| Up bright and early Saturday morning and Clive and I were on our way back through Birmingham to the show. We arrived at 8.40am to be confronted by a mass queue waiting to get in and that was just the car park! When we got to the hall you could feel the excitement from the buzz that was going round. Once again at 9.30am the doors opened, or should I say the flood gates, and everyone poured in. Our Grant was also putting in an appearance on the Milo stand along with Steve Gardner and Simon Wilsmore and before long Grant was up to his old tricks breaking a section of pole on the F1 in pole alley!
Grant and the Milo team
" Wasn't me honest Simon" he was heard to say, " just snapped when I picked it up, honest!" and to be fair it was a clean break so the pole was put away as they did not carry a spare section. It is also fair to say that a number of other poles were heard to break in pole alley over the three days with a rush from the crowd when it did to see which pole it was!
Anyway once again the matchbox stand proved very popular with what seemed like hundreds of people trying to get inside to view the goods. Jim was attracting the crowds doing his 'not five bob, not four bob' market stall routine displaying the new staker system to the public which again was proving to be a real attraction. Before long I had a sore throat, once again talking to who ever would listen, but so did the rest of the team. The day drew to a close and it was time to put those wary feet up, ready for the next day. Not before the printer was red hot churning out more leaflets.
Sunday morning saw me travelling there on my own as Clive had other commitments. I had been told that Sunday was to be the busier day of the event with people being crammed to the rafters. So I decided to get there a little earlier to beat the queuing traffic, so to say I was surprised when I got there at 8.20am to find the car parks near deserted was an understatement. When I got to the hall there wasn't a visitor in sight. Nine thirty came and the doors opened and a few people trickled in but no mad rush as was expected, but before long people started to arrive and once again we were very busy but as Friday, come 2.30pm things started to slow and the last few hours saw the hall emptying, to the extent that a lot of stalls were beginning to pack away their wares ready for a well earned rest.
Sunday afternoon
During this time I was able to have a look round myself and here are some of the sites I saw.
  
Whose this lot then?
Andy 'Fin' Findlay and the Korum lads, Big Barry Gannon on the Trabbucco stand And Ian Heaps, a man who knows his stuff.
Overall I had a very enjoyable time, meeting people and the like, especially anglers who are readers of Talkangling who came to introduce themselves. Saturday was undoubtedly the busiest day in my opinion, and to those of you that may go next year the Friday or Sunday would be my choice of days, believe me you will get to see more.
Gary
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