2023 Model Show De-Brief

Well, what a day it turned out to be, Once the doors officially opened on Saturday morning, we had over 380 through the door throughout the day, plus a further 180 are recorded as having wristbands to attend with clubs and sigs. So we were back up to pre-covid attendance, and judging from the feedback that I have received – everyone enjoyed the show this year.
A big thank you to all those who attended on the day, and those who have taken time to write in or speak to me on the day with comments and views – good and bad – I cannot change or put right what I don’t know about or you perceive as wrong.
The feedback we are getting from those who have attended many past events with us, is that this was the best yet, and from the traders, many have indicated record sales figures for our show this year, and already given me expressions of interest to trade again next year.
This was my first year organising the event, and I made quite a few changes in the layout of the event – namely putting the club tables in rows – as everyone likes a straight run and no one likes a corner, and putting the catering outside. I am pleased that you all appreciated it, as it took up a lot of my time to organise (well over 400 hours worth of effort, and became a full time job in the days before) and I was still dealing with emails and rejigging things at 11pm the night before, knowing I had to go to bed and be back up at 5.30.
It takes more than just me, to get the show up and running, whilst I deal with all the admin and queries and put my name on the line with booking everything, there is a great team of members at Salisbury, who all just buckle down and help on those two days – turning up on Friday afternoon to sort out unloading the tables and chairs we hire in, placing them to my floorplan, running around doing bits during the show, and then tidying up and loading everything back onto the lorry at breakdown, plus organising the catering, and tombola.

As to our catering and cafe area team – that is largely operated for us by members wifes and family, who give up their time on the day to help us. So a big thank you to all of them for their efforts too this year is due.
Other than dealing with post-show admin, and liaising with the school to book for next year, handling 2024 trader enquiries, and a few other bits and pieces – I am having a break – do some modelling myself.
I will be back in full-Salisbury Model show 2024 mode in November at Telford, talking to clubs and SIGs and handing out flyers. I do run an IPMS sig of my own, and a Telford split my time between Salisbury stand and my sig – Ageless and Nostalgic Vintage, but will spend some (most) of Sunday talking to both traders and the clubs and SIGs.
Traders are welcome to contact me now for our 2024 event on Saturday 1 June.
Club and SIG invitations and club/SIG bookings for 2024 will open/and be sent out in January 2024, but if you wish to write in and enquire about displaying with us in 2024 – please do, and whilst I will acknowledge your email, it will be next year before I send out paperwork.
We already have a list of clubs who wanted to attend this year but we had to decline due to space. So to guarantee your club/SIG space for 2024 – reply promptly with all the necessary paperwork once the invitation lands.

Chris M