Visitors to the second Sail, Power & Watersports Show did not come up to the 50,000 hoped for, but they were still higher than last year's show, organisers reveal.
Visitor numbers were up 18% over last year, coming in at 41,300. 'Buyers are using cash and it's not "borrowed" money as the banks aren't lending,' said the Show's Managing Director, James Brooke.<
But his enthusiasm was not shared by many disappointed exhibitors.
Ben Davies, sales manager for Chichester-based Northshore Yachts, said: 'Although we did take a lot of serious enquiries we were disappointed with the lack of effort on behalf of the organisers. There were no announcements, no big events.'
Neil Phillips, director of Sail and Trail, a Nottingham-based company which sells generators and kayaks, said: 'It was a dismal show. I have sold more goods at a boat jumble in three hours than I did in five days at Earls Court. At ExCel I sell 50 to 60 items a day at Earls Court I sold three items in five days. And it cost me £2,000 to be there. I reckon there were no more than 12,000 people visiting for the whole show.'
Roger Lees, a director of Poole-based Crusader Sails said : 'We had several punters who said they were disappointed. They said they thought it was small and were expecting more stands. We made some very good contacts, but I've got a feeling the show is not going to make it next year.'
Nigel Hubbard, proprietor of Outdoor Xscape Ropes, from Leicester, said: 'It was dreadful. We took in five days what we would take in one day at any other show. It was a farce. I cost me £700 plus car parking bills, hotel bills and staff costs.'
Yachting Monthly, 1 December 2008
