HAMM , the view from an exhibition contractor - PLEASE READ

[chris_walton]

sorry i didnt know what word to choose to make my example work

sorry again tell him i will explain when hes older lol

[yakface77]

Originally Posted by chris_walton

sorry i didnt know what word to choose to make my example work

sorry again tell him i will explain when hes older lol

im sure in a year or so on a trip to the zoo, i can point you out to him and introduce you as the guy who used the phrase of 'all SW members are wa#*ers ' as an example.

[Pies]

Originally Posted by chris_walton

ok i get what your saying but does this still apply to a big room full of tables and the odd fancy stall every now and again

While it would be true to say that the venue, judging by your pictures, is no match to even a small exhibition centre such as Alexandra Palace or the Birmingham ICC, these small shows, often held in civic or leisure centres, marquees etc. bring their own particular problems. Mainly access. Unsuitable parking & loading/unloading areas combined with restricted access to the hall/s make the build & break longer and more chaotic than a larger venue built or permanently adapted for the purpose. I have been on shows at the likes of York & Torquay Leisure centres and Nottingham University. Such venues host exhibitions only now & again, therefore, they do not set themselves up for the purpose.

I did notice the trestle tables in your photos, but my post was centred on the build/break aspect. Since you mention it, however, this is another point of concern. I can’t see much of the actual stand fittings (or should I stalls, since this has more the appearance of a market)) in your pictures, but what I can see are a lot of trestle tables and what appears to be planks of wood across a couple of boxes with a lot of people milling all around them. Some of these tables appear to be quite well loaded. Trestle tables and the other make-shift affairs being employed here are very unstable and susceptible to toppling under such conditions. In my position, I have to work closely with Health & Safety officers. A pain in the proverbial they may well be at times, but the fact is, they are invariably right. I can tell you categorically, that any H & S officer seeing the layout of that hall and the precarious nature of the stalls would not allow the show to open to the public.

As I say, H & S can be a pain, but it is those officers and the UK’s adherence to EU regulations that have reduced damage, injury & death on UK events to among the lowest in the world. Unfortunately, other EU countries are very lax in their H & S standards. This is why I get a great number of German, French, Spanish (in particular) ect stand fitters and exhibitors asking me why I won’t allow a fork truck operator to lift a man on the bear forks to put something up. A practice which in the past saw a number of serious injuries and fatalities and would result in me, the fork truck operator and the man on the fork blades being thrown out of the hall and probably I would be barred indefinitely from the venue. OK, this is at the top end of H & S concerns and would not apply in this instance, but it shows that some other EU members openly flout H & S regulations (and expect to carry on in the same manner when in the UK) to the extent of putting human life at risk. What risk, then, are they prepared to take with a mere reptile?

As for those who are saying ‘you can only find out about the conditions by going to see it firsthand’ or words to that effect, the point I am trying to make is that YOU CAN’T. You will not see the build-up or the break-down. The parts of the show that only somebody like an exhibition contractor can see.

[Pies]

I have just read the TGP report on this show. It appears that the conditions while the show was on were appalling with scant regard for the unfortunate creatures there.

I can see no reason to doubt the integrity of the TGP report whatsoever.

I am stunned & shocked to think that a member of this forum did not notice the poor atmospheric conditions (as I said is usual in my original post) and other issues which the TGP report has highlighted and walk out of the show in protest.

[chris_walton]

whos walked out in protest

[Pies]

Originally Posted by chris_walton

whos walked out in protest

Edited my post to make myself clearer.

[sarah]

Originally Posted by Pies

I have just read the TGP report on this show. It appears that the conditions while the show was on were appalling with scant regard for the unfortunate creatures there.

I can see no reason to doubt the integrity of the TGP report whatsoever.

I am stunned & shocked to think that a member of this forum did not notice the poor atmospheric conditions (as I said is usual in my original post) and other issues which the TGP report has highlighted and walk out of the show in protest.

Where you there?
How can you believe something that was written without being there yourself?

I jumped off a bridge this morning do you believe me

Not saying chris is right or the TPG i was not there so i cannot comment, but listen to both sides. I know Chris very well and know he woudl not lie.

[chris_walton]

so are you saying that someone from the tpg walked out in protest

[Pussygalore]

whether the TPG are exagerating or telling the truth the fact is that a few months back the TT showed photos of a zoo and its tort housing everyone on here accepted those photos as facts and jumped up against the zoo, none of us went there to verify it, that is just one incident of many I saw the photos of Hamm as did other members and some of us saw torts in small containers covered in plastic I didn't need to be there to see that what the other members saw is up to them but if we get up in arms about torts in a zoo or even being hibernated in a fridge remember that not so long ago why has this suddenly changed, have another look at the photos what do you see if not the same as me, to me its just because Chris went there and Chris said it was ok had it been someone else I don't think the reaction would have been the same, if no one from here had gone and we'd read this report from the TPG or the TT wouldn't we then have thought " oh my god isn't that horrible " its one rule for some and one for others or as I said before if your face fits and you don't argue.

[leggy]

I have to say i am stunned to think forum members think its ok for animals to be sold in this way. I looked at the pics of torts in tubs and felt sick My tort room is around 30 but my torts arnt in tubs thay dont have the stress of a hard jurney then 1000s of people and noise. And no i have not been as i dont wont to support it.