Too Many Who...

[elullatook]

I am going to get shot down in flames for this....but how many Dr Who cons do we really need ?

 

I mean..its great for the Who fans but they seem to be the ones that are catered for across UK while us in the west country have to travel miles to get to any cons at all.

 

Ok so i am moaning a bit ..but this year , and last year actually i could not manage one con. They were either on bank holidays which is a no-no from partner or i am on holiday [as this year] or the cost of getting to a con and staying 1 or 2 nights is just too much.

 

I really do not know how some of the people on these forums afford it.

 

Just one other thing......do not shoot me....but have you thought about not using the hotel in Northampton any more. I am sure the no refund on rooms policy will put loads of people off....and i am sure there are many hotel across uk that would love your cons in them.

 

Just general thoughts.....no offence meant.

[Lizzy]

They are not run by Showmasters- they're run by someone separate (Tenth Planet) and SM just help them out sometimes.

[DavidB]

Indeed. As Lizzy says, it's not something that Showmasters/Massive Events have suddenly just added to the schedule, and ended up with 10 Who events a year or something.

 

The Who events have been going for years now, and presumably they are successful or else they wouldn't keep going. Yes, there's involvement here now, but they're not primarily Showmasters ones. So they can't be dropped or changed for something else etc. They have a good working relationship together. I believe these events have their own target audience, and it can't do any harm widening that scope.

 

As for the hotel - yes, I do believe it's put some people off. However I can understand why ME would want to keep a hotel where they're familiar with the staff, who know exactly what they want etc. Changing hotels is always going to result in having to build up good communication etc again, and no doubt they have a very easy and familiar working relationship with the Park Inn Northampton now. Both parties know exactly what they're getting.

[TerraHawk]

I believe these events have their own target audience, and it can't do any harm widening that scope.

 

Yes if you just went by the traffic on their sections on this website you'd think they underperformed, whereas there is healthy interest elsewhere.

 

There certainly is a Showmasters influence - the price/ticket structures, the halving of free autographs, the doubling of prices for extras ones. Not every Dr Who fan is happy with these changes of course. And then you have this forum asking who we want to see - to which most the requested guests have done Tenth Planet events recently. I think actually most Who fans would rather have minor guests they haven't met than the same regulars at every event - the mix works best.

 

Half the Who ones are one day events - again this works well for them.

 

I am going to get shot down in flames for this....but how many Dr Who cons do we really need ?

 

I mean..its great for the Who fans but they seem to be the ones that are catered for across UK while us in the west country have to travel miles to get to any cons at all.

 

Ok so i am moaning a bit ..but this year , and last year actually i could not manage one con. They were either on bank holidays which is a no-no from partner or i am on holiday [as this year] or the cost of getting to a con and staying 1 or 2 nights is just too much.

 

I really do not know how some of the people on these forums afford it.

 

I'm in the west country as well, Birmingham and London/Essex are reachable, anywhere else is a struggle -by train usually evolves going into London and then out again. I'm doing my first hub as the next one is in Birmingham and that's easy. I've never stayed in a venue hotel; there are always cheaper alternatives. If I can travel same day and just stay one night I will do so.

 

But yes too many events does make you pick and choose, and when you start saying I won't go for this reason, personally I find each event I'm questioning do I really need to go; less I would probably do all within reach without question. I would have done the Hub 1 or Blake's 7 - but not both. I couldn't choose so did neither.

Edited May 11, 2009 by TerraHawk

[surfy_sah]

I think you guys that live in ENGLAND are quite lucky, sometimes

 

I'm in WALES and have a few friends in SCOTLAND and N.IRELAND, we have a job to get to events! Birmingham is over 3.5hours away from me, with MK and Northampton being even further! people who drive/train it down from SCOTLAND have to travel even further yet they manage it? friends in N.IRELAND have to FLY over for every show they do, but they manage it

 

if you want to cut your costs of attending a show/con:

1) book your trains/buses ASAP as National Express and Megabus have seats starting from £1!!!! and trains are alot cheaper the earlier you book, up to 3months in advance

2) book your accomodation ASAP like the Travelodge often have sales on - got ours for C15 for £9/£19 instead of the standard £60 a night rate (that's PER ROOM too so bargain!)

3) you've done this and still can't really afford it? ROOM SHARE. offer people some floor space and dramatically cut your costs

 

 

don't know how some of you guys with a FULL TIME job can't manage these things? sure you have bills and rent/morgages, most people do? been doing these events for nearly 6years now, all the way through uni with only a bursary as my income and since returning from travelling the world at Christmas with the amazing £47/week the dole pays

 

bless you for not making ANY events last year but C15 will be 8th show/con this year and true, I am rather over drawn now but only cause one of the cons was in Vancouver!

 

hope some of my suggestions help

surfy sah xx

[Psychosis]

I'm living on student loans but manage it just fine. Basically as Sah said, book trains/buses/hotels in advance, and share with other people who can bring down your costs. I'm staying in central London in June in a travelodge. Guess how much I'm paying?

 

£3!!!!

 

That's right. £3 for a good room in central London on a Friday night. The room is £9 and I'm sharing it (comfortably - we all have bed space).

[surfy_sah]

indeed, you gotta love TL rates!!!! there are 4 of us Sunday night in MK in our £9 room, BARGAIN!!!!

 

surfy sah xx

[Psychosis]

Between a £3 room for that, and buying a major part of one of my costumes for 99p on ebay, I feel like I'm engaging in theft!!

[TerraHawk]

I am going to get shot down in flames for this....but how many Dr Who cons do we really need ?

 

I mean..its great for the Who fans but they seem to be the ones that are catered for across UK while us in the west country have to travel miles to get to any cons at all.

 

Tenth Planet have just announced one for Gloucester this November. A busy month for Who