NHLF Reborn

[david smith]

I have found a lovely venue to stage a re-enactors’ market just 2.8 miles from TORM, and I plan to run it on the same weekend as TORM starting in November 2012.

(Before anyone starts re-enacting the market wars of 2003, read all of the attached, and consider the numbers – there are 170 plus UK-based traders who do not stand at either existing market, plus goodness knows how many just across the channel…)

There will be inside and outside options for traders, so you can trade from your own tent (in a nice walled orchard!) or in a Sports Hall if you prefer. Camping in either your trading tent or any other tent or your vehicle is FREE – and we plan to have a Beer Tent on site, Laurie has been approached to do the honours J

Details attached – we can also offer cheap camping to customers at just £5 a person per night, so a good old social can be had without leaving the site. We can even offer the same camping deal to traders from TORM needing a campsite!

Princethorpe College, just off the A423 south of Ryton-on-Dunsmore – it has space and more than enough to expand to cope with any anticipated demand, with 200 acres to play with as well as inside facilities which we can expand into if need be.

Being a college we can’t have the entire Friday as a full trading day – but as the Orchard is floodlit we could have an evening opening period if there was interest – or just a Party!

Best of all, pitches are just £50, inside space only £10 per square metre, so it is affordable. And we have space for any amount of fun and games which folk may choose to add!
Best wishes
David

[sally]

what date is that this year?

[david smith]

Not yet sure, waiting for TORM to announce their November dates - but Princethorpe are happy to wait on confirmation, they will try and do any weekend we need it to be, very co-operative indeed.

Best wishes
David

[david smith]

Website now published athttp://www.nlhf.co.uk

Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/NationalLivingHistoryFayre

Best wishes
David

[ForTheMarshal]

Looking forward to this

[paul bennett]

I'm very much up for this. probably an indoor space to save faff and weather woes.

Plus, yay free/cheap camping! Both markets will benefit from that.

[david smith]

Coming to their first EVER re-enactors' market in the UK, from the Ukraine, STEEL MASTERY!!
Best wishes
David

[wayneb]

Will there also be an entrance charge the same as the £4ish TORM and ILHF charge?

[david smith]

Yes, but set at £3 for adults only, children free of charge, and the ticket is good for both days, i.e., you only need pay once no matter how many times you visit. And you can pre-book camping at just £5 per adult per night (children free). Trollsbottom Beer Tent with the usual high standard of beer, cider and mead at re-enactor-friendly prices.

Best wishes
David

[david smith]

Some old friends...

[david smith]

Discount For Group Camping Bookings

We have decided to offer Re-enactment Groups a discount for booking camping “en masse”. This is designed to benefit everyone, as it cuts down on our admin costs and banking costs, gives us a clearer idea on numbers so we can arrange the facilities and the BEER required, and it also gives our traders some advanced indication as to what they might be needing to stock up on! The benefit for the individuals is obvious – they save money!

Umbrella organisations such as the EMA, Fed, Napoleonic Association, ACWS can take full advantage of this scheme on behalf of their member groups.

Camping Discount For Group Bookings
Per Adult Discounted Fee
Over 10 adults 20% £1.00 £4.00
Over 25 adults 30% £1.50 £3.50
Over 50 adults 50% £2.50 £2.50

To qualify for this special offer, bookings must be made prior to September 30th 2012 for the November market, and prior to January 30th for the March market, and be accompanied by one cheque for the whole amount due, plus a list of names (we do appreciate that some degree of flexibility may be necessary, and we can accommodate this!).

In order for us to be able to control the flow of people into the site, we cannot at this time operate a pre-paid entrance fee – individuals will have to buy a ticket on their first arrival.

E-mail for a Group Camping Booking Form: david.smith34 AT ntlworld DOT com

Best wishes
David

[david smith]

I'm giving serious consideration to having NO ADMISSION CHARGE whatsoever.

What do you think?

Best wishes
David

[Graham Cooley]

I can see two markets close together being good for customers. Certainly if I was going to the markets I would go to both and make a really good day of it. So from a customer perspective anythign that reduces the cost is good.

From a slightly wider perspective. If you are offering free entry that suggests that there isn't much to see and you are desperate to get a few people through the doors.

To ensure the event is going to happen again and again and increase in size it needs to at least break even. With no entry fee how does that work? You have income from camping but that pays for loos and towards the site hire etc... The traders pay a pitch fee but again you need to pay for the site, security, toilets, staff to organise the event etc...

So offering free entry makes me wonder if the event is worth attending and if it is viable. We have been to previous events so I can answer some of the queries. I'm confident that the event will be well organised, flexible and friendly. I think it would help if you could say what number of traders are going to be there, what catering facilities are there, what other facilities are available etc.... Is free entry a one off as a first event in order that customers can come and try it or is this going to be the plan long term? Convince customers and traders alike that you are going to be here in the long term and not just for one or two markets?

All the best

Graham

[david smith]

Hi Graham

Appreciate your time and the input

Folk will be able to decide beforehand as to whether it would be worth making the tip to visit the new reborn NLHF as near the date there will be a complete listing of all traders booked to be there available on the website at www.nlhf.co.uk and also publicised on Facebook and on forums (fora?) such as this one. So they will have the information they need to make an informed decision.

My daughter thinks even to discuss not having an admission charge is tantamount to losing my marbles, but it is not quite that bad!

Overall, the NET effect is not massive, and might well be offset by other advantages, the obvious one being more money in visitors pockets to spend with traders and even in the Beer Tent. Then there's the beneficial publicity that will be generated (all publicity is beneficial, even critical publicity!)

There's also the philosophical question - do you pay an entry fee to walk round a shopping centre? Although we do plan to have some fun stuff, it is basically a shopping centre for re-enactors, it is not intended to be an entertainment for the paying public. Yes, I charged an fee for entry at the original NLHF, this followed a lot of years running Antiques Fairs and similar, most all of which generate their profits by charging admission, and of course, I had the role-model of TORM to follow, hence the three-day format, something else which I am changing. Not every trader can make Friday very easily, as they have other commitments to fit around, as do re-enactors.

And yes, if I do go for free admission it will be for the long term, as a carefully considered and thought out business decision. As to viable, depending on everyone who has indicated that they want a pitch actually sending the booking form and a cheque, we are in the nice position of having all of our immediately foreseeable costs covered.

Best wishes
David

[david smith]

I have decided that there will be NO ADMISSION charge. This is not just for November, or just for this year, or just until we are really busy – this is for EVER, no admission charge. After all, folk don’t pay to get into the Metrocentre or Bluewater, and if they have more money in their pockets they have more available to spend with traders. I have looked very closely at this, and I am sure that I can make a reasonable profit and build the NLHF into the number one re-enactment market in the UK without any need to charge people to visit it.

And there will soon be confirmation of our change of venue - now looking to finalise the details with a superb venue, over a thousand acres all told, with sufficient INDOOR space to fit in pretty much every re-enactment trader in Europe - currently they have 4,520 square metres available and they are in process of getting ready to build yet more! I'm told the new Arena will dwarf the current biggie by a considerable margin, and that is 77 metres by 40 metres...

Nice new Shower Block as well

Best wishes
David

[david smith]

Onley Grounds Equestrian Centre, just 9 miles down the main A45 / M45 / A45 from the Sports Connexion.

To give an idea of the scale of the current "Big Arena" at 3,080 square metres, I have over the years come to regard a decent "rule of thumb" for assessing numbers of stand in a given space as 9 square metres provides for the average stall-holder, as this is plenty for the standard 6 foot table, room for the trader(s) and also for the aisle in front. That applied to the 77 by 40 at OGEC would equate to 342 stands.

I wonder just how big the new building is going to be?

Best wishes
David

[david smith]

Hmmmmmm!