself, lured by the advance purchase of two £5 tickets, made our way from deepest Lincolnshire up the A1 to beautiful Harrogate for the above show. At the roundabout just outside the town, cars (for that was our chosen mode of transport) were directed via an incredibly circuitous route not only around Harrogate but also the showground on part paved tracks, only to arrive at what felt like a ploughed field which masqueraded as a car park.
No problem, we arrived before the show opened and indeed they started letting the madding crowds in ten minutes early.
In we went to be met first with a gaggle of "artisan market" stalls selling various crafts, flavoured gin etc. We, reckoning on being smart then entered the two huge indoor halls before it began to throb with the thronging masses. The relatively few traders were spread out in the extreme to fill acres of empty space. Admittedly they were selling goods of the kind actually used and needed by the motorhome and caravan community.
Outside again we looked for the outside catering and seating area supposedly located behind the Adria area. The catering consisted of a solitary burger type van.
Moving through the motorhome and caravan area was dispiriting. There were five areas dedicated to the major builders but again so spread out that I expected tumbleweed to pass in the breeze between the vans.
The vast majority of the rest of the exhibits was taken by the mobile home makers who certainly made up the greater area of display space of the entire show.
Oh and the "village green, street food and music area" did not appear to exist. At least we couldn't find it.
All in all a very disappointing show on which we will not bother wasting fuel again or the £2.90 each we were stung for a cup of weak tea come to that.
The sad thing for the visitors paying on the day was that they were being charged £12.50 a head.
No problem, we arrived before the show opened and indeed they started letting the madding crowds in ten minutes early.
In we went to be met first with a gaggle of "artisan market" stalls selling various crafts, flavoured gin etc. We, reckoning on being smart then entered the two huge indoor halls before it began to throb with the thronging masses. The relatively few traders were spread out in the extreme to fill acres of empty space. Admittedly they were selling goods of the kind actually used and needed by the motorhome and caravan community.
Outside again we looked for the outside catering and seating area supposedly located behind the Adria area. The catering consisted of a solitary burger type van.
Moving through the motorhome and caravan area was dispiriting. There were five areas dedicated to the major builders but again so spread out that I expected tumbleweed to pass in the breeze between the vans.
The vast majority of the rest of the exhibits was taken by the mobile home makers who certainly made up the greater area of display space of the entire show.
Oh and the "village green, street food and music area" did not appear to exist. At least we couldn't find it.
All in all a very disappointing show on which we will not bother wasting fuel again or the £2.90 each we were stung for a cup of weak tea come to that.
The sad thing for the visitors paying on the day was that they were being charged £12.50 a head.
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