BigBangPenny Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 Can't think of a worse place for a con.will be avoiding like the plague m I'm struggling to think where this event will fit inside bluewater! It won't actually be in the Bluewater shopping centre, there is a brand new, multiple-hall conference centre (much like Excel or a clean Earls Court!!) opening in Jan 2012. So you won't need to go anywhere near the shops which some people seem to think are stereotypically filled with chavs It's only 30 mins up the road for me, so that saves the 2 hour schlep across London Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuato_Lives Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 I'll come to this - Just been doing some research. A 50 minute train journey from Charing Cross (London) to Greenhithe for Bluewater with Day return tickets being £8.90 - £14.40. Doesn't break the bank so it's all systems go for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisonloub Posted October 2, 2011 Author Share Posted October 2, 2011 Can't think of a worse place for a con.will be avoiding like the plague m I'm struggling to think where this event will fit inside bluewater! It won't actually be in the Bluewater shopping centre, there is a brand new, multiple-hall conference centre (much like Excel or a clean Earls Court!!) opening in Jan 2012. So you won't need to go anywhere near the shops which some people seem to think are stereotypically filled with chavs It's only 30 mins up the road for me, so that saves the 2 hour schlep across London It's not Lakeside, no chavs (well not many!), no Debenhams or Argos in site at Bluewater!! lol!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBangPenny Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 (edited) It's not Lakeside, no chavs (well not many!), no Debenhams or Argos in site at Bluewater!! lol!! Hehe You don't have to tell me, I shop there! I'm clarifying it for those posting like it's the worst place in the world for a con!! Tell you something, I bet it's cleaner and better maintained than Earls Court! Edited October 2, 2011 by BigBangPenny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedi Kayben Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 This would be good for us, we live in South East London so its not a bad drive, just depends on who the guests are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avengers7 Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 Might be a bit far to travel... will have to think about this one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fkso4 Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 Please can we cut down on the Dr Who's guest this time. I know it's popular and I enjoy the show but just to many at the moment. No offense to Dr. Who fans, but I genuinely agree with that!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators DavidB Posted October 2, 2011 Moderators Share Posted October 2, 2011 Please let's not start the whole anti-Who guest comments again. We had a lot of this before the event. The guest lineup will be organised based on who is available etc. There was still plenty of other non-Who guests this time around anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daviekatherine Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 oh this sounds fab can't wait although i was thinking that it said in the ad on the back of the ems program that they'll have bigger guests at blue water, anyone any ideas how they'll top David Tennant (weather your a who fan or not you have to admit David is a pretty big guest!!). I would personally love either a star trek guest such as Conner trinner (trip tucker star trek enterprise) or maybe a csi guest, they had A J Buckley (Adam csi NY) at one a while back but couldn't make it to the show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_Pants Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 I am chuffed about Bluewater. Aside from the fact it's a mere 15 mins drive it's the cinema screenings that have gt me really excited! Reminds me of the good old days of Collectormania with the Lotr, Potter and Lost Boys screenings with Q&A's. Why don't we give the show a chance before shooting it down eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisonloub Posted October 3, 2011 Author Share Posted October 3, 2011 It's not Lakeside, no chavs (well not many!), no Debenhams or Argos in site at Bluewater!! lol!! Hehe You don't have to tell me, I shop there! I'm clarifying it for those posting like it's the worst place in the world for a con!! Tell you something, I bet it's cleaner and better maintained than Earls Court! I was thinking of going down today to get a pic to post on here but too tired after the weekend!! it's going to be great as my mother lives ten mins up the road, so childcare a breeze and free parking (yippee!!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfy_sah Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 I am a Londoner and am well excited about Bluewater! Collectormania was born in the mall in MK so it's awesome to have it back in/attatched to a shopping centre down south like it is in Glasgow! I used to live in Swansea, South Wales before moving to London fairly recently and it was a 4-5h+ journey to get to London/MK and Bham about 3hours with Glasgow taking about 10hours and now to get to Glasgow is between about 5-6hours. don't forget that for the guests that fly in, Heathrow and Gatwick are down this way and that alot of actors live in and around London for the industry so it makes sense that alot of shows are down here. Not to mention that SM and alot of their team are based in MK with some people in London - to get all the stuff and staff to shows down here is obviously alot easier. as for Manchester, that made a loss every time as some one mentioned and now with there being the "other" show there it seems unlikely SM will go back there, the same problem is with Bham/NEC. Coventry had a simular problem being in the middle of nowhere. Bluewater has a few benefits: free parking and a creche as some one mentioned and the shopping - if you're going with family/friends not interested in the show, they can shop or you can shop whilest waiting for VT numbers to come up some one made a negative comment about chain resturants etc you get in malls, atleast there is choice and probs cheaper than anything Earl's Court had to offer! probably more cash machines near-by too! The screenings should be great too with compfy, raked seating to watch talks in not to mention with it being inside, we won't all freeze MK style looking forward to hearing the guest announcements surfy sah xx ps-cheap travel is always possible if you book in advance, the Megabus and the National Express have fayres from £1 each way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_Pants Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 Bravo Sah, very well put. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deringpluckley Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 Bluewater is having the conference centre-exhibition hall being built right now - it is close to Ebbsfleet International Rail station -so handy for anyone from the Continent , and anyone from the east or north , as the station can be reached by train in less than 15 minutes from St Pancras International . It also has coffee shops and various fast food outlets , as well as restaurants - so no more hotdogs at £4.25 each ! Give it a try , it is ideal ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alisonloub Posted October 3, 2011 Author Share Posted October 3, 2011 Food outlets include: McDonalds, KFC, Burger King, Eds Diner, TGI Fridays, Spud u Like, Pizza Hut, Nando's, Yo Sushi!, China Diner, Loch Fyne...plus others that I have forgot to mention, there is also Boots with the drinks!! not to mention Walls ice cream stand that do a lovely hot fudge brownie ice cream in a MASSIVE cup!!. Also Krispy Kreme is a stone throw away (I mean you can spit on it!) as for hotels, Hilton (I used to work there, it isn't at all bad except room 525, a man hung himself, all very messy!), Ibis, Hoilday Inn, Premier Inn, Travelodge. No train station, although 'fastrak' buses to the venue from train station, LOT OF BUSES!! not to mention National Express stop there too!!. and with about 10000 spaces or I think it's more than that, you can't go wrong...unless it's sales day and you are up the creek with the parking, as then it's a nightmare but then thats only christmas time!! Ali xx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobd_uk Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 I think we're getting geography and population confused. London is the centre of England based on population. I have friends who come from Bournemouth and Exeter to these events - they drive as far (and often further) than many "Northerners" to these events too. I have attended a number of these events in Manchester, etc. and they're always way, way less busy than the "southern" ones. I didn't know that there was a hall going up in Bluewater - I had imagined it in the shopping centre like in MK! Don't think all the designer shops in there would have been keen! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_Pants Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 Quick piece of blurb re the new events complex. Sounds ideal! http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/kent/8525493.stm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spocks-brain Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 Oh joy, another southern event I won't be able to get to without paying more to go than I'll be paying at the actual event. So sick of this. Not everyone can drive or afford astronomical train and coach fares all the time, you know? The other Manchester convention that happened recently was very crowded and full of people despite (IMO) a general lack of interesting guests. I am sure you could make your costs back if you only did one on alternate years instead of every year. I was at that show in Manchester this summer too. It was absolutely packed, and a 90 minute queue to get in. And all with a line up that many on here would have complained about if it was a SM show. I spoke to one of the organisers and they were extremely pleased with it. While I prefer SM shows that I've been going to over the last 8 years, they certainly must have been doing something right at that Manchester show in terms of getting the word out about it, to generate such huge crowds. Jason has said "We will be looking to expand where we run events in 2012 and onwards, so hang in there! We know you all want these events near where you live", so while I'll be at any events where there are guests I want to meet - and I'm sure they'll be lots at Bluewater so I'll be there - I look forward to having some more shows elsewhere in the UK too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UZI SUICIDE Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 You know what, this sounds great!! Shops for every occasion right there including a post office to send gifts back to my friends in New Zealand who have no conventions of their own. Anyone thinking hang on, NZ has Armageddon...that is a poor poor poor cousin of a showmasters gig, rarely a single big guest, and padded out with pizza eating contests, laser tag and pillow fights - seriously, look up the website. Everyone complaining about Earls court food costs, theres an entire food court right there, and everyone complaining about seating....theres a food court right there and benches all through the place. Bluewater sounds like a luxury option with talks in a MOVIE THEATRE, comfy seats and the quality PA everyone has been asking for... Bring the guests, I'll be there. Maybe you guys are a bit spoiled with all the SM shows. Imagine if it was one a year and you had to go to Belfast to see stormtrooper number five and jar jar binks. Go Bluewater! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunners65 Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 Already booked hotel Premier inn 4 miles away just drive in on a morning. Price not bad £130 for 3 nights as dont fancy driving back to the midlands Sunday night Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_Pants Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 Wel put Uzi! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avengers7 Posted October 3, 2011 Share Posted October 3, 2011 Not entralled yet either.... I just keep thinking about the 6 hour journey to get there and back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ops12 Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 I think we're getting geography and population confused. London is the centre of England based on population. I have friends who come from Bournemouth and Exeter to these events - they drive as far (and often further) than many "Northerners" to these events too. I have attended a number of these events in Manchester, etc. and they're always way, way less busy than the "southern" ones. I didn't know that there was a hall going up in Bluewater - I had imagined it in the shopping centre like in MK! Don't think all the designer shops in there would have been keen! Confusion? it's 109.1 miles from Bournemouth to London. it's 289.0 miles from South Cumbria (it's in the North) to London. Which is nearer? Simple, really. I was talking in a queue at the weekend to someone who drove over from Belfast on the Sunday morning, and still looked fresh as a daisy. Let's get some perspective here, we Brits don't do a lot of travelling, do we? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lambert Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 this is great 20 mins up the road free parking WHOOO HOOO . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobd_uk Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 I think we're getting geography and population confused. Confusion? it's 109.1 miles from Bournemouth to London. it's 289.0 miles from South Cumbria (it's in the North) to London. Which is nearer? Simple, really. Kind of proves my point. I said London is central population-wise. Yes, the North is further away, but the average journey to a Manchester based con would be higher than that of a London con. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now