Lroy
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Plus one for same place, same time [emoji108]
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When should ukpinfest 2020 be held? Poll added
- Thread starter Big Phil
- Start date
Avoiding the main summer school holiday to not clash with family holidays and avoiding a bank holiday to ease traffic would certainly be my vote.
As others have already suggested need to also consider other events in the calendar so as not to clash so would suggest June, July or Sept as tend to be quieter periods.
As others have already suggested need to also consider other events in the calendar so as not to clash so would suggest June, July or Sept as tend to be quieter periods.
The benefit of having Pinfest at August Bank Holiday is it is easy to put in your diary. It's established now, it has always been near the end of August.
Before Phil picked up the reins, and after Andy Heighway, I looked at various venues central to the UK to run the comp. Hinckley Island has a hotel (Mecure) which was my no. 1 option, but pricey.
As has been said, you will never please everyone, whenever or wherever the show is.
Traffic problems can exist at any time and date.
Leaving after work in Friday is going to be heavy traffic always.
Having it on a bank holiday weekend means people can plan that weekend as their trip weekend away. It also helps for people setting down, not having to take a further day off work.
As for dates many other comps already have established themselves Pinburgh July, Belgian Open October, Play Expo May, etc. etc.
My vote is definitely same place same time.
Before Phil picked up the reins, and after Andy Heighway, I looked at various venues central to the UK to run the comp. Hinckley Island has a hotel (Mecure) which was my no. 1 option, but pricey.
As has been said, you will never please everyone, whenever or wherever the show is.
Traffic problems can exist at any time and date.
Leaving after work in Friday is going to be heavy traffic always.
Having it on a bank holiday weekend means people can plan that weekend as their trip weekend away. It also helps for people setting down, not having to take a further day off work.
As for dates many other comps already have established themselves Pinburgh July, Belgian Open October, Play Expo May, etc. etc.
My vote is definitely same place same time.
we didn’t make it this year so i’m not sure if it was better or worse or similar attendance to last year?
getting to daventry from leeds last year was fine for us.
the date of bank hol august is always tough for me as my ex wife always tries to get me to have the kids. and it’s always international beatles week in liverpool which i also want to attend.
having said that i’m planning to get my diary organised for next year so as to attend pinfest.
it would be really cool if between us we could have a permanent or semi perm venue for uk wide pinball events. suppose i’m thinking of the “uk living pinball museum” [emoji106][emoji2]. just need to find a benefactor with a spare warehouse........
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getting to daventry from leeds last year was fine for us.
the date of bank hol august is always tough for me as my ex wife always tries to get me to have the kids. and it’s always international beatles week in liverpool which i also want to attend.
having said that i’m planning to get my diary organised for next year so as to attend pinfest.
it would be really cool if between us we could have a permanent or semi perm venue for uk wide pinball events. suppose i’m thinking of the “uk living pinball museum” [emoji106][emoji2]. just need to find a benefactor with a spare warehouse........
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How about Halloween week
Nottingham rock city, tap and tumbler, trip to Jerusalem the oldest pub in England, good town centre, probably a good gig on somewhere near too
Disagree, a lot of people don’t come because they’re on holiday, check pinball news, the first shows (which were rammed) were in October and November, think it was in September twice too. It moved to August when it became the pinball party and I was strongly against it then. Mid to late September is perfect as there are no other major events in Europe then normally
If we are talking venues...
In all honesty, venue wise - there may be an external to pinball footfall issue, but I have no basis to take that from other than opinion of others and my own view from getting there and looking around.
The big benefits are:
- Familiarity, everyone knows what to expect and how to get there
- Drinks pricing, - £3.50 a pint of Camdens is extremely good value
- Setup, in the most part was amazing
As always there is some opportunity for improvement. I would love to see next year:
- A/C from the off, is this a money thing, a capacity thing, or a failure of the hotel? - i don't know but it was blinking hot, to the point for many I think it was a deal breaker
- The bar - turns out Friday I had had enough, but the bar situation was strange
- Vendor's in a separate room with signage to where they are, I wanted to rummage in @CHRIS B PINBALLS - goodies, but didn't get to all that much.
- If you had a separate room, could you use that for other things?
- A bigger high score competition with prizes - if we could get the newer released titles promised from vendors that could be interesting - but also show them off better with the the hope a couple of sales are made (I know at least one Alice was purchased off the back of the show and there was big interest in a second). Surely that's a huge incentive, if they can be played in relative quiet and shine on their own (ish)
- Charity flips - some sort of charity event like the fantastic Scottish pinball NBA game - if that is back, that again, but in there.
- Tech talks, so maybe a stripped playfield and a how to clean, wax and polish with Novus tutorial and one of the vendors doing a "show deal"
- LED v Incandescents a case study
- Fault finding 101
- @Poibug as Tom Cruise - in his Cocktail hour - all things from mixing the perfect Piña colada - to carrying multiple drinks like a pro
That's a dream situation for me, one that I think has many commercial and logistical hold ups - and as someone who got to rock up and enjoy, I have no idea what is involved, so half of it is probably completely a dreamer dreaming, but that is my thoughts.
In all honesty, venue wise - there may be an external to pinball footfall issue, but I have no basis to take that from other than opinion of others and my own view from getting there and looking around.
The big benefits are:
- Familiarity, everyone knows what to expect and how to get there
- Drinks pricing, - £3.50 a pint of Camdens is extremely good value
- Setup, in the most part was amazing
As always there is some opportunity for improvement. I would love to see next year:
- A/C from the off, is this a money thing, a capacity thing, or a failure of the hotel? - i don't know but it was blinking hot, to the point for many I think it was a deal breaker
- The bar - turns out Friday I had had enough, but the bar situation was strange
- Vendor's in a separate room with signage to where they are, I wanted to rummage in @CHRIS B PINBALLS - goodies, but didn't get to all that much.
- If you had a separate room, could you use that for other things?
- A bigger high score competition with prizes - if we could get the newer released titles promised from vendors that could be interesting - but also show them off better with the the hope a couple of sales are made (I know at least one Alice was purchased off the back of the show and there was big interest in a second). Surely that's a huge incentive, if they can be played in relative quiet and shine on their own (ish)
- Charity flips - some sort of charity event like the fantastic Scottish pinball NBA game - if that is back, that again, but in there.
- Tech talks, so maybe a stripped playfield and a how to clean, wax and polish with Novus tutorial and one of the vendors doing a "show deal"
- LED v Incandescents a case study
- Fault finding 101
- @Poibug as Tom Cruise - in his Cocktail hour - all things from mixing the perfect Piña colada - to carrying multiple drinks like a pro
That's a dream situation for me, one that I think has many commercial and logistical hold ups - and as someone who got to rock up and enjoy, I have no idea what is involved, so half of it is probably completely a dreamer dreaming, but that is my thoughts.
D
Deleted member 2463
We would need to get everyone inoculated for Norwich so probably a non-starter!
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Don't be so bloody silly @Neil McRae - you've all already got it now 
Norwich
D
Deleted member 2463
Nick - I wasn’t clear but I’d like to see the date move also but it’s so well established now it’s harder for sure so in my view it’s a higher risk. I agree the holidays is a major barrier to attending.
For me a different venue is more important as the Mercure just doesn’t cut it. I think a lot of folks also don’t come because of transport links being poor and there being nothing else to do in the area.
September would be good for me. I also think arranging it so the comp starts earlier would be a big help in managing the schedule (both Chicago expo and TPF do this). Felt a bit here is the winner now **** off yesterday
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This is only my personal view, but the August Bank Holiday weekend does clash with the Reading and Leeds Festival which I have often attended if they have good bands playing, so another date might be better.
Agree too much going on at bank holidays, Sept/Oct might be better.
Heat wise at the mercure this year I think it is difficult to be too negative. It was boiling hot outside and on the inside we had 100 games and 150/200 people creating their own heat. So it was never going to be pretty. I had prepared myself for worse mentally. I thought it was hot, but not unbearable. And that's from someone who hates the heat!
As usual on this topic seen before, think Phil's question is being widened too much.... Surely priority aspect is cost for Phil, to at least break even so pinfest continues. I would have thought not being on a bank holiday weekend and a quieter time of year should open up a better deal on the table with the hotel (?), ensure larger availability of rooms for attendees, hopefully be cooler if later in year, less people away on holiday/other commitments and also not be so close to other main UK shows/events. Otherwise, Daventry Mercure Hotel is established as this event location with several positives and don't think it necessarily needs to change as the location.
D
Deleted member 2463
BHW weekend is big for weddings.
I’m struggling with folks want to stay at one of the ****est hotels in the country. It’s ducking terrible compared to where the event could be.
You won’t fix attendance on it’s own by changing the date - the venue location is as big an issue IMO.
Neil
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You obviously haven't stayed at Norbreck Castle Hotel in Blackpool for Play Expo Neil, now that is a dump ! I found the hotel to be largely fine, my room was clean, cool and big enough. Breakfast is OK, parking on site, two bars, Daventry pubs down the road, curry house etc. and only £60 a night including breakfast. Doesn't sound too bad to me.... not everyone has deep pockets for five star digs.
I have some sympathy with the concerns over the venue regarding the amount of space it offers. There was times on Sunday afternoon when it was difficult to navigate between the pins. And that's with the show busy but not heaving. So a bigger venue would be better in my view. But a bigger venue might be more expensive too. So it is a fine balance. And bigger venue probably means more pins needed too.
But otherwise location wise I think daventry is a reasonable location somewhere between london, birmingham and the rest of the UK.
But otherwise location wise I think daventry is a reasonable location somewhere between london, birmingham and the rest of the UK.
Yeah, I agree the hotel isnt the best I've ever stayed in, but it's also far from being the worst. I'm fairly sure the norbreck castle wasnt even the worst, though it is right up there!
I think the key thing about Daventry is the central location. It makes it possible for all to get there relatively easily. Yes, its trek from Scotland or Cornwall, but the die hard make the trek. The year andy held the pinball party in Wales was no where near as busy, because it was too far out of the way. (Might as well have been in Norwich!!
)
I think the key thing about Daventry is the central location. It makes it possible for all to get there relatively easily. Yes, its trek from Scotland or Cornwall, but the die hard make the trek. The year andy held the pinball party in Wales was no where near as busy, because it was too far out of the way. (Might as well have been in Norwich!!
)
There seemed to be a real big space at the back of the machines in the center of the room for whatever reason, could of done with them being pushed closer together to make more room to navigate round them. It was my first time going so i have no idea what its been like before but i thought the amount of games there fit the space pretty well overall, plus insanely cheap Magners compared to what im used to so cant complain at that!
My standards must be low if the hotel was terrible I thought it was spot on for the money.
A luxury hotel will put a lot of punters off and the event room hire will obviously be more.
A luxury hotel will put a lot of punters off and the event room hire will obviously be more.
Doube post, sorry!
Never been, so I cannot comment on the location or the standard of the hotel / facilities.
However, I haven’t been purely because of the date. For me, as long as it’s on that Bank Holiday week, I won’t be able to attend. I would vote for it to change.
As for temperature, I would have thought an indoor hobby event would be more suited to more milder weather! Even with air conditioning (which appeared to be off). Late September would also get my vote.
Just my 10 cents!
However, I haven’t been purely because of the date. For me, as long as it’s on that Bank Holiday week, I won’t be able to attend. I would vote for it to change.
As for temperature, I would have thought an indoor hobby event would be more suited to more milder weather! Even with air conditioning (which appeared to be off). Late September would also get my vote.
Just my 10 cents!
I want to change my vote.
Pinfest can NEVER be on at the same time as the Ashes!
Have just watched the highlights (even knowing the result) was biting my nails, laughing, screaming at the tv. Every emotion possible. Unbelievable inning by Stokes.
Pinfest can NEVER be on at the same time as the Ashes!
Have just watched the highlights (even knowing the result) was biting my nails, laughing, screaming at the tv. Every emotion possible. Unbelievable inning by Stokes.
I want to change my vote.
Pinfest can NEVER be on at the same time as the Ashes!
Have just watched the highlights (even knowing the result) was biting my nails, laughing, screaming at the tv. Every emotion possible. Unbelievable inning by Stokes.
Forget Stokes.......Leach, the Unsung Hero!
Neil is right about the BHW weekend being big for weddings. It's actually my Wedding anniversary on Thursday. We got married on the Bank Holiday weekend 11 years ago. Fortunately the Bank Holiday was early this year 
Seemed like a good idea at the time, but I really dropped the ball with that one as a couple of years later our anniversary clashed with an awesome line up at the Reading Festival 
Seemed like a good idea at the time, but I really dropped the ball with that one as a couple of years later our anniversary clashed with an awesome line up at the Reading Festival