Monday 26 October 2009

Lincoln Toyfair

The 25th saw us back at the Lincoln showground at last, after the previous fair there was cancelled. Now that we are in the main hall after the demolition of the side rooms it all seems so cramped and hectic.

We now know why we preferred the side rooms!! Still even though the customers struggled to get by one another we did have a reasonable day. Even managed to pick up some bargains along the way.

Between Time Was... and PJ Gifts the tables had a distinct halloween theme with regards to the fairies and fantasy figures that were on show, even some Hammer House Horror cufflinks that PJ Gifts displayed. There was an abundance of witches, vampires, skulls, gothic figures and fairies.

Pity then after all the effort to set the theme that it was the toys that had the most success. You couldn't guess what lengths we went to to get some pot halloween pumpkins!!! Still we have them for next year. Well you can't win them all.

Next Sunday it's a double-header, somehow Time Was... is splitting in two, with a toyfair at Doncaster, one of our favourites, and then there is the return of the Star Wars Day in Norwich. Should be a gud'un.

Monday 12 October 2009

Technology how did we use to cope?

Sunday the 11th saw Time Was... at one of our favourite haunts, the Wood Green Animal Shelter at Huntingdon for a JJ Webb Toyfair. This time we were on our own, since PJ Gifts were strutting their stuff at Arnold Hill School Craft Fair. It was a good job as we seemed to be more tightly packed in behind the tables than usual. But on the down-side we couldn't go and have our usual wander around the Shelter. Didn't stop the wandering within the hall though.

Despite this we started off well and the Fairies seemed to wing their way out of the hall quickly, but then Technology let us down. The Credit Card machine decided it couldn't find that satellite up in the sky and our biggest sale of the day was in jeopardy. Many attempts were made to find that satellite, even going outside didn't help. Maybe climbing to the top of the wind turbine would have got us closer to the staelitte. But then someone had a master stroke, why not do the processing later at home. So details were taken and phone numbers exchanged. But ooops the phone number was wrong, then Sherlock came to the rescue and noticed one too many 7's. It was a close run thing technology had conspired against us but after a quick phone call it all turned out ok in the end.

Just as well since unfortunately it looked like there were less folks about and even less willing to part with their hard earned cash. At the end of the day we had broken even, which was nice and came as a pleasant surprise.

Let's hope the run up to Christmas is better.

Wednesday 7 October 2009

Old Glory World Wargames 2009

The weekend of the 3rd and 4th saw Time Was... at the Old Glory World Wargames event held at Derby University. Just a hop down the Brian Clough Way between Nottingham and Derby.

It was a very successful two-day event. There were plenty of demonstration games, participation games as well as the competition games. From medieval to WWI and WWII, not too mention the Napoleonic to the film orientated games such as Ghostbusters-UK. But it wasn't just about the games there were also plenty of traders to take care of all these different types of wargamer.

The event was very well managed by Derby Wargames Associates. From our vantage point in the Atrium building we could look down on many of the games, especially the Raid on St. Nazaire hosted by the Leeds Wargmes Club. A very impressive layout, though not much gaming but plenty of talking by the folks from Leeds.

Luckily no other traders seemed to stock some of the items we had and so over the two days we were kept busy by a steady stream of buyers.

If you get the chance to go to next years event then make a dash for Time Was... as hopefully again we'll have the 'unique' stock.