Bowlers Exhibition And Conference Centre, Hall

Events are great. Car parking practices are scummy at best. Not clearly signposted at all, then before you know it the attack dogs at SIP are sending their letters with big bold headlines. It’s an absolute embarrassment that the parking costs more than a lot of events hosted here. Scummy and money hungry. A note, perhaps the four people you put outside for events to guide people into the carpark ought to mention that you need to pay. Or are those people there because you’re aware none of it is signposted well? If people struggle to find the carpark, how do you expect them to see that they have to pay for it too? Also… car park? It’s a patch of dirt. Why should I have to pay such extortionate prices to park on a patch of dirt? Real shame for the many great events that are hosted here, I will not be attending them in future for fear that the SIP wardens will shake me down

This venue really lets itself down. I’ve been going here over 30 years for car boots, concerts and comicons. The venue is dated. The toilets aren’t adequate for the amount of ppl and 1 accessable loo right outside the main doors so you’re queueing against the hundreds that are pouring in. They aren’t enforced for actually accessibility and shud ask able bodied to use the 2 sets of general toilets so a lot of my weekend is spend queuing for the toilet. While you’re waiting the old rusty pipes drip on your head. The w/c ramps are hidden and in corners so it’s a tight squeeze esp for a electric chair or scooter and ppl sit in the bottom eating lunch coz there’s not enough seating so they sit in the ramp. Buildings old. Parking a joke, we were parked by their attendants (who told us we were good to park there) and then we got a parking charge (we’re not the only disabled cars that were fined) so they tell you where to park and then make £60 extra from it. Andy doesn’t seem to spend any money on updating the old building and there’s a square hole in the wall you could fit your head through. The convention was good, my only complaint is the outdated unwelcoming and not thought out for its disabled visitors. My advice for the outside area is instead of the monopoly events van parked right outside is to bring in suitable portable toilet blocks which would take pressure off the inside and use a dead space for them. (They could hire decent ones like what tattoo show uses that aren’t gross and tiny and include a hoisted changing table) my last comment is I have emailed the company with my feedback or specific questions but they never get back to you, nor on their fb groups. I hope by next years for the love of vampire diaries they see this and update or move venue (I know I’m dreaming on that one. lol)