I found various aspects of the Scottish Caravan & Outdoor Leisure Show, which we attended yesterday, less than satisfactory. Delayed by the rain and traffic congestion in Glasgow, we arrived later than expected, and pulled in to SECC East, only to find that the carpark was closed, and that we should have been in SECC West. Well – it might have said to go to SECC West on the tickets.
Then, we had to pay £6 for parking. That seems quite a lot for a badly maintained carpark. It probably helps to pay the seven miserable-looking parking attendants who were forced to stand around doing very little in the atrocious weather. It really was pissing down, and you had to feel sorry for them.
When we got into the show, there was no indication at all as to what was where, as far as I could see, and as this was a massive show, some sort of basic plan or directory would have helped a great deal. At Online Information, for example, there are excellent plans contained in the programme. If there was a programme for the Scottish Caravan & Outdoor Leisure Show, I couldn’t find one. I eventually found one signpost, indicating that there were five different Halls.
We’d gone to the show mainly to see campervan awnings, but I could only find one awning, which was designed for a caravan. One stand, Towsure, sold them, but had none on display or in stock at the show. So we left empty-handed.
However, there were lots of caravans, recreational vehicles, campervans and tents on display, so we randomly walked round the show and enjoyed looking inside several.
I wanted to see the Dub-box, a caravan with an amazing classic VW Campervan look and feel, and we eventually found the right stand. It’s a stunning design – see below, and remember that this is a caravan, with no engine – but it’s not half as sturdy as, for example, the T5 Campervan. Unless you buy the pop-top version, you wouldn’t be able to stand up in it. Lovely concept, though.
Dub-box
Dub-box interior
Some RVs have very high quality interiors, with all mod-cons.
RV interior
The one on the right in the picture below costs £47,490 and the one on the left was the largest and fanciest RV at the show. It was so busy I couldn’t get inside it, but Lindsey said it was really impressive.
Top end RVs
Afterwards, we met up with Jamie & Kat, and took them to Chow on Byers Rooad.
Starters
Mains
What was it the boys said about Mexican food? Re-heated vomit with cheese on top. Luckily, you seem to have missed the cheese! Hotboy
By: hotboy on February 5, 2011
at 3:54 pm
Possibly because Chow’s is a Chinese restaurant.
By: Roddy MacLeod on February 5, 2011
at 3:56 pm
I say! My friend Albert says he once knew a Byrez Road restaurant manageress, in the biblical sense so I believe. Don’t know if there were second helpings.
If Jamie is at my Alma Mater, I hope he’s enjoying his time as much as I did. Probably more.
By: rob on February 6, 2011
at 3:37 am
I wouldn’t get a wink of sleep in one of those RVs. Nothing less than a tank or armoured car would do. And even then the guns would need to loaded.
By: rob on February 6, 2011
at 3:40 am
Hi Roddy – Good to get your feedback on the show (positive & otherwise!). I’m surprised to hear that you weren’t given a showguide on arrival. Unless you had free tickets for the show, you should have been handed one when picking up or purchasing your tickets. If you think you could still make use of one, please drop me a note with your address and I’ll pop one in the post. Hope you’ll make it back again next year and that the parking attendants (and visitors) will be enjoying slightly less ‘West of Scotland’ weather! Kind regards, Fran McIntyre – Managing Director.
By: Fran McIntyre on February 6, 2011
at 8:53 pm
Hi Fran,
Thanks for commenting. It’s good to know that you look out for feedback. I was sent my tickets by ticketSOUP, having used a CC code for a slight discount. There was no showguide enclosed. When I showed the tickets at the entrance, I wasn’t offered a guide and couldn’t see any available. I thought there would be campervan awnings on display, as so many people use them nowadays. Maybe you can suggest that to companies that sell awnings, for next year. I’m sure they would sell a few. I did come away with a Towsure catalogue, which is proving useful.
By: Roddy MacLeod on February 6, 2011
at 9:38 pm
Hi Roddy,
It’s that time of year again! While I’ve been off having another baby, my team have been building up the Caravan & Outdoor Leisure Show which opened yesterday. If you’d like to join us again this weekend, please let me know and I’ll ensure tickets (and a showguide!) are put aside for you. Hope to see you here. Kind regards, Fran McIntyre – MD QD Events.
By: Fran McIntyre on February 3, 2012
at 8:03 am
Fran,
Congratulations! Also, thanks ever so much for taking the time to contact me. No wonder you win awards for your event management and marketing.
We’re actually off skiing this weekend, but I hope the Show goes very well.
Roddy
By: Roddy MacLeod on February 3, 2012
at 9:12 am