We have had this happen at many steam rallies that I attend.One particular rally started to charge £5 per table,which most objected to,and never went back.One display used eight tables so he was required to pay £40 for being an attraction and spending eight hours a day behind his display! The alternative was to bring your own tables,which in itself would have been a nightmare for the organiser to lay out with so many varied sizes and heights of tables,and also mean that the tables would take up more room in their transport,so less models could be brought.
However,more the point,for this particular show for me to attend from Cornwall,will be costing me around £500! I don't drive so my wife has to come with me.Because of health problems,we now have to make the journey in two sessions,both ways,stopping roughly half way at a B&B,at a cost of £60.The stay at the Norbreck costs us £320 for four nights,meals included,plus the cost of the almost 700 mile journey in a large van.My wife has never had a free pass in the 10 years we have attended,the only time she comes into the hall is setting up and taking down periods.
So if I for one had to pay to exhibit on top of these costs would not be attending. Without the show,exhibitors would have no where to exhibit,but on the same hand,without the exhibitors,there would be no show.
Mick F.
See you next week on the LBES Display.