[Paul Stenning]

I know some members of the committee have spent a lot of time searching for suitable venues. Some are not interested in one-day bookings (they want to book the whole weekend), many are too expensive, have poor transport links or charge for car parking.

The logistics of moving an event to a different venue are considerable. We didn't really want to do aa second move within a year but it was unavoidable. However the idea of holding the event at different venues around the country would be even more work and hassle which we don't need.

Also we think that visitors and vendors prefer some sort of stability. Organisers certainly do.

We are looking into the possibility of a shuttle bus from Leamington Spa station to the hall. This would probably be free or may make a nominal charge (certainly nowhere near as expensive as a taxi) which should help those of you who use public transport.

The main criticism of the NEC by visitors was the cost of parking (currently £7). Since the vast majority of visitors travel by car, this is something we have to listen to. We did consider public transport links when selecting a new venue, but also have to consider the cost of hiring the venue. Venues with excellent transport links (like the NEC) will inevitably be more expensive.