National Boat Shows stations staffers outside Earls Court to leaflet visitors
National Boat Shows (NBS), organiser of the Collins Stewart London Boat Show at ExCeL, has defended its decision to station staffers outside the gates of the Earls Court Boat Show to leaflet visitors on their way out of the event.
The leaflets are designed, according to the MD of NBS Andrew Williams, “to ensure that the visitor [to the Earls Court show] is aware that our show is still going on at ExCeL.”
He added: “We have all the necessary legal and local authority permissions to do this, and we’re only handing the leaflets to people leaving the show. It’s a good marketing opportunity, and we feel it’s necessary that we tell people that we have a bigger show going on over at ExCeL.”
Williams also addressed rumours that one of the NBS staffers had been accosted by Earls Court Boat Show staff after being caught handing out leaflets on the grounds of Earls Court.
“One of our guys was treated quite heavy-handedly, but I categorically deny he was on the steps of Earls Court as the rumours suggest.”
He also confirmed that NBS had contracted a market survey company to question people leaving the Earls Court show.
“We’re doing this to learn from the show. With this information, and feedback from our show, we learn what visitors want more or less of. People who spend time answering the questions get two free tickets to the show. We’re expecting to get 300 or 400 people answering the questionnaires.”
The MD of the Earls Court Boat Show, James Brooke, was unavailable for comment.
Photo: The flyers in question
