Parking was free when I went to the caravan and camping show earlier in the year , but for this it's £15 . No thanks .
Going with my mate from two doors down on Friday. Getting the train up from Euston, £35 return and he did the early booking for the entry tickets. We usually book it as soon as it comes out. No desire to drive up and the train allows the opportunity to shop that the bike doesn’t; came away with an autographed framed print of Greg Hancock last year.
Not been for 7 or 8 years now, fewer manufacturers and traders stands year by year while entry and parking prices increased beyond realistic levels. It stopped being value for money and ended up not even being a particularly enjoyable day out, don't miss it at all which is a shame but the sheer greed of the venue is unbelievable.
Having been to EICMA a year ago (couldn’t make this year’s one), the NEC pales into insignificance and comes across as a bit of a ‘village hall’ affair. Yes, you’ve got to fly to Milan, but I’d wager that, if booked long enough in advance, a Ryanair flight will be cheaper than the train and/or parking. Oh, and it’s cheaper to get into EICMA which has about 5 halls of exhibitors each hall being bigger than the entire NEC. Make a short holiday of it, spend a couple of nights, visit Milan cathedral, see the Last Supper painting, etc etc etc. For sure, Birmingham has come on leaps and bounds in the last 30 years but it’s not a patch on Milan.
Many of the other shows come with free parking and range from £15-25. Again bikers paying that added tax
Agree that it's become something of a rip off but it's a day out, all about bikes, with my best mate.
