a fairground life
Sunday
well today can only be described as a disaster, rain then hail then more rain and even heavier hail. It never stopped all day and I don't blame the punters for not coming out to enjoy the rides.
posted by showman @ 19:09
21 Comments
21 Comments:
One fire works night, then the usual indoor haunt, both pathetic, glad your getting some showman, cause my wallet is empty!
Wont be able to keep going like this much longer, no point in trying to sell up, as you know you cant give up, and nothing is worth anything now anyway!
The punters are saving what they have for crimbo/credit crunch.
Hope blakey, yourselfs and borderer are doing a bit better!
keep on blogging mate, it keeps me going knowing its not just me!
jesters ah yes the famous credit crunch petrol diesel prices go down but everything else shoots up god sake this country is in LIMBO lol sorry for the cheap joke.what fire work event you at jesters.this early winter weather we have no good either god sake.you have to smile or you will break down and just end up in padded cell lol.so r hows things going now trucking for your da. cheers hope all well. borderer.
Just a local one borderer, well attended but as soon as the first firework went off they wernt interested in anything.
As soon as it was finished they were off. Was surprised as the other machines started to pack up,
but could see there point. No point in hanging about. The indoor pitch is getting to be a bind, by the time the rent is paid there aint much left!
alrite yeh folkes aint wanting to spend there cash i was down at hull fair with the family and was a great day seems to be good trade there.Showman,blakey,jesters i have a plan lol get group of people together and organise a overseas funfair cyprus or spain what you think showman would it pay anyone interested. cheers.
Borderer
I certainly don’t want to appear derogatory or impertinent but sometimes it’s probably better to think before commenting. Why in this current economic climate would anyone contemplate taking a gamble that would only serve to increase their variable cost outlay while at the same time delay any due VAT and tax rebates?
Looking at the issue rationally, the downturn might even provide some people with a business opportunity. Undoubtedly more people than ever will holiday at home next year.The solution might be to find a decent gaff in some yet untapped tourist area preferably near a large holiday home caravan site (guaranteed to provide a steady stream of bored youngsters) and dig in for the summer months.
ah yes i take your views on board i agree with your suggestion there is alot of holiday parks out there that would enjoy a fair on site for few weeks a year. showman its your blog i no my foreign affair was daft in this time of needing country but what would your views be on this i could try drum up some events if people thought this would be a viable option for them blakey,jesters and showman and anyone else what you think.
borderer, your overseas idea wasn't too far out of the way, just 15 years too late. all the wide men have exploited the overseas get quick rich schemes. I'm no expert either, but for every one that was good there were several more that were disasters if not horror stories. As for home events, the fair is old hat, unless it is as big as Hull it ain't the main event anymore. The fair these days is only a good extra. The most successful fairs are now attached to other events like highland games, music festivals etc that bring the crowds out for the fair to feed off. The only genuine stand alone fair where the fair is still the main event (in Scotland) is Kirkcaldy (my opinion) and it is its size, coupled with the fact it is the first major fair of the season AND it in on a street that all combine to keep it a success. lets face it, we are not a necessity and when things get tight entertainment is the first to feel the pinch. I also have to ask if we are value for money??? we are outdoor and at the mercy of the weather, because we are mobile and temporary we run from the most expensive of power supplies-fossil fuels. Also due to short term fixtures this hinders the quality of services we can supply on site. Look at the German fairs, bigger, longer duration, better venues, better and bigger equipment, bars, restaurants, toilets all on site, but then look at the population difference and the publics attitude to the fairs, you wouldn't get SauchieHall St or Princess St for 4-8 weeks in the middle of the summer! The problem is we had it good for the last 15 years and didn't know it, now its time to pay the piper!
and there aren't any untapped gaffs left, they just ain't building any more towns or creating anymore holidays.
sorry lads, were all doomed
I am thinking showman is right, we are doomed, my indoor pitch used to be good, the same as the mall used to be for shownman i guess.
The public dont see the fair as a draw on its own anymore. As stated the only good venues are the ones attatched to another event. The problem for a small independant like myself is that the big venues have all been taken by the big guys and there is little left for any one else. Unless you have the tens of thousands of pounds behind you that these guys have your snookered. The big get bigger and the small get swept to the side, was abroad a couple of months ago and was amazed at the lengths the councils will go to to help the small trader, town centre small fairs, for small operators. No sets req, as the council lays on the power...free.
Now if only we could get that here.
And if only the independant operators could get a honest shot at trade??
Oh well rant over, and some wishes for next year!
All the best to the usual suspects..
i was at tenerife last year and they had large fair in the harbour with free generators council lay on free portable toilets etc but in this climate i dont think the britsh government will do that. showman hows things where are you just now. cheers all hope all well.
Hi Showman & Gang
I know it’s the back end of the year and people are naturally tired and worried but for once I think you’re wrong and the current downturn which is the result of mass hysteria mainly caused by the media will pass.
I also think the guy who mentioned something about caravan sites is probably right in that next year more people will holiday at home.
I disagree with you that the fair can’t still be a draw in its own right. Look at Aberdeen promenade, Strathclyde park and to a lesser extent Helensburgh. Albeit the public think they are a bit more sophisticated these days (meaning showmen need to slightly alter their marketing strategy) there is still a demand for good old fashioned, safe (thug free) family entertainment.
As for no untapped gaffs. OK with the exception of around Kirkcudbright (home to four large caravan parks)I agree, the west coast is probably done to death.
That said it’s probably not the case in the other tourist areas.
For example
A 917. St Andrews, Kingsbarns, Crail, Anstruther.
A 84 Callander, Strathyre, Lochearnhead, Aberfoyle and even Balmaha.
You watch the number of coach companies who’ll be running day trips to these areas next summer.
& finally the A1 corridor. The epicentre of Scottish caravan parks
Berwick, Eyemouth, Dunbar, North Berwick, Dirleton, Gullane to name but a few
The previous guy might just be on to something
Regards S
hi all, showman and blakey need your opinion on this i think s may have some glimmer of hope i no that the overseas idea was a bit late but i suppose summer months weekend fairs could drum up good buisness and keep the pounds coming in to keep yourselfs over the downturn period (winter months). would it be an idea to email places in scotland north england and see what response i get back. i no planning and that would be through the guild etc showman whats your opinions on a ROAD TRIP 09 lol.cheers respone would be great. hope all well borderer.
Damn it! I knew I shouldn't have went on the motorway last night. that constant 2200 rpm at 50 mph was too much for the "machine gun" (ratatat-tat) and the engine blew. It was a relief at first when the noise went away, like being struck deaf in the middle of a heavy metal concert. then you realise that you have bigger problems and you want the noise back again. it was a Clarkeson moment when I heard bits of the engine bouncing off the tarmac underneath me as I trundled to a halt on an m8 slip road. time of death 22:30pm , 228.2 miles after I bought the thing. that means it has cost me about £5 a mile (time add vat,insurance,tax,number transfer,buyers fee) . as my wife said- I could have hired a chauffeur driven limo cheaper for them miles! what really "p"s me off is the fact that I had just put £14 worth of diesel in the ruddy thing. oh well, road trips out of the question borderer LOL.
Back to transport hunting, new engine or new vehicle? decisions decisions. I really need to make an informed, calculated buy for my next run around. Honey, where's my lucky coin?
gone but allready forgotten rip van lol. ah yes you can pick up a bargain nowadays on vans,cars another facter of credit crunch nobody buying cars every day so they slash prices dramaticlly. hope all well .borderer
pmsl, cheers showman, thanks for the laugh. Poor old van, £14 quids worth of diesel? Were you trying to double its value? Should have been a fivers worth of petrol and a lighter ! Hope you have more luck with the next one, things can only get better cant they?? Had a panic this morning when the van keys went missing, opened with some scisors and took the car instead, nice to know its so secure. (keys have since been found) Very quiet again today, fingers crossed for sun, Ah well when you reach the bottom the only way is up i guess!
Cant believe it fourteen comments and i havent said anything stupid to get everyone interested again.Starting to feel like i'm not needed anymore. Quick point on the a1 corridor. There has been a fair in attendance at north berwick for a number of years.It usually stay's for the month of july.It packed up after two weeks this year as business was so bad. Thanks for the suggestions though,we showman are always open to new ideas.
Note to showman. Maybe just maybe you'll wait for me next time you go to the auctions. I'm not saying i'd have helped you pick the best van in the world,but it would have lasted a wee bit longer. Just give me a shout like you were supposed to last time.
Since i'm in the mood to write,i might as well get to my top five lorrie's.
At five is mercedes.Yes they make lorries as well. Why not,some of there cars are nearly as big as my lorry.
The merc has a higher rating than its german counterpart MAN,mainly because of far superior in cab creature comfort's. The mercs all have nice handy centre tray's,and cup holders.Take note MAN i cant stress [cant spell enfisise]enough how important cup holders are.The merc even has a holder that keeps your flask upright.Sheer class.
Most of the earlier merc's i've driven [y reg onwards] have had a semi auto gearbox where you just click a button to go up and down the gears. Very easy to drive,and respond quite well. The fully automatics are however slow and sluggish particularly at roundabout where you have to get away quickly. The same can be said of the auto versions of daf, man,iveco and renault.
THe most annoying thing about merc's is the on board computer that insists on constantly flashing red lights at you telling you something is wrong. I have on more than one occasion,reported faults to on site mechanics,only to be told it's been fixed,but it's too expensive to send to merc to remove the fault from the computer.Pretty stupid system if you ask me.
I drove a brand new merc last week.Only drove it half a mile from a depot to garage for final checks. They seem to have gone back to the semi auto again with the gear shift mounted on an armrest. Seemed ok but need a longer shot to see how they go.
They have however done something really stupid with there new model. Without doubt the best change in in cab design over resent years was the decision to move radio's from up above your head,above the windscreen to dash level. Much easier to see much easier to change channel when driving,and therefore much safer. So why have merc reverted to puting them back above the windscreen. If any merc designers read this blog could you please explain.Ok it's doubtful if they do. I'm surprised anyone reads it.
That's it for merc. Number four coming soon. Hope all the regular's are well.
Hope buis good for ya on sunday jesters, blakey dont say such things as we dont need u where would showman be without his right hand man in the blog. was on my travels yesterday and past a seddon atkinson some haulage firms wagon whats your views on them blakey i just hadnt seen one in a while haulage wise,what would you say was the best lorry u owned blakey and showman and jesters.mid november now fairs rare this time of the year is the santa train pulling in the crowds yet showman. whats everyone wanting for xmas lol showmans top of the list will be a new van how about a corsa van there cheap to run and good drive. hope all locals well.
once bitten and not shy, so i'm looking for another kan"t"goo as maybe i can make two into one! unless those six little digits come in, oh that was yesterday, oh well back to reality.
still looking for a van, but instead of the internet and ebay making it easier it doesn't cos there is always another bargain a mouse click away! too much choice on too many types with too many prices and just when you think you have found one-blam, some one clicks it up a notch! we are not tyre kickers any more, we are mouse clickers! anyway you cant beat the adrenalin rush of the real thing so i'll be at the auctions again this week and I will be a bit more restrained when bidding for a vehicle- mot or not!
Note to showman. You are suposed to be the blogger here. You are allowed to create new posts. So why is your last post in the comments section. As usual it does'nt make any sense. You only use the comments when answering a question or joining in a debate. Maybe your starting to lose your mind sitting up there in the house on the hill detached from the real world. If you were still on the yard i'd have jumped in the car with you and you would'nt have bought the cant go.
good day all, showman keep us informed of what speed machine you purchase at the auctions.hows things buis wise. hope all the regulars doing good.cheers borderer.
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