The 8th of August saw Time Was... on the road very early in the morning for a journey down to Norwich Rugby Club for the annual Wroxham & Hoveton Lions Club Motor Show. This year it had a sci-fi theme with Daleks, Judoon and Weeping Angels mixing it with new cars, classic cars and bikes, live music and other attractions.
The day started very well in Lincolnshire with bright blue skies but as we neared Norwich the clouds turned a distinctive grey colour, and the wind picked up. All we needed for an outdoor event. But we managed to get the gazebo up and our stall sorted out with the hint of heavy rain in the air. And that's how it stayed at the start of the event but as the day drew on the Sun came out to such an extent that we are now the owners of red faces and arms, pity we forgot the suncream. Despite the arrival of the Sun, unfortunately the wind didn't die down and we were on tenterhooks all day as to whether our stock would literally fly off the shelves.
The wind had the best chance of shifting the stock as not too many folks were out to buy things, despite being able to pick up bargains like a convertable Peugeot for a mere £29 000. We did sell a few things but on the whole we didn't do too well.
Despite this it looks like the Lions club did raise a good sum of money for their charities including 'Help for Heroes'. A very well organised event that was enjoyable, though the band could do with a change of tempo every now and again, and was an excellent family day out.
Monday, 9 August 2010
Monday, 26 July 2010
Thrifty Yorkshire Folks
Time Was... spent the day, Sunday 25th, at Doncaster Racecourse for another toyfair organised by Mike of MB Toyfairs.
In what turned out to be a very good day for us, in these recession hit times, I still say recession as the folks who came through the door were still a wee bit canny with their money. Thrifty to say the least. But despite that some old favourites sold very well, Gerry Anderson, Fantasy Figures and of course Doctor Who.
Pity about the Star Trek items we had. We actually bought more Star Trek than we sold, well ok no sales isn't difficult to beat. But we have a Star Trek event coming up in October in Manchester so they will come in handy.
If you do make it to Doncaster Racecourse for a toy fair or that other thing they do there, I think it's race horses for some strange reason, have a bacon and egg butty, well worth it for an empty stomach. But don't buy one until you've been to our stall as we have plenty of bargains from the world of Sci-Fi & Fantasy.
In what turned out to be a very good day for us, in these recession hit times, I still say recession as the folks who came through the door were still a wee bit canny with their money. Thrifty to say the least. But despite that some old favourites sold very well, Gerry Anderson, Fantasy Figures and of course Doctor Who.
Pity about the Star Trek items we had. We actually bought more Star Trek than we sold, well ok no sales isn't difficult to beat. But we have a Star Trek event coming up in October in Manchester so they will come in handy.
If you do make it to Doncaster Racecourse for a toy fair or that other thing they do there, I think it's race horses for some strange reason, have a bacon and egg butty, well worth it for an empty stomach. But don't buy one until you've been to our stall as we have plenty of bargains from the world of Sci-Fi & Fantasy.
Monday, 19 July 2010
Lincoln Toyfair
Sunday the 18th took Time Was... to Lincoln Toyfair organised by J & J Webb Toyfairs. A slightly overcast day with a steady drizzle not just of rain but customers as well. Surprisingly quite a few regular traders were missing, but more importantly quite a few customers were missing, but then again some of the schools have broken up, maybe some folks had flown off to the sunnier climes of Skegness.
Despite the new range of Doctor Who figures (also available at Time Was... The Buttermarket, Newark, Notts) catching the eye of folks, especially the Eleven Doctor Set, no-one decided to part with their hard-earned cash on them, but instead took a few of the older figures as well as some stalwarts from the world of Star Trek & Captain Scarlet. It was the Corgi models that sold, perhaps because Corgi no longer make them.
The fairy & fantasy figures also had a fair day, but with some of our regular customers missing it was good to see that they still sold ok.
Despite everything we had a fairly decent day, just a few sales shy of a good day and even more sales shy of an excellent day. But onwards and upwards its Doncaster Toyfair on the 25th. Hopefully we'll see you there.
Despite the new range of Doctor Who figures (also available at Time Was... The Buttermarket, Newark, Notts) catching the eye of folks, especially the Eleven Doctor Set, no-one decided to part with their hard-earned cash on them, but instead took a few of the older figures as well as some stalwarts from the world of Star Trek & Captain Scarlet. It was the Corgi models that sold, perhaps because Corgi no longer make them.
The fairy & fantasy figures also had a fair day, but with some of our regular customers missing it was good to see that they still sold ok.
Despite everything we had a fairly decent day, just a few sales shy of a good day and even more sales shy of an excellent day. But onwards and upwards its Doncaster Toyfair on the 25th. Hopefully we'll see you there.
Monday, 28 June 2010
England lost!!
All of Saturday & Sunday of the 26th, 27th Time Was... was at TrekFest II at the National Space Centre in Leicester. Although we made some money it was a relatively quiet affair, despite the best intentions of the crew of the Enterprise D, various Klingons and an Andorian. Even the Batlaath Training was a quiet affair, not very loud these Klingons!
Two things went against the event, first was the weather. The Space Centre, if you haven't been, is a bad weather venue. It's expensive to get in, but well worth it once you're inside. But you need to spend many hours to see all the exhibits, ideal when it's raining, not when it's a glorious day like we had on Saturday. So needless to say it wasn't heaving with Federation operatives.
Then of course there was Sunday. Another gloriously hot day, but also the England - Germany match in the afternoon. England couldn't even get it right to avoid Germany in the quarter finals, but why watch when you know we can't beat Germany, so needless to say the Space Centre was almost empty the entire day. Ideal if you don't like football and want to spend a lazy time wandering around the exhibits and not having to push your way past screaming kids.
Thanks to a couple of Klingons though we did sell some things on the Sunday and we even won on the raffle, though possibly we were the only ticket holders.
A shame really when TrekFest II was all for charity and the location donated by the Space Centre.
Still there is always TrekFest III.
All together now... 'there's Klingons on the Starboard bow, Starboard bow...'
Ok perhaps you don't remember the Firm!
Two things went against the event, first was the weather. The Space Centre, if you haven't been, is a bad weather venue. It's expensive to get in, but well worth it once you're inside. But you need to spend many hours to see all the exhibits, ideal when it's raining, not when it's a glorious day like we had on Saturday. So needless to say it wasn't heaving with Federation operatives.
Then of course there was Sunday. Another gloriously hot day, but also the England - Germany match in the afternoon. England couldn't even get it right to avoid Germany in the quarter finals, but why watch when you know we can't beat Germany, so needless to say the Space Centre was almost empty the entire day. Ideal if you don't like football and want to spend a lazy time wandering around the exhibits and not having to push your way past screaming kids.
Thanks to a couple of Klingons though we did sell some things on the Sunday and we even won on the raffle, though possibly we were the only ticket holders.
A shame really when TrekFest II was all for charity and the location donated by the Space Centre.
Still there is always TrekFest III.
All together now... 'there's Klingons on the Starboard bow, Starboard bow...'
Ok perhaps you don't remember the Firm!
Monday, 21 June 2010
Huntingdon Toyfair
On the eve of the summer solstice, and the longest day, and as we couldn't get to Stonehenge because of the Druids, revellers and not to mention the Pandorica, Time Was... went to the Wood Green Animal Centre at Huntingdon for another Toyfair there. It was almost the same. Plenty of weird folks and that was just the traders. Some of the young ones who came looking for Doctor Who toys seemed excited about the final episode and wondered how the Doctor would escape the Pandorica, and poor Amy!! Best watch Saturday then!
The toyfair started off so well but then soon petered out but at least we hit our modest target. It's amazing that old, but unused, diecast cars won't sell in their boxes at a modest £0.99, but take them out and they just go. But we spent more than usual as we also sourced some items for our next forage into the world of Star Trek and Trekfest II at the National Space Centre in Leicester, on the 26th and 27th of June.
If you want to see Borg, Romulans and not to mention Klingons on the Starboard bow, then come along to Trekfest II and have a day out or two. It's life Jim but not as we know it.
Beam me up, Scotty.
The toyfair started off so well but then soon petered out but at least we hit our modest target. It's amazing that old, but unused, diecast cars won't sell in their boxes at a modest £0.99, but take them out and they just go. But we spent more than usual as we also sourced some items for our next forage into the world of Star Trek and Trekfest II at the National Space Centre in Leicester, on the 26th and 27th of June.
If you want to see Borg, Romulans and not to mention Klingons on the Starboard bow, then come along to Trekfest II and have a day out or two. It's life Jim but not as we know it.
Beam me up, Scotty.
Monday, 14 June 2010
It was Pudsey.. but not
It was Pudsey... but not Children In Need Pudsey last Sunday, 13th. The first occasion that Time Was... had ventured to the Civic Hall for a Toyfair, though we were there for Recon 2009 and will again be at the Civic Hall for Recon 2010.
Despite following the Googled directions, no Sat Nav's for us, we managed to miss the turning in Leeds and had to do a circuit of the City to get back to the M621 so we could retrace our steps. So the day didn't start well, and it started at the unusual hour of 5 a.m. and then the day got progressively worse.
We had a 'lovely' selection of fairies and witches, together with a substantial selection of Doctor Who and other Sci-Fi shows. Everything brand new and in pristine condition. Well we didn't get a look in, or even a look at, as the good folk of Pudsey just wandered straight by us. Most of what was selling in the Hall was old playworn toys. The punters of Pudsey had long deep and somewhat empty pockets. Where were all the Doctor Who fans???? Or isn't BBC1 on the TV's of Pudsey?
By 2 p.m. we hadn't even taken the cost of the table and our sandwiches and cakes were all gone, so we couldn't afford to buy anymore.
On the way home we had to endure torrential rain at times only to find that in our neck of the woods it had been a beautiful sunny day. That sort of put the icing on a very disappointing day. Perhaps it was because it was the 13th, or the lack of Magpies on the journey up, or even the ladder that we walked under in the Civic Hall. Not really, just looking for excuses. We hadn't taken the right goods.
But are we downhearted? Well yes!
Despite following the Googled directions, no Sat Nav's for us, we managed to miss the turning in Leeds and had to do a circuit of the City to get back to the M621 so we could retrace our steps. So the day didn't start well, and it started at the unusual hour of 5 a.m. and then the day got progressively worse.
We had a 'lovely' selection of fairies and witches, together with a substantial selection of Doctor Who and other Sci-Fi shows. Everything brand new and in pristine condition. Well we didn't get a look in, or even a look at, as the good folk of Pudsey just wandered straight by us. Most of what was selling in the Hall was old playworn toys. The punters of Pudsey had long deep and somewhat empty pockets. Where were all the Doctor Who fans???? Or isn't BBC1 on the TV's of Pudsey?
By 2 p.m. we hadn't even taken the cost of the table and our sandwiches and cakes were all gone, so we couldn't afford to buy anymore.
On the way home we had to endure torrential rain at times only to find that in our neck of the woods it had been a beautiful sunny day. That sort of put the icing on a very disappointing day. Perhaps it was because it was the 13th, or the lack of Magpies on the journey up, or even the ladder that we walked under in the Civic Hall. Not really, just looking for excuses. We hadn't taken the right goods.
But are we downhearted? Well yes!
Monday, 7 June 2010
D-Day 6th June - Spalding
With all the military precision of Operation Overlord Time Was returned to the wilds of Spalding and the Springfields Centre for another Toyfair. Unfortunately troop numbers were down as there was a second major front opening at the NEC, so Spalding turned out to be just divertionary tactics. Those tactics as organised by Field-Marshall Webb didn't quite pay off, not only were dealer numbers down, as some had switched to the NEC, but also buyers were down.
A very disappointing return was made on the Toy Front, but the Fantasy figures kept their end up so to speak. So although Time Was could have had a very bad day, a rally by the troops at the end saved the day.
Maybe the weather didn't help, it started off hot and sunny, but as the day wore on and stragglers found themselves marching towards the centre the heavens opened with a vengance. Torrential rain, thunder & lightning the whole lot for about 45 minutes kept those who were inside in, and those outside never to get anywhere near. Even the smokers stayed indoors and let their nervous tics get the better of them, except the real hardy ones who crouched by the open doors.
Never in the field of toyfairs has so little been spent by so few on toys to Time Was. God Bless the fairies.
Next stop on the advance is a new toyfair for Time Was at Pudsey on the 13th, lets hope it isn't unlucky for some!
A very disappointing return was made on the Toy Front, but the Fantasy figures kept their end up so to speak. So although Time Was could have had a very bad day, a rally by the troops at the end saved the day.
Maybe the weather didn't help, it started off hot and sunny, but as the day wore on and stragglers found themselves marching towards the centre the heavens opened with a vengance. Torrential rain, thunder & lightning the whole lot for about 45 minutes kept those who were inside in, and those outside never to get anywhere near. Even the smokers stayed indoors and let their nervous tics get the better of them, except the real hardy ones who crouched by the open doors.
Never in the field of toyfairs has so little been spent by so few on toys to Time Was. God Bless the fairies.
Next stop on the advance is a new toyfair for Time Was at Pudsey on the 13th, lets hope it isn't unlucky for some!
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