'LET'S PUT THE SHOW ON RIGHT HERE'
The evolution of LAMMA has been remarkable
by Chris Biddle Consultant Editor
 
Chris Biddle

‘Let’s put the show on right here’ was the rallying call by Charlton Heston in the excellent 1952 film, The Greatest Show on Earth after circus trains (based on Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey circuses) crashed spectacularly losing the Big Top and all the lighting equipment.

 

For some reason, I’ve always associated that phrase with the pioneers of the LAMMA show. Although Smithfield and the Royal Show were still going strong, the members of the Lincolnshire Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers Association (LAMMA) decided in late 80s that they would go it alone and stage their own show for the county’s farmers. Much in the spirit of local independence - for Catalonia read Lincolnshire.

 

From modest beginnings, the show grew year on year. Exhibitors were attracted by the fact that they could pitch up with kit and minimal stand building costs. The demise of Smithfield in 2004 and the Royal Show in 2009, resulted in LAMMA becoming the main UK machinery show. Never mind, that it was held in January and outdoors – crowds flocked to the Newark showground. For manufacturers it became the essential spring-board for the coming season.

 

After being run by a dedicated, but essentially volunteer team, the success of LAMMA finally outgrew their management and organisational resources. The show was acquired by Briefing Media (publishers of Farmers Guardian) in 2012, who decided that it had outgrown Newark, with the result that LAMMA was moved to the East of England Showground in Peterborough in 2014.

 

Although the facilities were a step-up with more hard surfaces and facilities, the cynics said that all it really did was to move the often horrendous traffic queues, 50 miles down the A1 from Newark. The show had also changed in concept as the major manufacturers spent thousands on building elaborate pavilions to display their products. It had become an indoor show, outdoors, for many of the big players.

 

Now, another move, prompted it is believed by the East of England Showground giving notice to Briefing Media to quit the site.  Possibly this was because some of the showground was allocated for redevelopment, or complaints about traffic or that the show had outgrown the site. The reason is unclear.

 

A number of alternate sites were considered, including inevitably Stoneleigh, but NEC it is. Briefing Media say that two essential elements of LAMMA will be retained, a January date and free entry to visitors who surely will need to be counted and profiled through registration. For years, visitor number to LAMMA have been a 'guess-timate', largely based on the number of cars in the car park. That is totally unacceptable for a show with over 900 exhibitors attracting around 40,000 visitors.

 

The decision will divide opinion. There is little doubt that for access, accommodation, facilities and much more, the NEC is the UK’s ‘go-to’ exhibition space.  But cost, particularly, for smaller exhibitors will be a concern. Smithfield was eventually sunk through rising exhibitor costs and access difficulties (oh, and the fact that a swimming pool lay under the Earls Court floor, and there were visions of a combine taking a dive!).

 

The major European ag machinery shows, Agritechnica in Hanover and SIMA in Paris are essentially indoor events in purpose built show halls, and so there is a logic to the move. But we’ve seen what happens when exhibitors desert an event. It happened with GLEE and spectacularly with GAFA Cologne as far as the turf machinery sector is concerned. But the SALTEX move to the NEC from a charming Thameside venue in an often sunny September, has been a success as far as you can see - although many are still nostalgic for the open-air, down-to-earth shows of yesteryear.

 

It is of some surprise (or perhaps not) that AEA (the machinery manufacturers representative body) were not consulted ahead of the decision to move to the NEC, nor were they given any details of the new show concept. AEA has had aspirations in the past about staging its own show, which probably was a concern to Briefing Media.

 

So LAMMA organisers will have a delicate and sensitive path to tread ahead of the 2019 NEC show. Otherwise we could see splinter groups taking matters into their own hands in a reprise of the actions of the founding fathers of LAMMA - and with the cry ‘Let’s put the show on right here!’  

 

Service Dealer editor Steve Gibbs has been away this week 

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In this issue
EDITOR'S BLOG
'LET'S PUT THE SHOW ON RIGHT HERE'
COUNTDOWN TO SERVICE DEALER CONFERENCE & AWARDS
NEWS
LAMMA MOVES TO NEC
MST EXPAND MF TERRITORY
CAROLINE DRUMMOND
TURNEY JOIN CAN-AM DEALER NETWORK
WEIBANG TO HAVE DEDICATED SALTEX STAND
SALTEX INNOVATION AWARD
HUSQVARNA LOOK TO THE FUTURE
SOUTHERN MACHINERY LTD AWARDED BY HUSTLER TURF
KUHN BOLSTERS PARTS AND SALES SUPPORT TEAM
'ON YER BIKE' FOR COBRA
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PP ESTATES LTD
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ANGLO AMERICAN OIL COMPANY - ASPEN FUELS
Sponsored Product Announcements
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SCHILLER AT SALTEX 2017
LAWN-KING TRENCHEX APPOINTED BY ALPINA
EVOPOS - THE ALL-IN-ONE SERVICE DEALER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
SALTEX 2017 ‘YOUR INDUSTRY YOUR SHOW’
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