lee_c00per Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Although this event is turning out to be great, there ia always room for improvement as they say. What do you reccomend? For me, i would maybe next year have the event or two or three days rather than 2 a year. By doing this it means that more guests, especially ones located in the USA will be willing to attend. People like Mark Auatin and Maria De Aaragon are justa couple who alot of us would like to see at an event over here. Appart from that i don't think anything else is needed. The guests are good and if we keep getting these new first time signers than that is only a good thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aspen Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Location Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbit_of_Dorsetshire Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 (edited) Location 914459[/snapback] I agree totally. I know Showmasters have used this venue for many years, but frankly the place is an absolute dump. That drive off the motorway past rundown and boarded up disused shops is depressing. Add to that the chav zone that the actual leisure centre is in and it is just rotten. In November, poor Ken Colley must have nearly had a couple of seizures when the little sods were throwing slabs of paving stone at and kicking the fire door - right by where he was sitting at! Obviously cost is a factor, but maybe there is a leisure centre in Milton Keynes that would accommodate Empire Day? Still near airport/s and has reasonably good transport links. I never thought I'd actually suggest going to Milton Keynes for anything - but there is a first time for everything! In any case, I reckon bigger, better Empire Days will be held away from Cheshunt - watch what happens. Who put the C--T in Cheshunt!? Edited January 17, 2006 by Hobbit_of_Dorsetshire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FON Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Agreed the location sucks. But the event is looking graet for guests. For the event to expand to 2 days it would have to have a fantastic attendance or it just wouldn't work. I hate to trip to Milton keynes but would prefer that to Cheshunt. This will be a good topic to discuss after the event. Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbit_of_Dorsetshire Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 Maybe Lee was already dreading the journey to Cheshunt and that's why he started this thread! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FON Posted January 17, 2006 Share Posted January 17, 2006 (edited) Looks like we're travelling from cardiff on the day and not the day before as I'm not prepared to pay £75 for one night in what seems to be the only hotel in cheshunt. If anyone knows of any hotels within a mile of the place then please post on here. Edited January 17, 2006 by FON Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee_c00per Posted January 17, 2006 Author Share Posted January 17, 2006 Maybe Lee was already dreading the journey to Cheshunt and that's why he started this thread! 914478[/snapback] I have never been to the venue yet. By the photos from the last event it was held in a sports hall which was even smaller than the one we had at school. Would it be such a bad thing to hold it at the MK. Centre? Stick them down one of the corridors and have a Star Wars Zone Maybe the Venue is the most important point which some of us believe need attention. I'll see for myself what it's like at the event Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyT Posted January 18, 2006 Share Posted January 18, 2006 Looks like we're travelling from cardiff on the day and not the day before as I'm not prepared to pay £75 for one night in what seems to be the only hotel in cheshunt. If anyone knows of any hotels within a mile of the place then please post on here. 914492[/snapback] Doing a google search for the UK for +hotel +cheshunt turned up 3 listings at http://www.4hotels.co.uk/uk/cheshunt.html No idea what the places are like or even where they are in relation to the venue, but I was amazed. I figured you would have trouble finding civilisation within a mile of Cheshunt, let alone 3 hotesl actually in it... You'll probably struggle to find cheap hotels around there, for the simple reason that there is not much competition - basically you either need to go to Cheshunt, or you don't, and the hotels know that. Not enough trade to make it worth several hotels moving in and getting into competition, you get a very few hotels who make a living by being expensive enough to get by on whatever trade is forced for whatever reason to go to Cheshunt. Unlike budget hotels in Central London who will get close to 100% occupancy through keen pricing and advertising, because people always want to stay in Central London hotels in places like Cheshunt will get by on a lower occupancy rate with more expensive rooms, because nobody actively considers going there for choice, just because something is on which means they have to be there. That's not restricted to Cheshunt, seen it in any number of small to middling towns around the country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamie1138 Posted January 26, 2006 Share Posted January 26, 2006 wolesy hall rocked on several occasions. why not there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee_c00per Posted March 4, 2006 Author Share Posted March 4, 2006 Any suggestion for the next event anyone? Seems poeple still don't like the venue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamie1138 Posted March 5, 2006 Share Posted March 5, 2006 a quiz. that sounds like a grand idea. let's do a quiz... like a proper quiz with two teams of three/four players picked at random by handing out raffle tickets as they go into the event at the start of the day. arrange a couple of rows of seats like they do with the q&a session and have a quizmaster-me-host the whole shebang. the audiece for the q&a session get to have a little interaction and i'm sure the guest signers would be up for some kind of minor participation... i'm sure the organisers could cobble together some kind of token prize things for the winning team... it could easily run to say,a half hour or so... possibly a little longer. i've already spoken to the team responsible for the award-winning star wars fanzine DELTA SOURCE,and they say they'd be interested in compiling the questions. i think this is a definite goer. what does everyone else think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mazzic Posted March 5, 2006 Share Posted March 5, 2006 A microphone for the Q&A would be great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedicouncil Posted March 6, 2006 Share Posted March 6, 2006 a quiz.that sounds like a grand idea. let's do a quiz... like a proper quiz with two teams of three/four players picked at random by handing out raffle tickets as they go into the event at the start of the day. arrange a couple of rows of seats like they do with the q&a session and have a quizmaster-me-host the whole shebang. the audiece for the q&a session get to have a little interaction and i'm sure the guest signers would be up for some kind of minor participation... i'm sure the organisers could cobble together some kind of token prize things for the winning team... it could easily run to say,a half hour or so... possibly a little longer. i've already spoken to the team responsible for the award-winning star wars fanzine DELTA SOURCE,and they say they'd be interested in compiling the questions. i think this is a definite goer. what does everyone else think? 933476[/snapback] sounds like a great idea to me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil_silla Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 if theres a general feeling that the venue is a bit shoddy then how about having empire day at collectormania? like section part of the shoppin centre of for just star wars guests. i reckon thatd encourage alot more people to come??x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee_c00per Posted March 7, 2006 Author Share Posted March 7, 2006 I think we talked about this befor and people were against it one reason or another. Myself i would love it to be at Earls Court as for me it's a direct train journey to london Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamie1138 Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 thanks,guys... the main problem,i think,is wether or not the fly-by-night autograph hunters,and suchlike would be interested in hanging around to watch some fat fool prancing about conducting a 'quiz show'... we'd certainly make an attempt at humour,although the entertainment factor might most likely come from our complete ineptitude. still,you've got to have a laugh,haven't you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FON Posted March 7, 2006 Share Posted March 7, 2006 I thought the venue was ok, was a little surprised when I got there and couldn't find any signs mentioning the convention? Can't comment on the sound for the talks as I wasn't there. The show is not big enough for a change of venue, I think if 250 people turned up at earls court it would be very empty. I don't see jason joiner going for big names at this kind of event as he has the other big shows for that. I think the next empire day will be similar to the last one with more 1st time guests. Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lee_c00per Posted March 8, 2006 Author Share Posted March 8, 2006 In a way that's a good thing. Most people would want the bigger actor's signatures like Peter Mayhew, Jeremy Bulloch, Carrie Fisher ect so it would be best to have them at Collectormania or LFC as these people are more comercial. For the die hard Star Wars fans Empire Day is ideal as it's not busy aparently, get to chat with the guests and everything else which is cool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alx Posted March 8, 2006 Share Posted March 8, 2006 if theres a general feeling that the venue is a bit shoddy then how about having empire day at collectormania? like section part of the shoppin centre of for just star wars guests. i reckon thatd encourage alot more people to come??x 934040[/snapback] When they get the Starwars guests going to Collectormania then they are usually in a section or wing on their own so thats your empire day bit there. But with Empire day everything is geared towards Starwars and so it suits the collectors that come to the shows. I think the venue was fine for what it was and by keeping these new guests it is better for the big fans as they get to have decent conversations with the guests and get a feel for the films.. I think it was a great show and although it was my first I would like to come back again in the future. A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bounty Hunter Posted March 8, 2006 Share Posted March 8, 2006 Lee, I couldn't agree more! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mazzic Posted March 9, 2006 Share Posted March 9, 2006 The small venue is what makes this event attractive... that and the actors of course! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jedicouncil Posted March 9, 2006 Share Posted March 9, 2006 The small venue is what makes this event attractive... that and the actors of course! 934901[/snapback] I totally agree, none of the hustle and bustle of the bigger events makes it much more pleasurable to walk around the stalls and spend time with the guests, not to mention if it was a bigger event we probably wouldnt get the talks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bounty Hunter Posted March 9, 2006 Share Posted March 9, 2006 I don't think these names would be interesting for the larger cons. The big names deserve their own shows such as CM. I prefer ED the way it is. Somewhat intimate in fact. The CM visitors would be dissappointed with these 'small guests'. I love them so I think there is no need to change the routine here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FON Posted March 9, 2006 Share Posted March 9, 2006 Empire day was special along with other small shows and that you get to have a few moments with the guests, not like William shatner at collectormania. jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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