Afternoon folks. Anyone intending on travelling to the National shooting show in Harrogate. I’d stonefly advise on not going. A very disappointing show this year. I’ve made the 4 hour journey from Surrey for the last 3 years and this years show was very disappointing. From entering the main gate the noticeable lack of outdoor vendors and displays was noticeable. Hoping that inside the halls would be different but as soon as walk into the hall you could see the lack of stalls. With the lack of stalls whatever were there were well spread out. In places where they had no stalls. They put out picnic tables and chairs. We’re went in 8:30am and had done the lot by 9:30. Went out the back which was very busy last year with food vendors; air rifle ranges and so on. The food court out back had six food trucks. We went and did a loop of the outside again and then back in again. We left at 10.30am. Four hours back home again.
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the Daily hi thread
National shooting show 2025
- Thread starter E.W
- Start date
GrahamHenderson
Super member
Hollowlegs
Super member
Tosh
Super member
I would imagine online forum interaction has had an impact on attendance.@E.W sad to say I totally agreethe decline year on year is dramatic, I don't know what's killing it or why it's dying.
... The NEC show is slowly going down the pan too.
We can find answers easily from the comfort of our homes.
Plus a lot of people (me included) are a lot more insular since covid struck.
I might be wrong
slotter
Well-known member
The stalking show at Stafford was much better.I
I went today and thought it was the worst its ever been and i have been to them all.
Why can one show be so good and the other so poor?
Keep the cost down for traders, they will come followed by the visitors.
Its not rocket science..
I went today and thought it was the worst its ever been and i have been to them all.
Why can one show be so good and the other so poor?
Keep the cost down for traders, they will come followed by the visitors.
Its not rocket science..
Frank Rizzo
Proactive member
I can understand why retailers may swerve it if they've not done enough to cover costs in previous years, but it's odd that almost no manufacturers were there other than Airmaks and Stoeger. Why would the big boys like Weihrauch, AA, Daysrate/Brocock etc. Not set up at least a basic stand with their offerings? It's hard to see how they'll put it on again next year based on today's offering. People were quite dismissive of the Birmingham show earlier in the year and that absolutely pissed on today. It's just as well it was a nice day which made for a nice trip out regardless.
Tosh
Super member
The only reason I would have gone would be to see Weihrauch stand and maybe Hawke
If they aren’t there then there’s no draw for me to make a effort personally
If they aren’t there then there’s no draw for me to make a effort personally
slotter
Well-known member
hawke had their usual stand.
i had a look at a few scopes.
DRZ
Super member
I went today and frankly I had a really good day out. I went with three friends and between us we spent over £12,000 on guns and ammo etc. The pies from the pie stand were absolutely cracking and the ice cream van did a decent ice cream for desert!
Yes, the lack of support from the big importers and brands was noticeable but there was still plenty to see and do. Aside from everything else there was a really great atmosphere and the sun was shining!
Yes, the lack of support from the big importers and brands was noticeable but there was still plenty to see and do. Aside from everything else there was a really great atmosphere and the sun was shining!
Worst show ever, plenty of food stalls but other than that rubbish, very few venders gun related. We overheard a conversation where the stall holder said it cost them £30,000 for the stall! Dont know which probably pulsar or similar. I didnt buy anything shooting related!
Plus side great weather and food and i got in free as a BASC member and the wife did as well as one kind guy had a spare ticket!
Plus side great weather and food and i got in free as a BASC member and the wife did as well as one kind guy had a spare ticket!
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RJ
Super member
thankyou for the heads up my lady and myself were going tomorrow i think we will give it a swerve i will take her out for lunch maybe or maybe not
Frank Rizzo
Proactive member
Mr Bond
Member Extraordinaire
It's been going crap after the first two excellent shows.
BSA saw it coming, and sadly stopped attending three years back.
No small shop stands bit bargain bins, no retail gunshops other than piss taking priced ones (with a couple of exceptions) and less every year.
If you are in the market for bespoke cushions for one of your Rangerovers, or country inspired "art", gins and wines, maybe Venison burgers, then you are on a winner.
If you are into air rifles, you'd be better off giving it a miss, and use the interweb.
The good news, is the Doncaster Show in September is still pretty good, cheaper too.
BSA saw it coming, and sadly stopped attending three years back.
No small shop stands bit bargain bins, no retail gunshops other than piss taking priced ones (with a couple of exceptions) and less every year.
If you are in the market for bespoke cushions for one of your Rangerovers, or country inspired "art", gins and wines, maybe Venison burgers, then you are on a winner.
If you are into air rifles, you'd be better off giving it a miss, and use the interweb.
The good news, is the Doncaster Show in September is still pretty good, cheaper too.
Crikey. I travelled from Farnham and thought that was a haul. You had some journey. Small business will suffer.Definitely not as good as last year, think things are getting greedy for space hire, shame as people will now think I won’t bother next year and small businesses will suffer. Traveled up from the Isle of Wight
The air rifle side of things was virtually nonexistent. Very disappointing to see that it has gone down the way it has
I thought the BSS this year was good. Slightly smaller than last year but it was good. Everything got covered from air rifles to precision rifles. Yesterday was just a farce to be honest
Tillygti6
Member Extraordinaire
It's hardly surprising the low turn out given the costs and the time of year.
Most the smaller (relatively speaking ) manufacturer companies , like BSA, AA,daystate etc do the vast majority of the shows out of season.
BSS and IWA Feb / march time when things are generally a little quieter.
Who really nowadays thinks it's a good idea to run trade shows when it's the busiest months of the year for most our main brands.
They're not huge firms with hundreds and hundreds of people twiddling their thumbs waiting for something to do.
The cost for a pitch are absolutely ridiculous as is the paperwork to transport guns to such shows, especially if it's out of county of your licensing area.
Coupled with the lack of the hft ,which was always a bigger draw to the show than most gave it credit.
Since the pandemic the trade, the sport and the way we buy stuff has changed significantly. Shows like this are really less worthwhile for many brands as fewer airgunners visit. It's just a cash cow for the organisers.
The same thing happened a few years ago in the fishing industry around the world. Things are changing chaps.. not necessarily for the better
But IMO if you(the show organisers) take the piss expecting to rob firms during their busiest business months... Well you need to give your head a wobble.
Most the smaller (relatively speaking ) manufacturer companies , like BSA, AA,daystate etc do the vast majority of the shows out of season.
BSS and IWA Feb / march time when things are generally a little quieter.
Who really nowadays thinks it's a good idea to run trade shows when it's the busiest months of the year for most our main brands.
They're not huge firms with hundreds and hundreds of people twiddling their thumbs waiting for something to do.
The cost for a pitch are absolutely ridiculous as is the paperwork to transport guns to such shows, especially if it's out of county of your licensing area.
Coupled with the lack of the hft ,which was always a bigger draw to the show than most gave it credit.
Since the pandemic the trade, the sport and the way we buy stuff has changed significantly. Shows like this are really less worthwhile for many brands as fewer airgunners visit. It's just a cash cow for the organisers.
The same thing happened a few years ago in the fishing industry around the world. Things are changing chaps.. not necessarily for the better
But IMO if you(the show organisers) take the piss expecting to rob firms during their busiest business months... Well you need to give your head a wobble.
The bad news is I'll be in America for September. But at least I'll have Cabelas and The sportsmans warehouse plus others to peruse.