by Niki Greig
It has been announced that the popular Motorhome, Caravan and Camping will not return to London’s Excel Centre in 2013.
After an in-depth consultation between the venue and the organisers NCC Events, too many logistical issues were identified and they were left with no option but to look for a new home for the show.
Movement and storage issues with valuable exhibitor products had been identified as insurmountable and the tough decision was taken to cancel the existing plans.
Anthony Trevelyan, Chairman of NCC Events, said: “Excel is a magnificent venue as we have witnessed during the Olympics and provides a world class visitor experience.
“The decision to cancel the 2013 event has not been taken lightly and it is not a criticism of ExCeL’s visitor facilities.”
But it was felt that without the guarantee of adequate storage space, the show would simply not have enough space to set up and down.
In addition, the location of the venue in a Low Emission Zone was due to cause problems for the large volume of caravans being brought in, and so this operation would have to be staggered.
The suitability of the venue for the event was also called into question due to the lack of suitable camping in the vicinity.
Local problems
Visitor concerns were raised through feedback included rising costs of accommodation, food and transport, despite a lower ticket price.
In response to the decision David Pegler, managing director at ExCeL London, said: “We are obviously disappointed not to be welcoming the Show back for a second year but understand how important it is for show organisers to meet the requirements of their target audiences.”
More than 300 companies attended the popular 2012 show and visitor numbers proved high at 43,000 over six days.
Whilst the event is currently cancelled, there is still the possibility of a more suitable venue being found.
NCC Events will now centre its efforts upon delivering the UK’s biggest caravan show, the Motorhome & Caravan Show, which will take place at the Birmingham NEC from 16 to 21 October 2012.
