I think we're being a little unkind towards the NEC who don't organise the show.
The show is organised by EMAP/ Angling Times, not the NEC. The NEC have little influence over the price of stands or the price of admission.
Yes they charge for car parking but this is the same charge whether you are attending Go Fishing or any other exhibition held there or for a concert in the arena. ?7 to park is a pain in the bum but it is no less than I pay to NCP when I go to a theatre, it's less than parking at some railway stations and a day in a hospital car park. We should be pleased they don't have meters!
The show everyone wants to see is one where the leading manufacturers all attend to showcase their new products.
Not wishing to appear too negative but the show we get is a vehicle designed to promote the Angling Times editorial team with a tagged-on glorified car boot sale that is there because EMAP's research has indicated this is what the customer wants.
The manufacturers who do attend are simply occupying space at premium prices and hoping the attendees like what they see. Alas they're more interested in buying imported junk from an old tart than investing in state-of-the-art.
It's nice to see the various Societies there, it's nice to have book stalls and refreshment stands but the bottom line is simple. Real anglers want to feel, smell and purr over the very best equipment our sport can produce.
It would be in the best interests of angling if someone was to launch a rival show, possibly at a different venue (Stoneleigh perhaps?) that was run independently of a publishing house. Get rid of the car boot sale/ cheap import dumping, get rid of the nepotistic 'star' culture and let the manufacturers use their own sponsored anglers to provide the entertainment and then the cost of visiting might take a tumble but to be honest, we'd pay the going rate with a smile if the product was right.
But I guess I live in a dream world so it ain't going to happen.
Next week's Angling Times will be full of how great the theatre shows were, how folk queued for 'our' Matt's autograph rather than the groundbreaking tackle to be launched by Drennan, Fox, Nash, Shakespeare, Shimano, Daiwa and so on.
And, as ever, they'll claim record attendances again.
The Anglers Mail will probably ignore the show along with DHP and Regional Angling Magazines and that's what is intrinsically wrong with a show of this nature.
It should be the highlight of the year for the tackle trade and angler alike. But it's not. And there hangs a tail.
EMAP are the only folk with the power to run a show like this and one could argue that the whole purpose of the show was to benefit EMAP. There a well known saying about absolute power but you know what, if you or I were in EMAP's shoes we would run it just the same way.
Never confuse business with philanthropy. It's got less letters. And mentioning letters, what's the betting next weeks letter page in AT will contain nothing but glowing praise for the show?