Braunston Boat Share Show
Visitors being shown around boats by existing boat share owners.
INLAND WATERWAYS: With the reduced number of waterway boat shows this year it was good to see at least one of the early events continuing - the annual Braunston Boat Share Show, writes Harry Arnold.
Hosted by BCBM Boat Share at Tim Coghlan’s Braunston Marine over the weekend of 24-25 March, the continuing unseasonal hot weather resulted in two days of brilliant sunshine which highlighted a very colourful display of 15 diverse narrowboats in which shares – from a single one or a number – were on offer.
Prospective sharers were shown around the boats by enthusiastic existing shareholders who enjoy this form of boating. More economic than owning your own boat and - if you take more than a couple of weeks boating holiday – cheaper than hiring.
Attendance at the show was fairly low – as seen in the newspaper pictures I think most went off to the seaside - but of high quality. Andrew Barton, managing director of BCBM told us: “The sort of event we host, is in actual fact a specific target market show, and attracts people who are far more serious about what we have to offer rather than just coming for a day out and it being an excuse to bring the family to see what’s on offer and just browse.”
He was extremely pleased with the overall results with six shares being sold on the Saturday and another six on the Sunday, with another six couples who went away to consider which boat they intended to purchase a share in.
There were other trade stands at the show, such as Wilsons Upholstery and Really Friendly Business Solutions, with voluntary groups such as The Friends of Raymond and IWA Warwickshire Branch, who all reported that they had a good show and would be back again next year.
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