My first 'National' - wow
Early this year me and my family said rigth lets the national rally , well wene we got there we all just went WOW so many caravans got piched up then went walkabout then again a big WOW just want to say a very big thanks to the caravan club team and also
not forgeting the volunteers
Comments
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Glad to hear your first experience was a good one Sparky. see you at Sandringham next year ?
Alison
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Our first one to we were gob smacked at the amount of vans and MH already pitched on the Friday when we arrived. We had a very good weekend and will be going to Sandringham for sure.
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Glad people enjoyed the event at Weston Park. I've visited several Nationals as day visitors, but we've never managed to take the caravan. Sadly, we couldn't get there at all this year - just having a really busy and difficult time at the moment. Hope
everyone had a good time.David
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Also my first national and again wow so many vans in one place was impressive as was the organisation to get it all set up . Unfortunatly ive gotta say wouldnt do it again . Would have liked to have seen more accessory and gadget stalls in the main arena
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Fatdad, I agree. This was one of the arguments last year and the year before. The CC really has to attract more trade stands to the Natiinal and I'm afraid to say the only way they are going to do that is lower prices. Lower prices mean more exhibitors are interested = more trade stands. The problem is that why go to all the trouble to set up at the National and pay a huge fee for the privalige when you can sit in a room and sell over the web!! The National is a fantastic event and unfortunately I couldn't make it this year. The organisation that goes into it is awesome and the team should be heartily congratulated BUT if they don't attract more trade stands I can see it starting to die. If you read the threads regarding last years National you'll see the same arguments. Not only trade stands but day visitors should be encouraged too as that will help the trade stands. I know the fee to get in was £11 - what was it this year???
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For those who went this year and in past years, did he club appear take note of the comments from the surveys, or just did a business as usual? We didn't go this year as not overly impressed with the 2015 National, that was my wife's first however I've attended several over the last 40 years.
Noted yet another stately home for the future events.
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As Merve says it is not the price for trade stands to attend the national, it is the competition, why bother setting up a stand for several days when you could be sitting in the comfort of your own home/office selling online, no transport costs of getting the stand and stock and the people to man them to the venue. Be honest now how many of you still buy accessories from local dealers, yes research there have a look and see what you want to buy but always go home and research online too to see if you can get it cheaper - it is the way of the world now sadly, so there is absolutely no incentive for big traders to attend any more, even Towsure had a very small stall last time I was there and just a pile of catalogues. IMHO, our best hope is to appeal to local dealers/traders to each National who have stock they want to get rid of.
Alison
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The National is not the place to go for trade stands. In my view it is not so much they can sell on line but the fact the National is one of the smaller shows during the year and it does not attract the day visitors. If you want to see lots of trade stands
try one of the other shows e.g.
>Warners< especially the Pererborough National and the Western Motorhome show ( caravanners also attend both)peedee
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The National is not the place to go for trade stands. In my view it is not so much they can sell on line but the fact the National is one of the smaller shows during the year and it does not attract the day visitors. If you want to see lots of trade stands
try one of the other shows e.g.
>Warners< especially the Pererborough National and the Western Motorhome show ( caravanners also attend both)peedee
Write your comments here...I agree but I thought that members were warned off, by the forum police, about mentioning the events put on by Warners on this forum !!
Bill
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Well the Club hosts a stand at both the above and at Peterborough there is a Club area managed by the Beds Centre. The Club usually highlights these shows in the magazine as well but having had at least one posts Deleted User for such comments I understand what you mean. It probably depends how the police are feeling on the day.
peedee
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Trade Stands?
far better to have a small qty of quality exhibitors than loads of junk and duplicate traders ...
the food stands I thought were excellent.. And the exhibitors offered just enough for the qty of people attending the National..
whilst a lot of work goes into the set up of the event we felt a bit more attention to the areas that the grass was as much as 15" long.. And in the Electric hook up pitches seemed rather close together ????
we would also prefer to seen the centre lines return, it just seemed a little odd mixed in regions..
did we enjoy ? All in all yes great weather great venue we also saw the Elton John Show and well entertained..
Oh the Spitfire made the hair stand up on the back of our necks...
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I used to love Nationals when we had more of a 'village' area than an arena area, local food traders, butchers, bakers etc rather than the mini market we get now. As workers we rarely made it off site so it would be nice to have local independent traders
of all kinds rather than the same old purveyors of caravan related goods that frankly we have enough of anyway. Perhaps the Club could advertise locally around Sandringham now, for traders to attend ??Alison
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We were at the National this year, it was an excellent venue and we enjoyed the whole event. Weston Park had organised a food and craft fair so there really was something for everyone. The "national" survey which I've just completed asks if another food
and craft fair would be a good idea, I think it would. Weston Park was such a lovely venue due to the beautiful parkland, gardens and house with easy access from the CC area to the host area. I'm wondering if Sandringham will provide such a variety of choices
due to limits on access to the grounds and no entry for dog owners. Anyway I can recommend the National, I'm glad we went, all these events evolve and change over time. We went with a bit of trepidation after reading some of the comments on here, I'm glad
we didn't take them all to heart. (Lying back once more in the sunshine of the Lakes and pleased to have extended the holiday a bit further.....
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It was our first time on a National too and we thoroughly enjoyed it. We were lucky with the weather, nevertheless we think we would have enjoyed it anyway, regardless of the weather. There were plenty of sheltered areas marquees etc.
There was something for everyone. Miniature railway, adventure playground, lovely parkland with mature trees, a lake, footpaths through the woods etc.
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I stopped till Wednesday last year whereby all the traders had gone, indeed most on Monday. This year I stopped till Tuesday and low and behold the same thing had occurred again with the main food shop and food traders all gone.
If the traders don't go to the National then the National will die.It's been on a steady decline for the last five years, yes it's good to see 1500 vans, long time goers have seen twice that amount!!
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I cannot agree with the above post,the organisation,weather,venue,entertainment,walking in the parkland and the Saturday "cheese" and wine party in the arena,Hurricane? fly past,wine and buffet put on by my region, all positives.
I think the Club are listeneing to members requests and Trade is getting difficult area to plan.But to say the National will die without decent trade area is in my opinion incorrect.
If future Nationals are as good as this,and I do not believe over 1500 vans its in decline.
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I didn't go to the national but feedback I have had from those that did, Echo's exactly the comments made by JohnAshBurton particularly about the traders leaving.
Additional comments were made that people on some of the non electric pitches were pitched next to the generators so had continuous noise, lack of information, critiscism of the blue badge area in relationship to the number of pot holes and its distance
from water and chemical disposal point.Sounds like people experienced 2 different nationals. But when people who have been to 20+ nationals, say never again. I am inclined to listen, sorry.
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I do not believe over 1500 vans its in decline.
So that means 99.5% of Club members don't attend ? It doesn't sound a hugely popular event to me.
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I do not believe over 1500 vans its in decline.
So that means 99.5% of Club members don't attend ? It doesn't sound a hugely popular event to me.
Write your comments here...Perhaps it's just as well. I doubt there'd be enough space to accommodate the other 99.5%.
We enjoyed it but can understand that it's not everyone's cup of tea.
We have friends in Bristol that came to visit us not long ago, who are also Caravan Club members. They stayed at Littlehampton Caravan Club site and they said they preferred not to go to the National Rally. However, they do use the Club sites and CLs from time to time.
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Fozzie
I make my comments based on my own experiences only. I dont know how many Nationals you've been on or when you arrived or went home this year. As I stated I can remember twice as many vans attending and a day with the huge empty space where the traders have
been is rather depressing in my eyes hence my Tuesday departure.Furthermore it's blatantly obvious the decline in sports is mirrored by the decline in attendance for those who've been many times.
Never the less we shall hopefully be there next year and marshalling, as we always enjoy the National!
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I leave it up to others to decide whether or not they wish to attend. All I can say is that we attended and we both thoroughly enjoyed it. We were there right from the beginning to the end and still didn't manage to fit in everything that was going on.
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The weather helps, Arley Hall was lovely in the rain!!!
Not as the Club can do owt about that.
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Yes, I agree we were lucky with the weather this year but I think we would have enjoyed it anyway, even if it had rained.
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JohnAB
Thanks for the reply but I am currently in France with very slow WiFi.My initial response was aimed at the negativity of your post that's all.With all that had going for it at Weston Park.
We have attended countless NFOL with the CCC until they changed it to the August Bank Holiday.We found the CC national easier to attend to have attended last half dozen.
I just wondered what you can look at on the trade on a Monday that you coundn't look at on the previous Friday!
I personally think the Club are attempting to try things new for the National and we have already pencilled in Sandringham for next year.
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I'm also hoping to go to Sandringham next year. It's a place I've never been to before. Last year I toured much of England, Wales and Scotland but couldn't fit in East Anglia or the Norfolk Broads. So I think Sandringham will open up new horizons for us.
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I'm also hoping to go to Sandringham next year. It's a place I've never been to before. Last year I toured much of England, Wales and Scotland but couldn't fit in East Anglia or the Norfolk Broads. So I think Sandringham will open up new horizons for us.
If you can manage it The National could be a springboard to visit Norfolk Suffolk and Essex , all lovely in their own way. Essex is particularly diverse ?
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I'm also hoping to go to Sandringham next year. It's a place I've never been to before. Last year I toured much of England, Wales and Scotland but couldn't fit in East Anglia or the Norfolk Broads. So I think Sandringham will open up new horizons for us.
If you can manage it The National could be a springboard to visit Norfolk Suffolk and Essex , all lovely in their own way. Essex is particularly diverse ?
Write your comments here...Thanks Bakers2. I thought of Norfolk and Suffolk but didn't realise Essex was within easy reach. Also, I think the Sandringham Estate will have plenty going on there too. Hopefully, there'll be enough time to fit it all in.
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