Birmingham NEC Practical classic and restoration show.. 2025

[DVee8]

Is anyone attending this year's NEC show on November 10,11 and 12?

Myself, @gm and my 2 sons are thinking about Saturday 11th.

 

[SiC]

I'm tempted to go too. Been a few year pre COVID but not post. 

I found the quietest day was the Sunday. Saturday was packed. Friday full of old giffers forever getting in the way. 

Entrance is rather pricey now though and let's not talk about the car park price. 🤣

[Soundwave]

I'll be going and assisting with one of the stands... if you're booking tickets online you can use the code N23CC198. It'll give you access to club member ticket prices, which are a bit less than standard. Still quite pricey though!

[DVee8]

The code worked a treat. Thank you. @Soundwave

[DVee8]

I have just tired to book car parking for Saturday 11th. It's coming back as fully booked.

Has anyone got any ideas could it be fully booked or another safe parking area close by?

@Soundwave

[Soundwave]

I've never pre-booked parking, just turned up and paid on the day as required. Just on the NEC parking site now, seems to be working for me?

Failing that, I've parked in nearby Marston Green train station before and gotten the train into Birmingham International, which is connected to the NEC. Only takes a few minutes and usually still works out cheaper than paying for NEC parking, with the added bonus that you don't have to queue to get out.

[DVee8]

16 minutes ago, Soundwave said:

I've never pre-booked parking, just turned up and paid on the day as required. Just on the NEC parking site now, seems to be working for me?

Failing that, I've parked in nearby Marston Green train station before and gotten the train into Birmingham International, which is connected to the NEC. Only takes a few minutes and usually still works out cheaper than paying for NEC parking, with the added bonus that you don't have to queue to get out.

Yeah it'll let me book, strange.

[gadgetgricey]

Sandwell & Dudley Station has a massive car park, and then direct train to NEC. (providing no train strikes booked for that day)
30 mins on train, 5 min walk from station.
Just another option, though not sure on ticket prices against car parking charges.

[DVee8]

Is anyone going to this year's show?

[Soundwave]

On 07/09/2024 at 08:38, DVee8 said:

Is anyone going to this year's show?

I am... also have another discount code if anyone is buying tickets.

CCCNOV610 gets you a little bit off. 

[DVee8]

45 minutes ago, Soundwave said:

I am... also have another discount code if anyone is buying tickets.

CCCNOV610 gets you a little bit off. 

What stand will you be on, we'll come and say hello.

[DVee8]

Is anyone going this year?

Myself, @gm and my 2 lads are heading down on Saturday.

 

[R Lutz]

I was going to go on the Friday, but now I'm a pleb and have to pay I'm a bit shocked at the prices, so I'm reluctant to go. 

[Mally]

56 minutes ago, R Lutz said:

I was going to go on the Friday, but now I'm a pleb and have to pay I'm a bit shocked at the prices, so I'm reluctant to go. 

Me too.

[comfortablynumb]

Waaaaay too expensive, last time we went, with parking I'd done £100 before we got through the door 😱

[twosmoke300]

I’ll be going up on the Friday . 
Yeh it’s an expensive day out and loads of people moaning about it . Doesn’t help that the motorhome/ caravan show is shortly after and about £14.50 with free parking .

 

I would imagine the motor home show is almost entirely business paying pitches where as the car show will have a lot more cheaper / free / subsidised pitches for clubs etc 

[Metal Guru]

7 hours ago, comfortablynumb said:

Waaaaay too expensive, last time we went, with parking I'd done £100 before we got through the door 😱

Then they add on a charity donation that’s more or less compulsory otherwise you look like a cunt.

[R Lutz]

10 hours ago, Mally said:

Me too.

For me its a 400+ mile round trip.

[St.Jude]

1 hour ago, Metal Guru said:

Then they add on a charity donation that’s more or less compulsory otherwise you look like a cunt.

I’m happy to look a twat.

“It’s for charity” - I’m sure it is. How else are they going to pay the CEO £100,000+ a year? How are they going to pay those boys and girls on the streets to harangue you “have you got 5 minutes?”…. And the fucking lotteries.

They can fuck off. Plenty of smaller charities that actually do stuff can have the money instead.

[comfortablynumb]

 

2 minutes ago, St.Jude said:

It’s for charity

They've started that in our local charity shops.

When I said ' the whole things for charity!' they looked at me as though I'd just arrived from another planet...🤦

Edited October 22, 2024 by comfortablynumb

[Metal Guru]

8 hours ago, St.Jude said:

I’m happy to look a twat.

“It’s for charity” - I’m sure it is. How else are they going to pay the CEO £100,000+ a year? How are they going to pay those boys and girls on the streets to harangue you “have you got 5 minutes?”…. And the fucking lotteries.

They can fuck off. Plenty of smaller charities that actually do stuff can have the money instead.

Went to Alnwick castle gardens a couple of years ago. Pretty pricey to get in considering it’s lottery funded and owned by a family with a £800 fortune. Castle + gardens for a family of 4 is £80+, then you are asked for a voluntary donation. FRO.

(We just did the gardens on a 2 for 1 ticket £12).

[andyberg]

21 hours ago, comfortablynumb said:

Waaaaay too expensive, last time we went, with parking I'd done £100 before we got through the door 😱

I’m off to Retromobile this year. How come’ Europe’s largest retro car show’ can do their tickets for less than £20 when the UK’s equivalent * is at least double that? Never mind the overpriced nasty food…

[St.Jude]

1 hour ago, andyberg said:

I’m off to Retromobile this year. How come’ Europe’s largest retro car show’ can do their tickets for less than £20 when the UK’s equivalent * is at least double that? Never mind the overpriced nasty food…

In fairness I don't think anyone has control over the food at the NEC.

Birmingham City Council no longer own it, it was sold off for "reasons". It's owned by yet another venture crapitalist firm who don't put money in to the venue.

[Metal Guru]

2 hours ago, St.Jude said:

In fairness I don't think anyone has control over the food at the NEC.

Birmingham City Council no longer own it, it was sold off for "reasons". It's owned by yet another venture crapitalist firm who don't put money in to the venue.

Food is shite and ridiculously over priced at any event. I assume the vendors have to pay a steep fee or cut to be there but they’re still taking the piss mostly.

[wesacosa]

4 hours ago, andyberg said:

I’m off to Retromobile this year. How come’ Europe’s largest retro car show’ can do their tickets for less than £20 when the UK’s equivalent * is at least double that? Never mind the overpriced nasty food…

have you been before? I went a few years ago, its bloody massive. We spent hours walking around the first hall we went in only to realise when we moved to the next hall that was the small bit!  

[andyberg]

16 minutes ago, wesacosa said:

have you been before? I went a few years ago, its bloody massive. We spent hours walking around the first hall we went in only to realise when we moved to the next hall that was the small bit!  

Never been. It’s a bucket list thing to do. I have heard it’s massive! I have initially booked just a day ticket but am considering getting another. My son is really looking forward to the whole Paris thing, it’s a sort of joint birthday trip for us. 

[twosmoke300]

I will be having a good fry up on route and taking a backpack with drinks and food in for the day . Don’t object to the ticket prices but as mentioned the food there is shit and overpriced 

[Dippy]

On 22/10/2024 at 12:57, twosmoke300 said:

 

I would imagine the motor home show is almost entirely business paying pitches where as the car show will have a lot more cheaper / free / subsidised pitches for clubs etc 

I help out on the Jensen Owners Stand in Hall 1 and believe me a free pitch is very expensive. If you are in Hall 1 you must pay for the NEC carpet to be fitted and disposed of at the end of the show (it is recyclable and I believe mainly cardboard) the lighting rig is about £5K from NEC contractors and a socket for our coffee machine is over £500 if I remember correctly.

We are cutting back this year as costs are crazy now and last years stand was over £15K.

There is a coffee vending machine on the stand and visitors are often welcome to a free tea or coffee if they ask nicely.

[83C]

On 23/10/2024 at 07:09, andyberg said:

I’m off to Retromobile this year. How come’ Europe’s largest retro car show’ can do their tickets for less than £20 when the UK’s equivalent * is at least double that? Never mind the overpriced nasty food…

It’s not just a Europe thing. When I went to Bathurst last year the ticket was reasonable, the food generous and tasty. Unfortunately in the U.K. we’re used to getting ripped off so we just expect and accept it.

[andyberg]

29 minutes ago, 83C said:

It’s not just a Europe thing. When I went to Bathurst last year the ticket was reasonable, the food generous and tasty. Unfortunately in the U.K. we’re used to getting ripped off so we just expect and accept it.

But why should we expect it and put up with it🤷 it really annoys me. Sometimes I wish we,as a country, were a bit more like France and stood up for ourselves.