F A Cup

Last Sunday saw Kettering FC take on the mighty Leeds United at home in the FA Cup 2nd round and if that wasn't enough it was live on TV, so if you couldn't get to the ground then it was available from the comfort of your warm, dry armchair. I take it a lot of folks did, as we had the misfortune to be at Kettering Toyfair that day, which although it was populated by a large number of dealers, the same couldn't be said for collectors. It was unfortunately a very wet set up and break down, whatever happened in between I couldn't say as there were no windows. It was also very cold in the Arena Sports Hall. All-in-all it was a very bad miserable day for Time Was...

Luckily though we were also at the Sleaford Christmas Market which proved to be a much better place and only three miles up the road. A steady trade in gifts and fantasy figures helped make a healthy profit. It may not have been as good as last years, something called a recession might have something to do with that, but it was far better than Kettering Toyfair.

Memorabilia - A tale of two halves

Last weekend Time Was... was at the Autumn Memorabilia show at the NEC. A somewhat damp affair since the NEC leaked a bit, must be its creaking age, a few drops onto our stall, more onto the stall next to us but a downpour on the one next to that. So much so that they just picked up their stall and moved lock, stock and barrel elsewhere in the hall.

Apart from that Saturday was an excellent day, one of the best that we have had there. Definitely a day for the collectors, a day that saw us sell some of our older, harder to find, stock. It was so busy that there wasn't time to wander.

But even by the end of the day we were a bit tired of the 'film promotions' just opposite ourselves, a continual loop of five film trailers. Though Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief did look good.

Sunday was different altogether, it is though traditionally family day. So loads of kiddies about but not much buying. Maybe due to the cost of getting a family of four in, parking at £8 plus travelling expenses, it's not a cheap day out to start with, and then we expect them to buy collectables.

Anyway we did a fair bit, nothing compared to Saturday. The highlight of the day was an argument with the film folks as some inconsiderate young boss decided she was going to turn the volume up to full blast. This meant we couldn't hear our customers. After a request to turn it down was made by ourselves, our neighbour also went for it like a bull to a red rag.

Ohh and we did manage to wander and see some of the celebrities doing their signing bit. They are getting a bit ancient, maybe Memorabilia need to get a younger set. There is only so many times the same Bond girls can turn up. But there was Tom Felton, 'Draco Malfoy' from the Harry Potter films, to bring the average age down and he was a bit of a pull.

All in all though not a bad weekend, and for once a successful pack up and load of the car despite the NEC traffic management meant we were out of there by 5:30.

Spalding Toyfair

After a disappointing weekend last week with the double-header at Norwich and Doncaster not quite going according to plan, it was good to be back to winning ways at one of our favourites, Spalding Toyfair.

Perhaps we should actually thank Captain James Tiberius Kirk and his comrades as the Trekkies were out in force. Barely had the USS Voyager and Kazon fighter warped into Time Was... as they warped straight back out again, quickly followed by the Klingons and Kirk in his USS Enterprise.

There was also a good sprinkling of fairy dust on the good folks of Spalding as these too fluttered gently into their shopping bags.

The Toyfair was as usual well organised by JJ Webb and well supported at the Springfield Centre by both traders and buyers.

Next stop one of the big-ones!! Memorabilia at the NEC in a fortnight.