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Weston Park 2016


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The first year they did Friday it was hopeless - hardly any traders bothered, and there wasn't much flying. The gate staff were letting people in at reduced price by early afternoon as it was so bad.

Last year was better but still some trader spaces empty or marquees closed up. Much smaller queues for food and drink though.

If you only have Friday available just go - it's only £12 and it's still a good day out. It's local-ish to me, so I may go both Friday and Saturday.

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Posted by Tom Sharp 2 on 14/06/2016 12:23:43:

£12 entry fee. That's one tenth of my state pension for the week.

or putting it into perspective, the cost of a couple of tickets to the cinema to watch a 90 minute film.

about 1/5 of the entry to a track to watch a days MotoGP or Superbike racing.

1/20th the price of a ticket to watch an F1 race.

I don't know but I bet it's a damn sight less than a ticket to a 90 minute football match, a day at a cricket match or Wimbledon.

The chances are it's also less than the fuel bill to get to and from WP for most people!

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Poor old Tom didn't get much sympathy for us pensioner folks did he Bob? face 12

The Wright Stuff however seems to sum it up quite nicely though!

BTW, I do hope you are not promoting £240 F1 tickets as good value, Bob. Yes, I know, plenty do, or at least chose to pay that!! Theres nawt so queer as folk! Personally I stopped going many moons ago due to constantly increasing ticket prices coupled with some rather heroic pricing perpetrated by the catereres.

The Wright Stuff sums it all up very nicely, methinks!!

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£12 entry for a day out ... Not happy ?? Then maybe you could spend it on 2 coffees and two slices of cake in your local Costa like most of the 'poor' pensioners do in my local area ... Lol

Weston is a fantastic event and I again am spending £30 camping for the whole weekend inc Friday ... Hang the expense .... )

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If you like to see a few of the better pilots also have Controlled Flights Into Terrain - then Friday is definitely the best day for that as they practice their display manoeuvres and the evening flying is definitely off-peg. Trade is normally a bit thinner on the ground on the Friday and much of it does not arrive until late afternoon but it does allow you more time to browse the stalls, talk to the traders and possibly pick up a sale item.

We will be camping there from Thursday, so just hope the forecast change in the weather happens or I will end up with a very unhappy wife and dog !

Barry

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Be aware if you are planning to go to Weston Park on Sunday that the annual full size Cosford AirShow is on that day, just the other side of the M54. It always causes horrendous traffic jams across the whole area, and the M54 is often blocked both ways by queueing traffic.

Edited By David P Williams on 16/06/2016 15:17:44

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In my experience most event organisers (of all flavours) will usually give discounts to the groups that they need to encourage to come to the show. With the age spread of modelling being what it is, it seems eminently sensible not to offer an OAP discount, as the older members of society are the bulk of the modelling fraternity. I'd offer a discount to children if I was the organisers. In the same vein, I'm a concert organiser with a younger audience and I don't offer student discounts, because they're amongst the main audience!

Edited By Simon B on 16/06/2016 19:01:20

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Excellent - weather near perfect, retailers all present and correct and the display flying just gets better and better. However, I guess, like most Oldies I miss all the small trad' cottage industry kit manufacturers demonstrating the planes we were going to build and fly ourselves. (The Funfighters being the honourable exception!)

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I stopped going to Weston 3 years ago - I consider it too exxpensive for what it is TBH. This is for three reasons really.

1. My first problem I reckon I share with a number of others on here is; its the weekend of father's day. That means my two kids are home for the weekend - both with partners - to "see Dad". If Dad goes alone to WP they will not be pleased. (Note if you think that father's day is a day on which fathers can decided to do what pleases them I can only assume you are single and without children!) So, if I go, so does my wife, two kids and their partners with me. Six adults - and guess who's paying? Yeap, the Bank of Dad - cos they are all broke. So getting in will cost me not £12 but £72! And then,...I get to feed them as well, goodbye to at least another £50. so its an expensive day out for me.

2. In my experience the trade at shows like Weston used to be great. Lots of stuff it was difficult to get at the LMS and discounts! Now - no way., Pretty much anything you can get there you can buy online, at the same price or even cheaper. I think there is little or no advantage in terms of choice or price in going to a show trade line.

3. Years ago I used to enjoy watching the flying. But now not so much. If the weather is good I'd rather be flying myself, not watching someone else having fun! And if the weather is not so good, well I'll be a lot happier in my shed doing a bit of building/reparing etc. than standing in a wet field 70 miles from home!

So, sorry to be such a wet blanket, but to entice me back Weston, and shows like it, they will have to find a lot of more original displays and much more competative or exclusive (in terms of new stuff just becoming available) trade;line for me to return.

BEB

PS We don't read this thread as being only about Friday. The title is simply "Weston Park 2016", so as far as the mods are concerned its about that. The OP did specifically ask about Friday yes, but we don't think that needs to restrict the whole thread.

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Just got home from Weston Park. I always go because it's only an hour up the road for me but I have a lot of sympathy for BEB's view.

I use it to stock up on fuel, as it's half an hour nearer than my nearest model shop (who don't always have the fuel I want in stock).

It was seriously busy today - went earlier than I usually do, joined the back of the queue on the A5 at 10:10 and finally passed the paybooth 20 minutes later. There seemed to be way more people there than previous years - maybe the expected local gridlock for the Cosford Air Show tomorrow meant everyone went today.

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Just returned home from WP and I can say I thoroughly enjoyed my day out. The weather was kind, the flying was skillful and a good variety of models, but, was I the only one who found the trade flags at the front of the crowd line a ridiculous idea? My video footage is now plane, flag, plane, flag, plane, you get the picture angry.

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Been going to WP for 20 years and I've never seen it so busy and I've never had to queue to get in..ever.

Good show, lots of good flying and plenty of traders and good to see so many club mates...I counted 25 which isn't bad.

As others have said shows are not quite what they were 20 years ago but times, traders and flying changes and its still worth £12 entry and an hours drive!..Even manged to get a bulk fuel order sorted...in the end wink

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Also went today as visitor rather than usual flight line participant, have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it and seemed a lot busier than usual and did managed to get a few things cheaper than I could have bought on line that was a pleasant surprise. Good mix of trades too. Have to say I also really enjoyed the drone racing and I am not a particular drone fan but it was really well organised and actually good fun to watch.

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