From Fred Cole, International Paint

Dear Sir,

As the leading paint supplier in the UK marine industry, International Paint will be continuing to support the London Boat Show at ExCeL.

We can see no benefit to our customers in a rival winter boat show, it will simply serve to confuse boat owners and dilute all our efforts. National Boat Shows are working hard to improve the whole package at ExCeL, we believe that this effort should be supported and encouraged. It would be much better for those who are unhappy with LBS at ExCeL to get involved in changing it, rather than attempt to re-create the past at Earls Court.

We look forward to participating in a vibrant, forward looking and growing London Boat Show 2008 at ExCeL.

Yours faithfully,
Fred Cole
UK Sales Manager
International Paint

Dear Sir,

I was intrigued to hear the news that several hundred companies have expressed a keen interest to exhibit at the rival Earls Court Boat Show.

Given those who have publicly declared their support for NBS, and my own straw poll of a modest cross section of our industry, I have yet to turn up anyone who will admit to it. Nevertheless the organisers obviously have serious intent, but for which I fail to see the point.

As an exhibitor for over 20 years at boat shows in London, I have seen things change significantly, but that I consider an inevitable consequence of changing consumer habits, combined with the march of technology. Earls Court is an outmoded venue that does not deliver what is needed for our industry and the decision to move to ExCeL was the right one.

Anyone abandoning ExCeL for Earls Court will be on a hiding to nothing. There is a better way forward.

It is undeniable, however, that things are not right with the present format for the Collins Stewart London Boat Show. What I see is that those selling boats or holidays, for example, are reporting ever stronger results, where those peddling equipment, ourselves included, seem to be returning a lacklustre performance.

One has to ask why, and I believe that a few obvious factors might be getting overlooked.

Ten years ago at both Southampton and London we would be inundated from start to finish. We then spent the rest of the year feeding off our contacts. Not to be there would have been fatal.

We saw the same couples returning on consecutive days, or coming back the next weekend with a ‘to-do’ list, and obviously pondering on their day’s investigation each evening before returning, eventually, to place orders and take advantage of the best deals going.

No longer is this the case and I think the reason is obvious.
It is clear that these people, well educated professionals in the main, now do their research on the web. We now have customers coming to the stand that open with ‘I was looking at your products on the web and just have a quick question….’

How many of these people used to get counted several times on attendance figures, once for each day they visited, and where is it, do you think, that people perceive they get the best deals for equipment and gear these days?

But you can’t really research a boat on the net; just like your new Mercedes, you want to get on it, smell it, touch it and be attended to by the young and beautiful – far more fun than spending the day comparing alternative battery chargers. That you can do while the Mrs is watching Casualty.

Visitors are after an unforgettable experience and don’t need shows to deal with their distress purchases ahead of the next season – especially where you can alternatively do it with a glass of wine in one hand and your mouse in the other.

I believe that we all need to waken up to this and deal with it accordingly. The boat show at ExCeL belongs to all of us – it is a partnership and both NBS and us exhibitors would do well to accept this.

My feeling is that there is a degree of polarisation and too much ‘them and us’. Exhibitors need to be more creative with what they are doing and NBS has to do all it can to encourage this creativity to make the visitor experience a great one.

The show will be a success if we work together to make it interesting, to promote it and to accept that a return to the way things were will not happen and is probably not what we need.

Good luck if you choose Earls Court – we’ll have your spot at ExCeL.

Yours faithfully,
Danny Jones
Area Manager UK
Victron Energy bv

From James Brooke, The Earls Court Boat Show

Dear Sir,

Since we announced that the Whyte and Mackay Earls Court Boat Show will be held in December 2007, there has been much debate within the industry.

There have been some questions around the rationale of holding a second boat show in London and we want to address the concerns raised.

Despite many London Boat Show tickets being given free to people this year, visitor numbers fell again. Visitation figures have declined 40% over 4 boat shows (from 210,000 in 2004 to 130,000 in 2007).

The Whyte & Mackay Earls Court Boat Show is a boat show that has been created in response to independent research showing a gap in the market coupled with an overwhelming demand. This Show has been created with the express intentions of delivering the core heartland of the boating community to exhibitors, as well as providing a warm welcome to those entering the boating world for the first time. It is of real commercial benefit to the industry to have a show that entices genuine boating enthusiasts with a high propensity to purchase.

Our visitor forecast for the 50th boat show at Earls Court is 220,000. We believe that this is a feasible target taking into account initial Excel figures at the 2004 show, the number of boat owners in the UK, the number of people involved in water based activities, the pre-Christmas timing, the iconic location and the overwhelming amount of interest and support we have received from the boating community.

Earls Court has invested many millions of pounds in recent years on upgrades and improvements to its facilities since the boat show left in 2003. Both visitors and exhibitors will benefit from these improvements which include an upgraded air-conditioning system, fashionable restaurants on-site and a new ceiling grid with rigging facilities.

Despite recent comments made public on behalf of the BMF and National Boat Shows in a clear attempt to discourage independent companies from exhibiting at the Whyte & Mackay Earls Court Boat Show, we remain supportive of the BMF and the work it does on behalf of its members. Since 15th January we have initiated several conversations with the BMF and continue to offer them our support. The most recent conversation included an offer to sponsor a BMF stand at Earls Court. We believe the two shows can complement each other and are willing to maintain an open dialogue with the BMF in order to work together to facilitate this. We have no doubt that the Excel show will find its place alongside the Whyte & Mackay Earls Court Boat Show and wish them every success in doing so.

In conclusion, the Whyte & Mackay Earls Court Boat Show will deliver revenue to the industry, and will allow exhibitors and visitors to freely exchange information. With forecast visitor numbers of 220,000 in 2007, the show is very much in the interests of the industry.

With best wishes,

James Brooke
Managing Director
Earls Court Boat Show