Elephant House Auction Dates Clash Again

[gm]

See Steve has just released the future auction dates and again the November auction is the same date as the Coventry one...26th November ! Great planning!

[mervyngoodhew]

Might fall off the roof again.

[coppinpr]

Great planning!

He thinks it is, I think even the biggest doubters can now see it's intentional.

[mervyngoodhew]

I wonder if Coventry changed its date to a week before would he change his date.

[badpenny]

There was every likelihood he was going to do that, we'll just move to the Sunday before.

When SH started the auctions in Leamington a few years back, I remember Jimmy Cowman asking "Isn't there enough room for two?" I guess the answer according to SH is now obvious.

[treefrog]

I am glad you will move to a week before, will be no dilemma for the collectors, makes me happy.

[JC]

See Steve has just released the future auction dates and again the November auction is the same date as the Coventry one...26th November ! Great planning!

Might fall off the roof again.

I am glad you will move to a week before, will be no dilemma for the collectors, makes me happy.

Nothing's set in stone yet - we may consider moving the date, but I think we should all be mindful that the date for the Coventry auction was set over seven months ago (actually on the day of last year's auction) and I am not in the habit of dancing to the tune of others, especially not his.

[JC]

OK, just so that we all know where we stand.
I've received several emails and a phone call asking if we're changing the date for Coventry this year. Answer: no.
Too much is already booked for 26th Nov., including hotel rooms and even air flights.
And frankly, I don't really understand why we should be messing with the date anyway.

[treefrog]

C'est la vie, Ce qui sera sera

[jimmycowman]

That's just plain stupid.... (Steve) there is room for both. Do the Week before or after. Crazy

[ninecup]

Why not do it on the Saturday. I could then travel up and do both. I would certainly not put up any machines if they are on the same day. I tried this last year.

[bryans fan]

That is just what I was thinking. Excellent solution. Come on Steve, move yours to Saturday.

[coppinpr]

You're missing the point, Steve has put it on the Sunday BECAUSE Coventry is on that day same as he did last year. The only time he would move to Saturday is if Coventry moved to Saturday.

[widget2k4]

Sorry to say it but I agree with not putting anything in either auction if they on the same day again. I will hang onto my machines rather than them getting bidders splitting between the two auctions.

[coppinpr]

I hate to say it, but I can't justify putting machine up on that day either.
I intentionally put four machines into Coventry last year in an attempt to support the auction. I made little or nothing on sales that day. I did buy some machines cheaper than expected because of the smaller numbers at the auction.

I'll be at Coventry, in fact I've never been to EH and never sold a machine there. I simply can't justify selling machines at Coventry on the same day as EH runs. I know there are other considerations going on behind the scenes, but that does not mean anything to us grunts on the auction floor. From my point of view, looking in from the outside, and not knowing the moves going on behind the scenes, Steve won the Coventry Vs EH battle the moment Jerry said he wasn't able to move the Coventry date.

[sutton]

I have also decided not to enter anything while this is going on. I have four alllwins for sale. I will be putting them on eBay.

[polaris]

I made the journey last year and I don't think anyone will mind me saying that it was a bit of a washout with regards to numbers. Hasn't put me off in the least though and I will again make the journey and enter machines. I don't think Steve has won anything yet other than proving it's a business for him and like any businessman will seize any opportunity to make a buck. If you are intending attending and had thought about entering something no reason not to - it's a day out and with reserves you have nothing to lose. The main reason EH was so successful last year was no sellers' commission. Will that be the case again this year? Who knows?

[badpenny]

I'm off on my boat now for a couple of weeks.
I've nothing to add anyway, I'm heartily sick of the whole damn thing.

[scorpa163]

I will be entering items in the Coventry auction in support of Jerry and Jeremy.
Jerry has run one auction a year for many years (and produced a magazine - sadly no longer), and has helped keep us within our hobby connected.

If you enter items in the Coventry auction with a realistic reserve what is there to lose?
If you do not enter items there could be a good chance that we will lose Coventry. Which is what the Elephant house want. Will Steve's commission then go up? A monopoly is no good for anybody except one person.

[clubconsoles]

What a great post scorpa163, sums it up perfectly!
If Steve Hunt succeeds in bleeding Coventry of buyers/ sellers, it may well benefit him, but will be to the detriment of all of us in the end, if the annual Coventry auction ceases to be!
Coventry is a very good thing as it keeps the commission in check and fair for all.
I realise Steve needs lots of cash for all the renovations at the Elephant House but that was his business decision and not ours!