Sandringham Game Fair

[scolopax]

I am thinking of travelling down to the Sandringham Game Fair next month.  Is it one of the better ones? 

[TIGHTCHOKE]

None of them are "the better ones" they are all a Sunday Market with a parking charge.

[kevinw]

It’s not a bad day out

[243deer]

2 hours ago, TIGHTCHOKE said:

None of them are "the better ones" they are all a Sunday Market with a parking charge.

and a ridiculously high entry fee

[Old Boggy]

On 08/08/2021 at 21:48, 243deer said:

and a ridiculously high entry fee

Entry to the Sandringham Fair is quoted as £14 (concession price) which I don`t consider ridiculously high, even on my pension if it is anything like the Fenland Fair which has now sadly been permanently terminated.

I know that Tightchoke wasn`t too impressed by the Fenland when he attended, but I think that he was looking for a more elaborate clay layout at the time which the Fenland didn`t have and took umbrage at paying £12 to `park in a field` (his words not mine). I said at the time that he should remove the `choke` from his username 

Sorry Dave 

OB

[TIGHTCHOKE]

2 hours ago, Old Boggy said:

Entry to the Sandringham Fair is quoted as £14 (concession price) which I don`t consider ridiculously high, even on my pension if it is anything like the Fenland Fair which has now sadly been permanently terminated.

I know that Tightchoke wasn`t too impressed by the Fenland when he attended, but I think that he was looking for a more elaborate clay layout at the time which the Fenland didn`t have and took umbrage at paying £12 to `park in a field` (his words not mine). I said at the time that he should remove the `choke` from his username 

Sorry Dave 

OB

Well over the years I have been to all of the country fairs, country shows and game-fairs across the southern half of the country.

They used to be a good meeting place, with an element of entertainment, good food, interesting stalls and a worthwhile Gunmakers row.

Sadly they have become a poor relation of what they once were.

As Chris says the clay shooting was particularly poor at the last Fenland I bothered to attend.

So my refusal to attend and pay to park in a field which then allows me access to a "Sunday market" mostly selling inappropriate rubbish stands.

Oh and Ehb102 did get me tickets for the Game Fair a couple of years ago, but I only went for the free drinks!

These days the Country Fairs and shows are just another way to take our hard earned away from us and I would go as far to say they are attended by people who have not been before and most likely will not bother again. Once caught, twice as shy!

But if you enjoy being ripped off carry on, they will eventually die out as people become aware they are being fleeced!  

[243deer]

OB, I do not get why there needs to be an entry fee at all. I have worked at a fair few game fairs on different stands, the owners of which have paid an extremely high price for the privilage of being there. Years ago I used to do a demo of mobile sheep dipping at a county fair, we were not paid for entertaining the crowd but it was obviously a good advert and we did get work from it. So much of the entertainment is on a similar basis, mainly clubs trying to attract members. The reality is that high street shops do not charge us to go through the door to buy goods so with the enternment quality dropping it certainly does not appear value for money to me. Add in 3 hours trying to get in and out of a car park and it is simply no longer an enjoyable day. One obvious difference between us is that I work 12 days out of every 14 so every day off is precious to me whereas you are retired.

[London Best]

45 minutes ago, 243deer said:

OB, I do not get why there needs to be an entry fee at all. I have worked at a fair few game fairs on different stands, the owners of which have paid an extremely high price for the privilage of being there.

I have taken a stand at a few game fairs, and you are right about the extremely high price. At the CLA at Belvoir in 2009 I rented the smallest possible covered pitch, 3mtr frontage by 10 deep, which cost £1750 with an electric point. I also stood at a few Midlands, which ranged from £700 to £850 for a pitch.

[Old Boggy]

I was not aware of the excessive charges made to stallholders and on that basis I do agree that an entrance fee, or at least the amounts charged at the larger fairs, are inappropriate. We visited the Midland a few years ago which was a great disappointment and has apparently gone downhill since.

However, we used to enjoy the Fenland Fair having made a few friends in that area and will miss our annual visit.

We will give the Sandringham Fair a go this year as we will be staying for a couple of days in the area and hopefully it will fill a few hours of the day.

I also fully appreciate the views of 243deer who is still working and therefore has the need to ensure a pleasurable and cost effective day out when spare time is precious.

OB