Photography and video show 2024

Damian Brown said:
Sorry if this has been mentioned but apparently it was announced that it'll be moving to eXcel London for 2025, then alternating with Brum after that. What a shame.
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So that rules it out for me entirely. Can't see anyone else in their sane mind travelling into rip off London unless they already are trapped there
 
Used to go every year but not since the pandemic, thought it would be nice to go this year as there is a lot of new kit I’d like to try so ordered my free trade ticket, but when I saw that parking was an excessive £18 I just couldn’t go on principle, it was free for the Motorhome show a few weeks ago!
 
Plain Nev said:
That's a shame. But then I expect those south of London say the same about Birmingham.
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True but surely the centre of the country is logistically, and economically, better. A lot of big organisations have left London or set up in the Midlands, for this reason, for example.
 
Damian Brown said:
True but surely the centre of the country is logistically, and economically, better. A lot of big organisations have left London or set up in the Midlands, for this reason, for example.
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Yes, I know. Just trying to see the other side of the picture really.
 
Plain Nev said:
That's a shame. But then I expect those south of London say the same about Birmingham.
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Not entirely. In London you now get slapped with loads of fees to even drive to your destination, let alone voyeuristic ltn zones, crazy yellow boxes and all that expensive nonsense you read on the news every day. Basically £200 or so to get there from around M25.... They can stuff it
 
LongLensPhotography said:
Not entirely. In London you now get slapped with loads of fees to even drive to your destination, let alone voyeuristic ltn zones, crazy yellow boxes and all that expensive nonsense you read on the news every day. Basically £200 or so to get there from around M25.... They can stuff it
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Well, there is that. Although, wheels seem to be in motion. I'd like to know what prompted their decision.
 
Plain Nev said:
Well, there is that. Although, wheels seem to be in motion. I'd like to know what prompted their decision.
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Probably nec being a holes and charging more than London venue. That would be around the most logical one
 
LongLensPhotography said:
Not entirely. In London you now get slapped with loads of fees to even drive to your destination, let alone voyeuristic ltn zones, crazy yellow boxes and all that expensive nonsense you read on the news every day. Basically £200 or so to get there from around M25.... They can stuff it
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Also; they have this thing called the London Underground - which magically transports you for bargain prices.:cool:
 
LongLensPhotography said:
Not entirely. In London you now get slapped with loads of fees to even drive to your destination, let alone voyeuristic ltn zones, crazy yellow boxes and all that expensive nonsense you read on the news every day. Basically £200 or so to get there from around M25.... They can stuff it
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Indeed I won't be rushing down to London anytime soon.

To see a theatre show in London would be best part of a grand. £200+ each for a seat that doesn't require use of an oxygen mask. As there are no trains out of Euston to the North-West after 10:00, we'd need a next-day return train journey plus overnight accommodation in London or do a 400-mile (minimum of 8-hours of driving) round trip drive, plus parking charges, congestion charges and whatever else. No thanks.
 
LongLensPhotography said:
Probably nec being a holes and charging more than London venue. That would be around the most logical one
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Well, we don't know. And if the NEC did, would the Photography show go back there the following year?
 
Phil V said:
Also; they have this thing called the London Underground - which magically transports you for bargain prices.:cool:
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I never noticed any underground in Worcestershire other than fat rat underground in all major parks
 
Even though the NEC is a 10-minute train ride for me, I can see the sense in it moving around. I recently went to an event at Manchester Central and though that was a nice venue, even if the parking cost was even more than at the NEC.
 
Plain Nev said:
Well, we don't know. And if the NEC did, would the Photography show go back there the following year?
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I doubt there are firm contracts in place for 2026 yet. They will wait and weigh their options which could easily mean it will stay in London for good.
 
Well I enjoyed this year but London would probably be a no-go as I simply cannot be bothered with the faff of traveling through London....
 
Strange to think how many of you I must have walked past. Although, some of you I might have walked past and thought, strange. :D
 
Damian Brown said:
True but surely the centre of the country is logistically, and economically, better. A lot of big organisations have left London or set up in the Midlands, for this reason, for example.
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‘A lot’?

I’m not defending London or the way the country has been run for the last 50 years, but almost the entire economy is centred on London now where it used to be only the ‘largest city’.
 
Mozthecat said:
Well I enjoyed this year but London would probably be a no-go as I simply cannot be bothered with the faff of traveling through London....
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For me; I’d much prefer to use public transport for leisure, and I can get dirt cheap fast trains to London.

But Cross Country are the most expensive train service in the country making the train to Birmingham unaffordable. So I drive to the NEC, which is no fun at all, just 2hrs of dull motorway.
 
I spoke with some guys I know well on one of the stands yesterday. They are not impressed either. The money I spent this year on the few bits that I bought would have been taken up by accommodation and the prices are already stupidly high. They don’t get the same level of speakers either. I might try Photo London next year but not trying to get to that place. The ‘see you next year’ sign left out that key bit of information. I have been going for years and doubt that I will again.
 
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Unlocker said:
Used to go every year but not since the pandemic, thought it would be nice to go this year as there is a lot of new kit I’d like to try so ordered my free trade ticket, but when I saw that parking was an excessive £18 I just couldn’t go on principle, it was free for the Motorhome show a few weeks ago!
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It was £12 if you booked online, which you could do the night before.

What was gouging was the food. Terrible choice at eye watering prices.
 
FWIW I believe the Excel London centre is outside the congestion zone, so if driving it's around the M25 and drop down to docklands. I may be wrong though. For me, NEC was fairly easy (1 hour drive plus advance-booked parking), After moving house next week though, it'll be either fly or ferry+ drive, which means obviously flying in reality, which limits what I can buy, but on the other hand there's precious difference between BHX and LCY flights. I'll probably give it a go at Excel, as I missed it this year.
 
lindsay said:
FWIW I believe the Excel London centre is outside the congestion zone, so if driving it's around the M25 and drop down to docklands. I may be wrong though. For me, NEC was fairly easy (1 hour drive plus advance-booked parking), After moving house next week though, it'll be either fly or ferry+ drive, which means obviously flying in reality, which limits what I can buy, but on the other hand there's precious difference between BHX and LCY flights. I'll probably give it a go at Excel, as I missed it this year.
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ULEZ expanded to include that area last year. The day after I left being there for 4 days :D
 
Definitely fly in then!
 
Parking at the train station for the NEC is a no-brainer. Not only cheaper than the official car parks but a 5 minute walk to the NEC as opposed to the horrid shuttle bus or 10 minute walk.

But the train for me to BHM is >£100, whereas I can pick up advance ticket to London for peanuts.
 
Or park for free at Tile Hill and about £5/15 minutes on the train.
 
lindsay said:
FWIW I believe the Excel London centre is outside the congestion zone, so if driving it's around the M25 and drop down to docklands. I may be wrong though. For me, NEC was fairly easy (1 hour drive plus advance-booked parking), After moving house next week though, it'll be either fly or ferry+ drive, which means obviously flying in reality, which limits what I can buy, but on the other hand there's precious difference between BHX and LCY flights. I'll probably give it a go at Excel, as I missed it this year.
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Everything inside of M25 is in the zone now and parking will cost you ridiculous money once you do pay Sadiq bills
 
LongLensPhotography said:
Everything inside of M25 is in the zone now and parking will cost you ridiculous money once you do pay Sadiq bills
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Again
It’s a piece of cake to travel around London on the underground

Historically I’d not have volunteered to drive round London. The latest changes, which are designed to discourage me further, just cement that decision.

It’s bluntly idiotic to look at measures designed specifically to stop unnecessary traffic using the city, and describe it as something else.
 
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I do agree with Phil on the ease of travel - and besides, most relatively new cars are ULEZ compliant, even diesel ones like mine.
 
From my biased perspective:

To get to excel takes

a 20 minute bus journey to Brighton station
1 hour on the train to Victoria (best case)
36 minute from Victoria to the venue station (from the excel site info)

Assuming zero waiting times at each interchange, that's just over 2 hours journey time. Plus whatever charge the railways inflict for two people.

Traveling up to the NEC on Sunday via the M25 (with the M25 closure) took 3 hours and 5 minutes by car, for two people; return journey with the M25 open 2 hours 31 minutes after leaving the Toby carvery next to the NEC and driving back towards the NEC to get on the motorway (adding to the time) we were home.

My car isn't new enough to avoid being hit for £12.50 for the crime of wanting to spend money in London; that's basically the same price as paying for parking at the NEC (pre booked) without adding on parking charges in London. Economically, you could argue that this would avoid a night's hotel accommodation for a two day visit (normal for the NEC show); but having two extra long (distance and time) car journeys means more time spent on travel than a visit to Birmingham and no time to relax after the first day. Just not worth it for me.
 
lindsay said:
I do agree with Phil on the ease of travel - and besides, most relatively new cars are ULEZ compliant, even diesel ones like mine.
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It doesn't help me that Your car is compliant, and only until they move the goalposts. They will, and I'm not spending £15k to drive into London once, just a ridiculous thought
 
stumac said:
All you lot crying about a carpark fee ....try travelling over from N.ireland LOL
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which will be me too after next Tuesday
 
LongLensPhotography said:
It doesn't help me that Your car is compliant, and only until they move the goalposts. They will, and I'm not spending £15k to drive into London once, just a ridiculous thought
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I quite agree, but then my point was generalised whereas yours is specific and personal. Granted many people may not have ULEZ compliant cars, but many will (my car is 5 years old and not an expensive model by the way). I do though agree with the more relevant point that Birmingham or somewhere slightly more North would be better for more people, though not for those on the south coast or south west, so there will always be losers no matter where it is.
 
lindsay said:
I quite agree, but then my point was generalised whereas yours is specific and personal. Granted many people may not have ULEZ compliant cars, but many will (my car is 5 years old and not an expensive model by the way). I do though agree with the more relevant point that Birmingham or somewhere slightly more North would be better for more people, though not for those on the south coast or south west, so there will always be losers no matter where it is.
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Not all people on the south coast. We live in Hove, and Birmingham is preferable for us.
 
It would not be much different for me to drive and park at Excel, as it is to get the train there. No ULEZ and is outside congestion zone.

Parking onsite £25 for the day + a bit of petrol, I can drive and park right under Excel in about 30 minutes from home.

Train at least, £9 station parking, £16+ for the over ground + a bit for the DLR and changing.

I might actually go along
 
I'd rather go to Edinburgh than Lungdung!
 
1hr 20mins from my door, no ULEZ problem for my 2.5L petrol turbo lol. Just paid £12 parking, didn’t spend money on food, brought my own water. In and out in 4hrs.
 
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