The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

It is with huge disappointment that I must announce we will not be attending the Phoenix as a trade stand this year.

We tried on many occasions to make contact with the NRA regarding trade bookings, left messages by 'phone and emailed. We even contacted Andrew Mercer directly (Who did call back) yet a reply was not forthcoming. I even contacted some of the other RFD's who usually attend to see if it was just us who were having problems booking and they confirmed they could also not get an answer. Then yesterday we received an email with the booking form and a revised pricing structure.

Now I am all for seeing the NRA make a profit however we equally have financial constraints of our own. For me the Imperial was not about us making money, it was a place to spend a relaxed 4-5 days putting faces to names, dropping off existing orders meeting up with SHED friends and generally enjoying ourselves during the largest meeting of the year. So to be greeted with a price rise of in excess of 5 times what we paid last year plus additional restrictions put in place simply means we will not attend.

I am not sure what I am more disappointed in, the absolute lack of communication until under a month before the event or the excessive price increase. I have spent yesterday afternoon and again this afternoon trying to arrive upon a resolution that would work for us and it simply will not happen. I have also been told at least one other exhibitor will be boycotting the event because of the price increase and restrictions and I do wonder how many more will follow suit.

So there you have it, no SHED at the Imperial. Sorry about that, there is so much more I could say on this matter however now is not the time. There is of course an upside to this, it means I can build more shiny things and work on more projects and if you do feel the urge to meet the SHED in person you are more than welcome to pop over to sunny Bedfordshire.

The coffee is good as well tongueout

IF the HBSA are doing there usual trade tent, it may be worth checking to see what space they have available...

Sadller, we did talk about trying to double up with someone however I am not sure that would be workable, I would be interested to know if they are attending given the price increase we have just seen.

The HBSA have a marquee set up over one weekend of the Imperial - so have several RFD's & assorted dealers in attendance

If other sellers will support the price increase then I hope they have a good Imperial.

Adam and I gave up on Bisley last year because of the expense of it all. The shooters are the ones who lose out.
I guess the NRA have not heard of the Law of Diminishing Returns!

It's the same with the British Shooting Show. Many of the small exhibitors like yourself and the one-man gunsmiths are providing entertainment rather than making a vast profit. The organisers must be thick if they can't see the difference.

Well that's a shame

What I don't understand is that it's not like there's a limited number of stands/places - Surely the more the merrier...the better the attraction (which needs small traders and innovators) the more people will want to come...everyone wins...no?

Dougan, the new pricing structure is something the NRA have obviously thought long and hard about and feel is fair. I know they are looking to portray a new image so I can only assume small independents like ourselves are not on their radar.

Not sure it would be right to say much more on the matter, this was intended as an information post only.

I understand that you can't say more...

...but as an NRA member with no axe to grind I can - I actually appreciate the way the new NRA leadership is trying to be more professional in their business practices...but they've got to be very careful not to lose the character and values of Bisley and the meetings held there.....we don't want to end up with a 'The Midway Show' instead of a proper trade fair.