Is Billing Aquadrome now too small for the LRE Show?

Another show gone. Ok, improvents to the entrance / exit arrangements which
have alleviated the traffic queues of old but I still can't help wondering how
much longer the venue and its facilities can cope with the number of campers
and day visitors ....and to the obvious influx of the light fingered brigade.

Steve. Suffolk.
remove 'knujon' to e-mail

AN6530 wrote:

> Another show gone. Ok, improvents to the entrance / exit arrangements
> which have alleviated the traffic queues of old but I still can't help
> wondering how much longer the venue and its facilities can cope with the
> number of campers and day visitors

I'd agree that the site can't cope - it's simply not big enough. I dread
what would happen if there was a fire in the part we camped in - there
wasn't a route round the perimeter due to some not so bright people
thinking it was a good space to stop. So, lots of caravans, tents,
vehicles, children, ONE route in/out, people approx. twice as close as fire
regulations min. - it's not just dangerous, it's really stupid.

> ....and to the obvious influx of the
> light fingered brigade.

Billing itself isn't a particularly nice neighbourhood I must say - I left
the wife for 10 minutes at the shopping centre down the road and a local
pimp started hitting on her. I would imagine most of this light fingered
brigade is local - another reason to move away.

Regards

William MacLeod

My first time at billing we arrived at 5:30pm on thurs and told find a
pitch.
After an hours driving around ended up pitching our tent next to the go
carts it was either that or on the roadside next to the train tracks.Having
kids neither was a safe place to camp.There was idiots speeding around the
road on the nights one mistake and if they ploughed into the lines of tents
on the roadside who knows!!!
Security!!! on the nights being near the funfair we had groups of p*ssed up
local teenagers running around jumping onto tents
groups dossed in the ladies toilets(not nice for my wife and daughter etc
and no security at this part of the campsite at all.
A bit further down the road from us on Sunday police were taking statements
I think someone caught somebody nicking their landrover or bits of it..
Being an easy going person I can tolerate this but not nice for families ,
elderly etc..

Apart from that I had a bloody good time!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And was well chuffed my series 3 did the 300miles round journey without a
hitch.

I am thinking of going to lro show in sep can anyone tell me if they have
the same problems there and how many weeks do I have to take of work to get
a good pitch?

Adrian Ford

"William MacLeod" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> AN6530 wrote:
>
> > Another show gone. Ok, improvents to the entrance / exit arrangements
> > which have alleviated the traffic queues of old but I still can't help
> > wondering how much longer the venue and its facilities can cope with the
> > number of campers and day visitors
>
> I'd agree that the site can't cope - it's simply not big enough. I dread
> what would happen if there was a fire in the part we camped in - there
> wasn't a route round the perimeter due to some not so bright people
> thinking it was a good space to stop. So, lots of caravans, tents,
> vehicles, children, ONE route in/out, people approx. twice as close as
fire
> regulations min. - it's not just dangerous, it's really stupid.
>
> > ....and to the obvious influx of the
> > light fingered brigade.
>
> Billing itself isn't a particularly nice neighbourhood I must say - I left
> the wife for 10 minutes at the shopping centre down the road and a local
> pimp started hitting on her. I would imagine most of this light fingered
> brigade is local - another reason to move away.
>
> Regards
>
> William MacLeod

On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 00:52:31 +0100, "Adrian Ford"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>I am thinking of going to lro show in sep can anyone tell me if they have
>the same problems there and how many weeks do I have to take of work to get
>a good pitch?

The East of England Showground (venue for the LRO Show) is well set
out and certainly has a better - less cluttered feel to it. Club
stands tend to be somewhat cramped - for no apparent or logical
reason, though.

Provided the weather is fine (which should be the case as 'Summer'
seems to be slipping back later each year) it'll be a good show.

The organisers are now well onto security after their experiences at
Driffield, so I reckon it'll feel a lot safer than Billing.


--
Some Land Roveresque (101 biased), links available
from: http://links.solis.co.uk/Geek/X4_Land_Rover/
I also have a little Land Rover site biased toward
my beloved 101 "Grumble", at: http://www.101fc.net


Reading this in 'alt.fan.landrover'? Did you know
there's a group FAQ: http://www.aflfaq.dyndns.info

>Subject: LRO Peterborough, Was: Is Billing Aquadrome etc
>From: Mother "@{mother} @"@101fc.net
>Date: 22/07/2004 09:49 GMT

<snip>The organisers are now well onto security after their experiences at
>Driffield, so I reckon it'll feel a lot safer than Billing.
>

I agree with that Martyn. The showground certainly lends itself to better
security and I've never seen the same number of, what to call them. 'oiks'
there as Billing seems to increasingly be attracting these days. What I don't
like about the LRO show is that the arena is so bloody big!


Steve. Suffolk.
remove 'knujon' to e-mail

"Mother" <"@ {mother} @"@101fc.net> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 00:52:31 +0100, "Adrian Ford"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >I am thinking of going to lro show in sep can anyone tell me if they have
> >the same problems there and how many weeks do I have to take of work to
get
> >a good pitch?
>
> The East of England Showground (venue for the LRO Show) is well set
> out and certainly has a better - less cluttered feel to it. Club
> stands tend to be somewhat cramped - for no apparent or logical
> reason, though.
>
> Provided the weather is fine (which should be the case as 'Summer'
> seems to be slipping back later each year) it'll be a good show.
>
> The organisers are now well onto security after their experiences at
> Driffield, so I reckon it'll feel a lot safer than Billing.
>

My favourite bit about the East of England Showground is that it is less
than 10 miles away from me!! Get in on the club stand, evening
entertainment, taxi home if I want, nice warm bed, clean shower, clean
toilets...

Havong said that, what do I still do each year at the LRO Show???? Camp,
its much more fun, and the atmosphere is steadily improving too!

--
Simon Isaacs

Peterborough 4x4 Club Vice Chairman, Newsletter Editor and Webmaster (how
much more....)
3.5V8 100" Hybrid, now LPG converted
Part owner of 1976 S3 LWT, currently under restoration
Suzuki SJ410 (Girlfriend's) 3" lift kit fitted, body
shell now restored and mounted on chassis, waiting on a windscreen and MOT
Series 3 88" Rolling chassis...what to do next
1993 200 TDi Discovery (the Pug 106 is dead, long live the Pug)

Peterborough 4x4 Club http://www.peterborough4x4.co.uk

"William MacLeod" <[email protected]> wrote

> I'd agree that the site can't cope - it's simply not big enough. I
dread
> what would happen if there was a fire in the part we camped in -
there
> wasn't a route round the perimeter due to some not so bright people
> thinking it was a good space to stop. So, lots of caravans, tents,
> vehicles, children, ONE route in/out, people approx. twice as close
as fire
> regulations min. - it's not just dangerous, it's really stupid.

The Billing site has been like this for many years. I went there for
a firework weekend. Those that had paid for mains hook-up were unable
to cook/heat anything as the mains was tripping after only moments
after being reset.

Outfits were again much too close. As you say, it's not just
dangerous, it's really stupid.

I was a whole weekend visitor to the LRO/LRE show for many years, but
the cost got too high and the show was never as good the next year.

The last few years, I've been a day visitor, but this year was
probably my last. That's also got too expensive and was not as good
as last year, which was not as good as the year before.

And yet again, the regular problem of the loos failing is still there.

The costs for visitors, and probably the cost of stands, will help to
reduce numbers over the next few years.

But what other site could be used to replace Billing?

This year I went to Germany for the Abenteuer Allrad show at Bad
Kissingen. They had similar cost problems, so stopped using the
previous location for a field site. They had a string of coaches to
get from the camping and parking site, that was close to a police
station!

It was held the weekend before the DLRC international rally, very
convenient.

Reg.

in article [email protected], Simon Isaacs at [email protected]
wrote on 22/7/04 8:44 pm:

> "Mother" <"@ {mother} @"@101fc.net> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 00:52:31 +0100, "Adrian Ford"
>> <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>> I am thinking of going to lro show in sep can anyone tell me if they have
>>> the same problems there and how many weeks do I have to take of work to
> get
>>> a good pitch?
>>
>> The East of England Showground (venue for the LRO Show) is well set
>> out and certainly has a better - less cluttered feel to it. Club
>> stands tend to be somewhat cramped - for no apparent or logical
>> reason, though.
>>
>> Provided the weather is fine (which should be the case as 'Summer'
>> seems to be slipping back later each year) it'll be a good show.
>>
>> The organisers are now well onto security after their experiences at
>> Driffield, so I reckon it'll feel a lot safer than Billing.
>>
>
> My favourite bit about the East of England Showground is that it is less
> than 10 miles away from me!! Get in on the club stand, evening
> entertainment, taxi home if I want, nice warm bed, clean shower, clean
> toilets...

We could easily just visit for the day, being in Leicester, but we've camped
before and will be again this year. The showers and toilets where we've
been camped both times have been pretty clean, and luckily not too far away.
They could just do with some big signs which can direct you to Tesco as I've
got myself lost at least once each time we've been. Wouldn't dream of
camping at Billing for various reasons, the one at the top of the list is
the overcrowding. Have also camped at Eastnor, which was nice, provided you
don't want to use the toilets and showers which were vile.
>
> Havong said that, what do I still do each year at the LRO Show???? Camp,
> its much more fun, and the atmosphere is steadily improving too!
>
> --
> Simon Isaacs
>


--
Nikki

1990 Discovery V8i
1985 Range Rover V8
1975 88" Series III 2.25 petrol
1979 Series III Lightweight 2.25 petrol

AN6530 wrote:

> Another show gone. Ok, improvents to the entrance / exit arrangements
> which have alleviated the traffic queues of old but I still can't help
> wondering how much longer the venue and its facilities can cope with the
> number of campers and day visitors

I'd agree that the site can't cope - it's simply not big enough. I dread
what would happen if there was a fire in the part we camped in - there
wasn't a route round the perimeter due to some not so bright people
thinking it was a good space to stop. So, lots of caravans, tents,
vehicles, children, ONE route in/out, people approx. twice as close as fire
regulations min. - it's not just dangerous, it's really stupid.

> ....and to the obvious influx of the
> light fingered brigade.

Billing itself isn't a particularly nice neighbourhood I must say - I left
the wife for 10 minutes at the shopping centre down the road and a local
pimp started hitting on her. I would imagine most of this light fingered
brigade is local - another reason to move away.

Regards

William MacLeod

My first time at billing we arrived at 5:30pm on thurs and told find a
pitch.
After an hours driving around ended up pitching our tent next to the go
carts it was either that or on the roadside next to the train tracks.Having
kids neither was a safe place to camp.There was idiots speeding around the
road on the nights one mistake and if they ploughed into the lines of tents
on the roadside who knows!!!
Security!!! on the nights being near the funfair we had groups of p*ssed up
local teenagers running around jumping onto tents
groups dossed in the ladies toilets(not nice for my wife and daughter etc
and no security at this part of the campsite at all.
A bit further down the road from us on Sunday police were taking statements
I think someone caught somebody nicking their landrover or bits of it..
Being an easy going person I can tolerate this but not nice for families ,
elderly etc..

Apart from that I had a bloody good time!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And was well chuffed my series 3 did the 300miles round journey without a
hitch.

I am thinking of going to lro show in sep can anyone tell me if they have
the same problems there and how many weeks do I have to take of work to get
a good pitch?

Adrian Ford

"William MacLeod" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> AN6530 wrote:
>
> > Another show gone. Ok, improvents to the entrance / exit arrangements
> > which have alleviated the traffic queues of old but I still can't help
> > wondering how much longer the venue and its facilities can cope with the
> > number of campers and day visitors
>
> I'd agree that the site can't cope - it's simply not big enough. I dread
> what would happen if there was a fire in the part we camped in - there
> wasn't a route round the perimeter due to some not so bright people
> thinking it was a good space to stop. So, lots of caravans, tents,
> vehicles, children, ONE route in/out, people approx. twice as close as
fire
> regulations min. - it's not just dangerous, it's really stupid.
>
> > ....and to the obvious influx of the
> > light fingered brigade.
>
> Billing itself isn't a particularly nice neighbourhood I must say - I left
> the wife for 10 minutes at the shopping centre down the road and a local
> pimp started hitting on her. I would imagine most of this light fingered
> brigade is local - another reason to move away.
>
> Regards
>
> William MacLeod

On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 00:52:31 +0100, "Adrian Ford"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>I am thinking of going to lro show in sep can anyone tell me if they have
>the same problems there and how many weeks do I have to take of work to get
>a good pitch?

The East of England Showground (venue for the LRO Show) is well set
out and certainly has a better - less cluttered feel to it. Club
stands tend to be somewhat cramped - for no apparent or logical
reason, though.

Provided the weather is fine (which should be the case as 'Summer'
seems to be slipping back later each year) it'll be a good show.

The organisers are now well onto security after their experiences at
Driffield, so I reckon it'll feel a lot safer than Billing.


--
Some Land Roveresque (101 biased), links available
from: http://links.solis.co.uk/Geek/X4_Land_Rover/
I also have a little Land Rover site biased toward
my beloved 101 "Grumble", at: http://www.101fc.net


Reading this in 'alt.fan.landrover'? Did you know
there's a group FAQ: http://www.aflfaq.dyndns.info

>Subject: LRO Peterborough, Was: Is Billing Aquadrome etc
>From: Mother "@{mother} @"@101fc.net
>Date: 22/07/2004 09:49 GMT

<snip>The organisers are now well onto security after their experiences at
>Driffield, so I reckon it'll feel a lot safer than Billing.
>

I agree with that Martyn. The showground certainly lends itself to better
security and I've never seen the same number of, what to call them. 'oiks'
there as Billing seems to increasingly be attracting these days. What I don't
like about the LRO show is that the arena is so bloody big!


Steve. Suffolk.
remove 'knujon' to e-mail

"Mother" <"@ {mother} @"@101fc.net> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 00:52:31 +0100, "Adrian Ford"
> <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> >I am thinking of going to lro show in sep can anyone tell me if they have
> >the same problems there and how many weeks do I have to take of work to
get
> >a good pitch?
>
> The East of England Showground (venue for the LRO Show) is well set
> out and certainly has a better - less cluttered feel to it. Club
> stands tend to be somewhat cramped - for no apparent or logical
> reason, though.
>
> Provided the weather is fine (which should be the case as 'Summer'
> seems to be slipping back later each year) it'll be a good show.
>
> The organisers are now well onto security after their experiences at
> Driffield, so I reckon it'll feel a lot safer than Billing.
>

My favourite bit about the East of England Showground is that it is less
than 10 miles away from me!! Get in on the club stand, evening
entertainment, taxi home if I want, nice warm bed, clean shower, clean
toilets...

Havong said that, what do I still do each year at the LRO Show???? Camp,
its much more fun, and the atmosphere is steadily improving too!

--
Simon Isaacs

Peterborough 4x4 Club Vice Chairman, Newsletter Editor and Webmaster (how
much more....)
3.5V8 100" Hybrid, now LPG converted
Part owner of 1976 S3 LWT, currently under restoration
Suzuki SJ410 (Girlfriend's) 3" lift kit fitted, body
shell now restored and mounted on chassis, waiting on a windscreen and MOT
Series 3 88" Rolling chassis...what to do next
1993 200 TDi Discovery (the Pug 106 is dead, long live the Pug)

Peterborough 4x4 Club http://www.peterborough4x4.co.uk

in article [email protected], Simon Isaacs at [email protected]
wrote on 22/7/04 8:44 pm:

> "Mother" <"@ {mother} @"@101fc.net> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> On Thu, 22 Jul 2004 00:52:31 +0100, "Adrian Ford"
>> <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>>> I am thinking of going to lro show in sep can anyone tell me if they have
>>> the same problems there and how many weeks do I have to take of work to
> get
>>> a good pitch?
>>
>> The East of England Showground (venue for the LRO Show) is well set
>> out and certainly has a better - less cluttered feel to it. Club
>> stands tend to be somewhat cramped - for no apparent or logical
>> reason, though.
>>
>> Provided the weather is fine (which should be the case as 'Summer'
>> seems to be slipping back later each year) it'll be a good show.
>>
>> The organisers are now well onto security after their experiences at
>> Driffield, so I reckon it'll feel a lot safer than Billing.
>>
>
> My favourite bit about the East of England Showground is that it is less
> than 10 miles away from me!! Get in on the club stand, evening
> entertainment, taxi home if I want, nice warm bed, clean shower, clean
> toilets...

We could easily just visit for the day, being in Leicester, but we've camped
before and will be again this year. The showers and toilets where we've
been camped both times have been pretty clean, and luckily not too far away.
They could just do with some big signs which can direct you to Tesco as I've
got myself lost at least once each time we've been. Wouldn't dream of
camping at Billing for various reasons, the one at the top of the list is
the overcrowding. Have also camped at Eastnor, which was nice, provided you
don't want to use the toilets and showers which were vile.
>
> Havong said that, what do I still do each year at the LRO Show???? Camp,
> its much more fun, and the atmosphere is steadily improving too!
>
> --
> Simon Isaacs
>


--
Nikki

1990 Discovery V8i
1985 Range Rover V8
1975 88" Series III 2.25 petrol
1979 Series III Lightweight 2.25 petrol