Volksworld Show 18-19 March 2023

[Boycie1009]

hi guys
great to meet up with you all on saturday , and finally to meet clem
i left the sunlander overnight for sunday there as i live 30mins away .
i got there sunday at 2pm ish and talking to bar staff, traders like the sticker guy and perma-grit man (bought the carbide tool of him)who said he has lost money with the price of the pitch his was £900.00,sticker man only accepted to go there on the thursday 16th from orginisers after he did a deal for the pitch half the price he paid before.
he said to many cooks taking there slice!! kelsey ,eventbrite,sandown jocky club.(hes doing dorset dub fest )
there killing it .
more and more trade stands are not there ,only custom and commercial who i know had a large pitch inside.
sunday was dead quiet even before i got there ,no music saturday but sunday tom dibb was there.
got recommended for july 15/16th VWT kent county show ground

 

[Boycie1009]

dubs at the pub maybe or what else

 

[Adam1970bay]

We went for the first time in 13 years, our bay, and trekker are not on the road, went down with a list of things to get. Only got the clutch cable clip..
The show had some great show cars, think there has been more there before. Weather would have put a lot of visitors off on the Saturday, not sure how anyones air cooled wipers coped with the heavy rain.
As said there is a lot of big overheads with venue.
My wife trades at a few shows, we tend to do weekend ones, sone the trade pitches are a little more than weekend camping.

We did the new one at Stafford in feb, which had most of the traders there that were at volksworld. (Closer to home for us, 15mins) There was a lot of buggies there. A few of the traders had said the Sundays are quieter being Mother’s Day.

We did dubs at pub last year, was a great weekend show. That we felt was sticking with air cooled.

Most are now t5-t6 when you get to them.

 

[Graham L]

From a small traders perspective Volksworld just isnt good value and hard to recover your costs for the weekend, when we traded down in the Esher Hall for 3 years it was nearly £800 for a 4m x 2m stand, by the time you had got down there (often with 2 vehicles) and set up on the Friday (day lost in the unit) and then had a few beers and a meal with friends on the Saturday night you are into well over £1k and thats with 'Car Park Camping' not hotels.

VoWo swapped the company that sell the trade spaces on their behalf this year (Kelsey do nothing themselves its all farmed out), from what I can gather they made no attempt to contact previous traders to see if they wanted a stand, hence the lack of traders.

I thought it was interesting that Schofields chose a smaller outside 'cheaper' pitch and only chose to trade on the Saturday and mainly for pre ordered collections.

Sunday is always dead and never a great day to visit

 

[davidoft]

I asked Schofields last year what there pitch was and it was several thousand, plus 6 staff 4 days by the time you’ve loaded , unloaded travelled etc , im sure they were up near £10k for the weekend including staff wages, means hotels etc. adding additional costs by having a 3rd parties 3rd party sell pitches tickets and everyone adding a percentage means the venue does no better but ultimately their customers, traders pay the cost. The “scene” has also moved on so a different customer and dynamic is required to draw different folks in, as above going to shows for years and years eventually you see the same people same vehicle and some were even in the same spot as last year , the local show beach buggin( now dubbin) has been taken over by people much much younger, enthusiastic and much different to the people previously running it, it’s getting more popular every year, I remember folks moaning about crappy old late bays not enough splits etc, now it’s T4 etc it’s progress and a different vehicle dynamic but the Dane sort of folks modifying the vehicles they can afford to their taste , I put a picture of an air bagged slammed T25 on another page , received some fairly unpleasant comments by the now much older members , it’s a shame it can’t be enjoyed for what it is rather than reminiscing over what people in their 20s perceived it to be.

 

[mcvw]

FYI: Next year will be the 30th anniversary of the Volksworld show (although it was cancelled for 2years during Covid wasn't it). It's mad to think that the first show was way back in 1994!!

So maybe they will put on a celebration/make more of a big deal? i.e. it might be the last one as we know it!!

 

[davidoft]

FYI: Next year will be the 30th anniversary of the Volksworld show (although it was cancelled for 2years during Covid wasn't it). It's mad to think that the first show was way back in 1994!!

So maybe they will put on a celebration/make more of a big deal? i.e. it might be the last one as we know it!!

Apparently not at the racecourse due to LEZ , could be a as good way to revamp it

 

[Clem]

Apparently not at the racecourse due to LEZ , could be a as good way to revamp it

Interesting. Is that confirmed or an assumption? I guess it adds over £10 to all attendees in non compliant cars.

 

[davidoft]

Interesting. Is that confirmed or an assumption? I guess it adds over £10 to all attendees in non compliant cars.

I was told it’s the last time it will be there , the LEZ is an assumption as it’s seems a likely reason due to the additional charge , may they should go to good wood

 

[GrantK]

Where were you today I came looking and could not find anyones ?

I was there from Friday afternoon with my 1970 Bay (Buddy). I was disappointed to find that there appeared to be no organised camping area for Early Bays. After parking up in a muddy field I walked around, there seemed to be a few early bays but they were scattered around. I never did get a chance to speak to anyone. This was my first visit in many years, I sold my Westy in 1987. I really enjoyed the show and spent far too much on bits and pieces. We were worried that we might have a problem driving up the field in the mud, but Buddy drove out without any problems.

I've booked in for the Aircooled Campout on June 30th. I hope to see some early Bay owners there.

Grant (Granite)

 

[gas1man]

I was there from Friday afternoon with my 1970 Bay (Buddy). I was disappointed to find that there appeared to be no organised camping area for Early Bays. After parking up in a muddy field I walked around, there seemed to be a few early bays but they were scattered around. I never did get a chance to speak to anyone. This was my first visit in many years, I sold my Westy in 1987. I really enjoyed the show and spent far too much on bits and pieces. We were worried that we might have a problem driving up the field in the mud, but Buddy drove out without any problems.

I've booked in for the Aircooled Campout on June 30th. I hope to see some early Bay owners there.

Grant (Granite)

Best weekend for early bays this campout, thoroughly enjoyable. Just like minded people enjoying each others company and swapping bus jargon.
Gutted to miss again but have had the pleasure of four others. Four hour drive each way but so worth it.

J & P

 

[Clem]

I was there from Friday afternoon with my 1970 Bay (Buddy). I was disappointed to find that there appeared to be no organised camping area for Early Bays. After parking up in a muddy field I walked around, there seemed to be a few early bays but they were scattered around. I never did get a chance to speak to anyone.

Those who are in the line up usually don't use the official camp site as its too far away and, often, too muddy. If you are trading/displaying they are quite relaxed about you camping/sleeping in your bus in the front car par. It means you cant barbeque or put up an awning etc, but its a really short walk to town and much easier.

 

[mcvw]

Interesting. Is that confirmed or an assumption? I guess it adds over £10 to all attendees in non compliant cars.

Totally forgot about the ULEZ expansion - and me and a mate were only joking about this the other week as we were wondering what the community of Esher/Chessington area etc had done to upset the planners

I guess in reality they're targetting major traffic hotspots? But yeah, it's BS!

 

[Clem]

I know in the past the organisers made a consious decision to hold it in the South London area to accomodate European/Overseas attendees, so I guess that will remain a factor going forward. If it goes too far East though it will have an overall effect as it becomes too far for a day trip for more UK attendees.
There is the counter argument of course that it should drive up the amount of folk attending in ULEZ exempt air cooled vehicles.

 

[Clem]

Pic from the weekend

 

[Ben72Bay]

Pic from the weekend

I saw you all chatting, but didn't think to come and say hello!

 

[Clem]

I saw you all chatting, but didn't think to come and say hello!

Please do next time.

 

[sparkywig]

Pic from the weekend

Who's Wraggles standing in front of?

 

[Clem]

Who's Wraggles standing in front of?

Darius

 

[mcvw]

That must have been Saturday as there were no EB's (or maybe one perhaps) left on the line-up on Sunday (midday)