Milton Keynes show cancelled?

[Nick]

This message is out on Facebook tonight. I rather hope it's not true but it sounds all too plausible. Let's hope the ModelKraft team can find a way forward and a venue that isn't going to charge the earth.


David Francis
Not the news I ever wanted to share.
This year, ModelKraft 2022 was the 19th Show organised by Milton Keynes Scale Model Club (IPMS Milton Keynes). It would have been our 21st if Covid had not caused a cancellation of the show in both 2020 & 2021.
Milton Keynes Scale Model Club (IPMS) would like to thank all the Clubs, SIGs and Traders who supported and played their part in making ModelKraft 22 the most successful show we have ever run.
The main aim of the show this year was to raise money for two charities, our local hospice at Willen and Medical Detection Dogs UK, both of whom had a tough time during Covid.
We are pleased to announce that we will be donating a record breaking £6000 split between the two charities. And this is in addition to the money that they raised on their stands during the show.
Sadly, after the show the Club was dealt a massive blow when the Marshall Arena more than tripled the costs of hiring the venue making the total cost of putting on a show in 2023 well in excess of £20,000.
This would make it unrealistic for us to hold another ModelKraft event of that size and keep prices reasonable and raise any money for charity.
And, as no other venue of a suitable size exists currently with in the local area, we have no option but to "call it a day", making ModelKraft 2022 our last large scale model show.
Ceasing to put on an annual model show is not a decision the Milton Keynes Club has taken lightly. The feedback we received told us that many of you enjoyed your day and have indicated that the show is highly regarded by both the traders and exhibitors as well as the visiting public
So that is it and we hope we bow out having left our many visitors and traders with great memories of the largest one-day model show in the world.
And we left with a bang not a whimper who could want a better ending.
On behalf of the Committee of MKSMC

[kitbasher]

Very, very sad news.  Surely there must be another suitable venue at a reasonable price (or the same venue at a better lrice on a different day, maybe)?

[Nigel Bunker]

"Surely there must be another suitable venue at a reasonable price"

Regrettably not say the organisers. Post Covid, schools are reluctant to hire out their premises in case the kids catch anything, which could cost the Headteacher their job. Church halls are too small and Sports centres are reluctant to close their facilities to the general public.

However if anybody knows of a suitable venue in the Milton Keynes area, then I'm sure the MK club would love to know of it.

I shall miss the show if that was the last one.

[Martin H]

A damn pity. That's my local show down the tubes...
As was said in the announcement. At least they went out on a high note.

I can think of possibly one or two alternate venues within a 20 mile radius of MK but they each have issues. wether it be lack of transport links for one or basic facilities with the other. And only one of them would be big enough to maintain the size of the show. And neither is within MK or Buckinghamshire for that matter.

[zenrat]

"Surely there must be another suitable venue at a reasonable price"

Regrettably not say the organisers. Post Covid, schools are reluctant to hire out their premises in case the kids catch anything, which could cost the Headteacher their job. Church halls are too small and Sports centres are reluctant to close their facilities to the general public.

However if anybody knows of a suitable venue in the Milton Keynes area, then I'm sure the MK club would love to know of it.

I shall miss the show if that was the last one.

But we are not "post covid" yet are we?.  We are still amidst the pandemic.  Maybe when we truly are PC then there will be more venues available.

[jcf]

"Surely there must be another suitable venue at a reasonable price"

Regrettably not say the organisers. Post Covid, schools are reluctant to hire out their premises in case the kids catch anything, which could cost the Headteacher their job. Church halls are too small and Sports centres are reluctant to close their facilities to the general public.

However if anybody knows of a suitable venue in the Milton Keynes area, then I'm sure the MK club would love to know of it.

I shall miss the show if that was the last one.

But we are not "post covid" yet are we?.  We are still amidst the pandemic.  Maybe when we truly are PC then there will be more venues available.

We're never going to be "post-Covid", we're just switching from it being a SARS-CoV-2 pandemic to SARS-CoV-2
being endemic. The virus ain't going anywhere.

[NARSES2]

Such a shame, thoroughly enjoyed the show and it's one of the few I can get to relatively easily via public transport without having to make an overnight stay. Even easier this year thanks to Dave 

Unfortunately I'm a little worried it could be an early sign of things to come.