WDYTYA Live - End of an era.

[CarolA3]

WDYTYA magazine website announces that the 2017 'Live' event was the last one ever.  Apparently it wasn't paying its way.

Ah well I'll have to think of something else to save up for.

Carol

[BumbleB]

I'm not surprised that it's not paying it's way.  They charged extortionate entry fees and then there was the parking charge of £12.00.  I've only been once - I was given a complimentary ticket - and I found it very disappointing.  I've also ceased attending the Hobbycraft show as well, for the very same reason  The only show we now go to is the Caravan one, as they have negotiated with NEC and the parking is free.

[panda40]

I stopped going when it moved to the NEC too far to travel for a day. I found the exhibition useful but they tried to do too much of everything and spread themselves too far.
I find local county based events more useful.
Regards panda

[smudwhisk]

I'm not surprised that it's not paying it's way.  They charged extortionate entry fees and then there was the parking charge of £12.00.

It apparently hasn't ever been paying its way even when held in London.  One report I saw said the attendance figures were actually up this year and more than its last year in London.  I agree the parking charge was extortionate as ever at the NEC but I suspect they thought more people would travel from London and the south east to attend than have and therefore haven't pushed up attendance figures as much as it was thought.  Judging by the number of complaints from people in London and the south about the move, I suspect many of the people who have attended over the last three years were from outside that area and perhaps, like me, wouldn't attend in London because of the cost of travelling there.  The advance ticket offers for Birmingham appear to have been the same as for the last year or so in London, but I agree the entry fees on single tickets or on the door were extortionately high and will have limited less dedicated visitors.

I would imagine sadly that if the Society of Genealogists decides to return to running their own show it will no doubt be back down in London again.

Edit - The Caravan Club will be covering the cost of parking at the NEC which is why it is free for visitors, probably due to the volume of people attending.  I've been to the odd show when this has been the case, but normally the ticket prices would be much higher if car parking was free.

[AntonyMMM]

Like many "hobby" shows there isn't usually that much new stuff to tempt people with and the show was essentially the same every year, maybe a show every two years would have been a better option. Rumours were circulating earlier this year that a move back to London was planned, but I didn't expect a complete cancellation.

I believe the crowd numbers were holding up, but were better in London I think  - at least it felt much busier.

Dates for next year were announced at this years show, and stand bookings were being taken so this is a decision taken only in the past couple of weeks.

A shame - but a good proportion of the content of the show was still managed through the Society of Genealogists so maybe there is a chance their family history show (which preceded WDYTYALive) will be revived.

[nanny jan]

For those in the area......Dorset FHS have a Family History Day on 24th March 2018.  Details:

http://www.dorsetfhs.org.uk/events-activities/family-history-day/

[weste]

Not surprised because the numbers obviously attending were lower than previous times, the ticket price was higher than previously and that was more than pushing it.

[smudwhisk]

Not surprised because the numbers obviously attending were lower than previous times, the ticket price was higher than previously and that was more than pushing it.

WDYTYA Magazine on their Facebook page in response to a similar comment said numbers were the same as previous years.  I can't find where I saw it but I saw 13.5k mentioned for attendance for this year.  Apparently 2014 at Olympia was only 13.1k.

That said, I thought numbers were lower but I went Friday on a free ticket this year while last year I went Saturday on one of the £10 offer tickets.  WDYTYA Magazine said that the size and spacing of the hall came an incorrect impression of lower numbers, albeit that I think there were less exhibitors this year.

[greenrig]

Not surprised. It was the same every year, except that there were ever more holiday companies, massage chairs, aqua spas, Army displays  and other irrelevant companies ,  who seemed to be chasing fewer customers.     Also NEC was not that good, being expensive and too much walking.

Needs to re-focus - people would perhaps pay more for the lectures and workshops if venue was easier, and/or move it onto the web via chargable video streams etc.