No sooner has the curtain come down on the 2007 London Boat Show than it is revealed that there is to be a rival event at Earls Court in December.
To be known as the Earls Court Boat Show, it will return to the traditional “home” of the London Boat Show, Earls Court, from December 1st to 9th, with a press preview day on November 30.
Organisers are promising “a spectacular international boat show with fun and entertainment for all the family.”
They expect the pre-Christmas timing to generate sales and say they will be “putting the 'show' into boat show” and creating “a magical Christmas wonderland with family entertainment.”
Co-founder James Brooke said: “We have in place an incredible team with enormous combined experience and expertise to make the Earls Court Boat Show a success. It will showcase our industry. It will support exhibitors and focus on creating sales for exhibitors. It will provide spectacular family entertainment. It will allow exhibitors to celebrate our industry, and of course enjoy the best end-of-show exhibitors party ever held.”
A press conference is to be held on Monday January 29th “when we will be introducing the team, launching the show to the press and providing exhibitor information.”
The MainSail will be there, and we will publish further details as soon as we have them. But we can't help wondering if we really need another boat show.
The official verdict on the ExCeL show is that although visitor numbers were down slightly on the previous year - 130,000 against 140,000 - many exhibitors reported record sales.
"It's been an excellent show," Bob Stockley, Icom UK's sales and marketing director, told International Boat Industry News. "We're up on last year by 15 per cent and are positive about the coming season."
"Interest across sail and power was fairly equally spread, but the larger power boats were the top sellers," reported Nick Griffith, managing director of Ancasta International Boat Sales. "We concluded sales on several of the brand new Rodman Muse 54 and have lots of people already in negotiation with us about the Muse 74, which is to be launched in July."
Robert Braithwaite, managing director of Sunseeker International, said: "This has been a landmark show for us as we unveiled our largest ever yacht, the Sunseeker 37 Metre. We have had significant interest in the yacht which helped make this year's show our best ever."
"Commercially it's the best ExCel show we've ever had - by far," said James Grazebrook, managing director of Halyard. "Visitors were commenting that it's now a show not an exhibition. The features and the new layout have worked and must be built on. It's fantastic news for the industry with impressive boat launches such as the Sunseeker 37, and excellent sales reported from the powerboat and large yacht manufacturers have great implications for our order book."
"It has been a superb show," said Michael Bollom, managing director of A Glaze. "We have seen quality visitors at the stand, and due to a growing market are up 300 per cent on sales at the 2006 show."
Claire Horsman, marketing manager of Northshore Yachts, said: "We have had our best London show ever, in fact our best boat show ever, with a 300 per cent increase on last year. "
John Gardener, managing director of UK chandlers Piplers, agreed: "We have had a very good show and are 20 per cent up on 2006."
Fairline also reported unprecedented sales, having sold 55 boats with a retail value of around £38 million, while Essex Boatyards sold 31 boats valued at more than £9 million.
Peters Opal, UK distributor of motor and sailing yachts, also had a good show with sales of more than 70 boats.
"The UK leisure marine industry is thriving and creating significant employment and wealth for the country, last year generating a total turnover of some £2.8 billion," said Joel Plasco, chief executive of Collins Stewart, the show's sponsor. "Importantly, the success of this sector is evidence of the health of the UK economy more widely and Collins Stewart has been proud to be associated with the success of the show in 2007."
It seems unlikely that that any of the big industry players would desert the “official” BMF show in favour of an “unofficial” event at Earls Court. Can the industry support three boat shows? It seem unlikely.
Some sources at ExCeL were suggesting that part of the problem now facing the London Show is the runaway success of Southampton. They wonder if the industry can actually support two home-grown shows, never mind a third. Watch this space!
For more information visit www.earlscourtboatshow.com
and www.londonboatshow.com
