The Brew Cabin

Posted: **Sat Sep 04, 2004 6:56 pm**

Tony

Is the exhibition GLEE a worthwhile visit ?

Been on the web site and I see there are 3 halls for paving/hard landscaping.

Do you think 1 day will suffice. I will be travelling from West Cumbria

Cheers

Nigel

Posted: **Sat Sep 04, 2004 8:31 pm**

Nigel.

Glee is worth a visit, and I think one day is enough if you are landscaper / contractor rather than retail outlet etc.

Not quite 3 Halls of paving/hard landscape though. Its three joined up, and includes all sorts of pots, statues, etc as well as more usual hard materials, decking, fencing etc.

If not been before think its worth a look to see whats about and hopefully new in the business.

If you go check out the Westminster Stone stand - Hall 6-8 H26J25, always a good show piece. ( We will be there next week building it for them!!!)

Posted: **Sun Sep 05, 2004 9:16 am**

Glee's usefulness is debateable unless you're a buyer. Most of it will be same-old same-old.

Marshalls' pyramid, I remember, was particularly dire last year.

And one day is more than enough. You can see everything you want to see in hard landscpaing in 2 hours.

Posted: **Sun Sep 05, 2004 12:20 pm**

I think many Contractors find it useful to see new products that they can bring to their clients next season, and to see laying ideas, get to chat to reps and agents, even meet up with other contractors.

I know what you mean about the Marshalls' pyramid of the Volcano blocks at last year's bash. I was helping out on a stand right next door to that and many folk were commenting that they had thought the 'pyramid' was covered with a roofing product, and hadn't realised, until told, that they were supposed to be pavers!

However, if you ask some of the contractors that do attend, I think a majority would agree that it's a good day out, it's a break from the site, and it's inspiring in that you get to see products you might otherwuse never come across.

I used to try to cover it all in one day, but I always found it was rushed, and I always felt there was stuff I hadn't seen, so now I attend for the full three days. This gives me ample time to chat with everyone, catching up with old acquaintances and making new contacts, as well as getting the low-down (as they say) on what's planned for the coming year. It also gives me the opportunity to wander off into the plant (as in gardens plants) section if I want. However, I do feel that most Contractors, on a tight schedule, should be able to see what's relevant to our trade, and have The Craic with many of the exhibitors, in one long-ish day. Your feet will be killing you, and you'll be weighed down with brochures and freebies, but you will come away refreshed mentally and inspired to find jobs where these new products can be used.

This year, I'm helping to promote Tobermore Concrete Blocks which will be shown in Britain for the first time, in advance of a major effort to establish Origin Paving (their trading name) on the market over here. They'll be on stand G1 in Hall 7 (the main hard-landscaping hall) and they've told me that they'll supply FREE entry tickets to anyone from The Brew Cabin that is interested in attending. Email me or call me if you want to advantage of this offer.

As I said, I'll be there on all three days, plus the Saturday before opening, so if anyone wants to meet up for a Brew or a natter, let me know.

Posted: **Mon Sep 06, 2004 8:07 am**

I grumble about it every year, but I go every year.

It is the best chance we all get to see new products and innovation. Unfortunately in the hard landscaping line, there ain't too much innovation happening. No wonder all the concrete guys are losing sales to cheap imported stone.

I'll probably be there on the Monday. Usually am.

Posted: **Mon Sep 06, 2004 9:01 pm**

Just gonna book my train for the Monday morning. Didnt fancy driving - plus I can have a liquid lunch as well !!!!

We should get T shirts printed with the Brew Cabin on - then we can put faces to the names.

Tony, this may sound a daft question but - What do you look like ? I could be standing there next to you and I wouldnt know !!!!

Posted: **Mon Sep 06, 2004 9:35 pm**

There's a picture of me and the owld feller on the About Us page, but it's from around 5 years ago and I'm even better looking now! :p

I use a stick to walk (and to beat Sales Reps and gormless apprentices out of me way) and I've usually got a black laptop-bag-on-wheels being dragged along behind me. However, the best way is to give me a call when you get there. I'll send you my mobile number by Personal Mail.

Posted: **Sat Sep 18, 2004 10:13 pm**

Evening All.

GLEE 2004 - At The Nec Sun 19th - Tues 21st Sept

Following on from earlier posts on The Glee Show.

Just returned from the build up time at the show, again constructing the display stand for Westminster Stone Company.

Managed to have a quick glance around the landscape halls this afternoon and was pleased to see a good turn out form the paving and hard landscape boys.

Definiately seemed more companies there and a wider range of products both old and some new, than previous few years.

Having had sneak preview, I would recommend anybody in the business to take a visit if possible, during ther next few days.

Would be good to hear comments and thoughts on new products etc. afterwards.

Enjoy yourselves if you make it.

Posted: **Sun Sep 19, 2004 9:40 pm**

spent 7 hours walk aroung glee today and did'nt see half the stalls, theres that much too see. it well worth a visit.

Posted: **Wed Sep 22, 2004 8:04 pm**

Visited Glee on Monday. I had never been to the NEC before, was suprised at the size of the place - massive !

Spent a good few hours in the Landscaping hall. The majority of the paving stands had the same products - one piece of natural sandstone looks exactly the same as another companies and there were a few different companies. How many bags of aggregate do people need to see !!
Anybody else noticed the constant smell of Geofix around the paving stands
Was impressed with the Tobermore stand - the quality and colours of their paving seemed much better than others.
What was the Lunar section on Marshalls ? I met Diarmund - I expected something a bit more lavish and wild from him though

I met Tony at last. The guy on the Tobermore stand described him as the nutter with the stick !!!

Had a little look around the other halls before leaving. Not a lot of interest for me - all garden furniture and garden tools. The food was awful, I have still got indegestion from the Pasta Pasta

Will probably go again next year on the hope that one of the main manufacturers will actually have some new and exiting products.

The day was enjoyable. The journey home was NOT.

Left Birmingham on train at 5.35, headed for Penrith. 3 miles before Stockport the train stopped ---- for 2 and half hours stranded on the track due to overhead cable problem. We then reversed for 15 mins and diverted to Manchester, Bolton and finally Preston. At Preston the train terminated. Had to wait 1 hour for taxis to be sorted - courtesy of Virgin. Local taxi driver then drove in howling wind and rain to Penrith via Kendal and Appelby along all the country lanes and back roads- Arrived in Penrith at 3am (6 hours late) then drove 30 mins to home. Got to sleep at 4am and was up a 6.30am for work. On site was JCB, wagon and 50 ton of sh*t to dig off. I was not in the mood !!!!

Raining today and 100m2 of paviors to lay tomorrow - cant wait !!!

Cheers all

Nigel

Posted: **Thu Sep 23, 2004 9:32 pm**

I was at Glee on Tuesday - didn't venture out of the landscaping hall. I tried once, but was overcome by a vast number of Christmas trees!

I will agree that seeing stand after stand of the same old indian sandstone gets a bit tedious, and several of the buyers I spoke to were pretty pissed off that they'd bothered making the pilgrimage. Seeing something new and original from any of those present would have made the visit somewhat more interesting. I feel quite sure that next year will be very different.

It was unfortunate that Brett decided to pull out - Atlas were notable by their absence. Anyone know why? I heard some rumours, but...

The coffee was pretty awful too.

On the plus side I got to catch up with a lot of old contacts, and make a few new ones, whilst introducing a potential new 'player' in the precast game to the competition!

Finally, hats off to Ability for most definitely the most interesting and entertaining stand there. Nice to see something with some visual interest rather than yet another bland corporate space. Nice one.

Posted: **Fri Sep 24, 2004 11:05 am**

There are those who went to Glee to learn something to improve their own businesses - Some admit that, some don't. And then there are those that go to Glee knowing everything, and, (other than massaging their own egos,) probably came away none the wiser.

Glee is a good show case - in fact the only showcase in the UK. Yes, there is much repetition, and many variations on a theme from many manufacturers and distributors or importers, but I believe that if we look beneath the surface we can all learn something from eachother that will improve our offerings to the end user.

Thanks Mouldmaker - Westminster Stone's stand was acknowledged as the most attractive (and entertaining) of the paving stands. Due largely to the wide range of traditional reproduction materials, and due also having Ability to display. Attention to detail at every level; development, production, display, and service levels are what sets Westminster Stone apart. The launch of a new reproduction reclaimed slate range, a new golden brown flagstone colour (Chelsea Gold Flags) several accessories, and an Old Provence Tile circle and squaring off kit were all that could be effectively shown in the way of new products. Sorry about that! But the new brochure should be out in a few weeks outlining the entire range.

I have to say that I'm really looking forward to the new players next year. Will they come from town, or country? Or both? Maybe when the players (re)emerge, they will see that the stone market is quite different to the one that they (may have) left a couple of years ago. Sounds like next year could be the start of a New Stone Age? - Or is that New Stoner Age? Maybe new stone rage? Something like that anyway!!

But we're all eager to see something new and groundbreaking - I hope we won't be dissappointed.

Posted: **Fri Sep 24, 2004 12:27 pm**

It's taken me two days to recover from Glee. I got back late on Tuesday night, spent most of Wednesday writing my show review and creating the web pages, which you can read in the News section of the website, and then got involved in clearing <s>shi..</s> errr.. sewage from a drain in the neighbouring village yesterday so today is my first chance to catch up with what's been happening on the website.

Anyway, rather than repeat what I've written in my review, I'll just summarise: Not enough innovation, too much indian stone, and a sense that some of the big players have lost their sense of direction. However, there were some pluses, notably the entry of Tobermore into the UK market, the sheer style and elegance of John's Westminster Stone stand, the debut from EJ Stone, and the canny little patio generator from Stonemarket.

Now, if only we can find some way of getting rid of all those bloody pots and god-awful garden statues, Glee 2005 could be a really good bash! :p

Posted: **Fri Sep 24, 2004 10:39 pm**

J H Clifford wrote:I have to say that I'm really looking forward to the new players next year. Will they come from town, or country? Or both? Maybe when the players (re)emerge, they will see that the stone market is quite different to the one that they (may have) left a couple of years ago. Sounds like next year could be the start of a New Stone Age? - Or is that New Stoner Age? Maybe new stone rage? Something like that anyway!!

Very good, John!

A little wide of the mark, as things move on, but amusing none the less.