“Surprise of the year” is how I would describe the turnout and the events of the 2013 Movers and Storer’s Show at Silverstone raceway. Chris and myself were looking forward to attending this show, not at least because it was at Silverstone raceway which has been, and continues to be, the heart of Formula 1 in the UK.
We arrived on Monday and proceeded to setup our stand (see photos below). While we were doing this, the locals were having a track day where they could bring their own cars to the track and give them the once around. I have to say this proved very distracting and Chris and I spent a good deal of time watching these cars go around the track. The only mishap I saw was a Renault getting slightly out of shape around one of the corners and sliding to a stop. Great watching for us, but I am sure he felt relieved when the car came to a stop after reaching about 125 miles per hour down the main straight!
Tuesday saw the opening of the show and after a great nights sleep at Bresnose Pub some 16 miles away from the circuit, Chris and I arrived ready for the onslaught. However we weren’t quite as prepared for the almost 600 show goers as we expected! Very soon it became very clear that we were in for a massive day and we needed more brochures and CDs and giveaways. Off to the car park…
That afternoon, many of us went on the Silverstone tour which takes the tourists through all the inner workings of the circuit. This was fascinating to many of us, including myself, as it showed how the marshals run the track from just one room. Many race days are only run by just two people! For the Formula 1, though, there are many more people in the room… 16 or so, from memory – and therefore it becomes the hub of the entire circuit.
Bringing to a close the first day’s show was exhibitor drinks however Chris and I had spoken to around 300 interested people and decided we would trade the free drinks for the peace and quiet of our little pub.
Wednesday, the second and last day of the Movers and Storer’s show, brought slightly less people but still a good strong demand for quality software. This time, Chris went on the tour and enjoyed it as much as I did. Wednesday was much busier on the track, as there was a Volkswagen corporate day taking place at the same time. This saw many executives being given a go in the latest offerings from Volkswagen on the track and also gave the public a chance to look at the new eco-car from Volkswagen (shown below).
I personally didn’t like the styling of the car, but it seems that many did and were fascinated by what is essentially a car with a one-litre engine.
Chris and I chose to pack up and head back to Ipswich that afternoon after a very pleasing response to the show. We will definitely be there again next year!
