Best LR Show Billing or Kelmarsh?

[AndyK]

Hello everyone,

sorry to exclude those who can't get to England for the best Land Rover show/shop which was at Billing, but who is now going to go with Land Rover enthusiast magazine at Kelmarsh or stay at Billing with Land Rover Monthly?

I've gone to Billing for the past eight or nine years.I think that LRM are only serving to split the traders and enthusiasts between the two shows which will not benefit either. I think that the Aquadrome has outlived its use - the bogs,no matter how early you got there were always horrible and it was just too small. I've no idea what Kelmarsh is like but I'm willing to give it a go. I've loved going round the traders imagining buying their wares (and actually buying some), having a drink and talking to enthusiasts but it was not as good a show as when I first went where. Don't get me wrong I love Billing - I drove my V8 101" from Co.Durham every year for seven years but I think it's time to change. The trouble is I'm now rebuilding my 110 as a camper to take me and my new Australian wife to Australia overland. Hence Billing was the perfect place to buy parts- where's best now?

Andy& Rosy (15 mths and counting 'til emmigration hopefully!)

[Thor]

I've been a subscriber to LRe since Vol1 #1 and have been watching the ruckus from afar.

I'd bet Kelmarsh would attract the better venders, if they were treated well over the years. Some may do Billing out of habit... or if LRM is discounting the vendor spots to get some attendance. I won a 1yr subs at the Solihull Society BBQ last year, but it really seems they know they are being a little silly.

I'd call some of your favorite vendors and see what they are thinking.

I'd choose Kelmarsch.

[Series 3 guy]

I will miss billing very much.However the last few years have been losing its appeal. The bathrooms have been a disgrace. The lines to get into the showers were massive and once in were like showering in grit and filth.LRE had no real way to manage the peolpe and the out of controll campers that show up every year.You know what I mean when I use as an example the pikey lot that showed up in the 130 crew cabs every year and made tons of people uncomfortable and pissed by their behavior at 1 am with loud music and fighting. I'm cool with getting a few beers down me at the show because billing is usualy the hottest days of the year but they took it too far.
I have a feeling that kelmarsh is the sort of place that would have people like that removed instantly. I cant wait to see the changes that are coming our way for the new show. I cant for the life of me figure out WTF LRM is doing. Why the hell would the show dates for kelmarsh and billing be the same??? It does sound like there will be a good showing of vendors though. But with identical show dates there will not be as many which will suck.
I think that the big difference is that you can camp at billing for a week where as you can only camp at kelmarsh for 3 days. The week camp out at billing was great as most of the people that were going to camp were there for the whole week and you got a week to catch up with old friends and check out about 1000 cool landy's.I'm not sure that kelmarsh will be like that yet. In time maybe.I suspect it will be a bit more controlled wich will be good but with a lack of vendors and camp days I wonder how it will turn out. I will say that LRE has many many dedicated supporters like myself and that will probobly make the difference in the end and kelmarsh the overall winner.

[Hillbilly Raider]

i am told on good authority that Billing has attracted the trade stands as better the devil you know and all that

[Greg S]

No longer a question.

Kelmarsh is cancelled.