Billing problems

JUST COPEYED THIS FROM FFOC//// Many Land Rover fans, and I include myself amongst them, have enjoyed great times at the Billing Land Rover show. It has been a charming venue and many of us have taken away some wonderful memories.

But the Aquadrome has gone downhill and is continuing to do so at a rapid rate. The ground hasn't been maintained for years. Crime - committed by outsiders - is a major concern on the camping fields. The infrastructure and facilities are shabby and broken.

When LRM took over the show in 2007, we were promised by the new billing management that major improvements would be put in place to ensure everyone's safety and movement. Unfortunately none of those promises have come to fruition.

To evaluate everyone's point of view we commissioned a market research company to undertake an investigation last year amongst Land Rover traders, campers and visitors to the show.

The results of this survey revealed a high degree of dissatisfaction among traders, campers and visitors alike with the suitability of Billing Aquadrome as an appropriate site for the major Land Rover show of the year. It's true that there's an affection and sentimentality in many peoples minds for 'billing' but, overwhelmingly, the venue is shown to lack what visitors want in one degree or another - the issues of theft of equipment and vehicles, violence and intimidation from outsiders, stinking toilets, unmaintained roads and grounds and uncontrolled access to the site all combine to rob Billing of the charm it once enjoyed.

There were a number of health and safety issues which also cause great concern. Last year a caravan caught fire and it was only the quick reactions of LRM staff who pulled the burning unit out, that saved a major accident - the crowded nature of billing makes this a real issue. A very young child fell into one of the many deep and fast flowing waterways that criss-cross the Aquadrome, but was fortunately rescued by a passerby. The bank cash machine at the Aquadrome entrance was ram-raided the day before the show began.

As organisers of the show, we believe it is just too risky to hold another Land Rover show at the Aquadrome. Without the necessary support that we sought from Billing management we cannot guarantee to traders that the ground in the show area will be in a usable condition in July; we can't reassure campers that they are in an environment that is reasonable secure and safe; we can't even assure day visitors that there will be anywhere to park when the Aquadrome begins to develop the site around the marina - construction will be in full swing in July and will severely affect vehicle movements in this already overcrowded site.

I don't own a Land Rover, thanks though.

I don't own a Land Rover, thanks though.

I hope you have a good time if the supra club has a event there .Dont know why I bother with nobs like you

Thats not very nice is it !

I hope you have a good time if the supra club has a event there .Dont know why I bother with nobs like you

I don't know why you do either.

*handbags*

ffs - he was only passing information about a show venue that most of us all know about.

*handbags*

 

ffs - he was only passing information about a show venue that most of us all know about.

Yes, and I did thank him for posting it.

Anyone else find it funny that a Landrover show can't cope with slightly uneven grass and a few bumpy roads?

Interesting info all the same, sounds like a lot of the problems are related to the people they let on site or criminals in the local area rather than the place itself - something that's bound to happen these days sadly, it must be an absolute honey pot for crims, all those unattented tents, caravans, bags, cars etc. Sadly it's not 1956, you can't leave your front door unlocked.

There were always a few bad eggs when JAE was on at Billing but there seemed to be a lot more trouble in Peterborough when it moved there.

Billing clearly need to address some of the issues raised but the rest sound like a problem with society, not something that's easy to fix without a nice selective scum cull. As for the child falling into the water... where were the parents?