Leisure Supplies Show 2017 Review
The following review comes from Spencer Elliot of Bouncy Castle Hire Bexley!
The much anticipated (by at least three people) and highly revered (probably by at least one one those people) Spencer Elliott Leisure Supplies Show 2017 review has landed!
This year's show was the biggest one yet (that's undeniable), but was it actually any good? I always endeavor to provide a balanced critique, sadly though it's just not possible.
This show was amazing. By far the best show I have ever attended in the UK and is certainly second to none.
Previous shows have suffered from a lack of space, not enough exhibitors, being too orientated on single products (anyone remember dome fest?), being too cold or being dominated by a single exhibitor.
This show didn't have any of those problems, with more exhibitors than ever before, larger space and a great layout! It was refreshing to see so many big name manufacturers under one roof!
The first leisure trade show I went to was slightly under-whelming. This year felt like a real trade-show and something that would impress first-time visitors, instead of walking away feeling that they might not bother next time.
There was of-course some issues. Certain exhibits suffered from tripping electrics, specifically JB Inflatables on the first day, with AndyJ's also being compromised on occasion.
The parking was a small issue, with some people not being able to get in the main area (although this was a small percent).
However, I personally saw the show organizer respond to the electrics with staff on-hand ready to assist, and while there was a small issue with parking for some, they also had car park attendants on-hand directing people to spaces as well as on the front gate.
You really cannot fault the preparation or the readiness of the show organizers!
So who was there, what could you see, who stood out any why? What bargains where available and did anyone actually throw a punch?
Sadly, I didn't witness any actual fights or punches being thrown, despite this year feeling like it could have been the time it happened. Never mind, there's always the next show!
Who was there? Everyone! Rather than a very long run-on summary, there are headings below for each manufacturer and exhibit.
If anyone has been missed out, then please accept my apologies, it certainly isn't a deliberate slight, it's genuinely an over-sight and no reflection on yourselves.
What could you see and what stood out really go hand in hand. This year we was treated to some very cool new items, and not just twists and updates to existing designs, but entirely new concepts.
Each exhibitor took their A-game and have set the bar very high!
The absolute pinnacle of the show for myself however happened just after it closed at 17:30 at the bar. No, it wasn't the well deserved pint!
What followed was the embodiment of why I personally love this industry and why I believe in it.
While it is true it can be highly competitive, it's also fair to say that when it really counts, when it matters most and there is a genuine cause to rally, every puts all differences aside and is very happy to work towards a common goal.
If ever anyone was in doubt, there was tangible evidence of this in a small bar in Birmingham, and across the entire UK thanks to Facebook live streams!
An online auction was hosted by Jay Stephens from the Soft Play Creation Station.
He runs auctions frequently (you should honestly check these out, I've seen items go at less than half price and on average seem to go at 80% retail price) and I was incredibly grateful that he not only organized the auction but rallied, championed and donated to it, but lent his familiar wit and personality to it, too.
There were donations from BCN (the co-sponsors of the show), AirQuee donated an entire e-Range castle, Gibbons donated two of their cool new extension reels, TripleA donated a blower as Did AndyJ. JB Inflatables donated an entire interactive play system which was the single biggest item!
There was also a donation from ILovePhotoBooths for one of their interactive iPad stands and we also received pots of glue and 5 PIPA tests from Neil Gossage! Rodeo Sales donated an entire beat the buzzer game as well as donating £500 directly, matching BCN's cash donation of £500 too!
There was also a cake donated by someone (I have no idea who sadly) but it looked amazing. Peter Grand won the auction, but alas he wouldn't share any of it!
In total, the entire industry managed to raise a total of £5520. The entire proceeds are directly going to "Tiger Ward"; The pediatric oncology (child cancer) ward at Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
Quite often money raised is used inefficiently. It is handed over to the hospital and then the money is sat on for 18 months while it is distributed among the various wards, with decisions made by committee, while using "preferred suppliers" that are essentially middle men adding their mark-up.
This is quite different. The money will be used to purchase equipment by ourselves (with the senior ward nurse, consultant and play specialist providing us a wish list) and then gifted directly the ward, losing no money through red-tape, and providing exactly what is needed (and where possible, leveraging our own contacts to negotiate better prices).
From the bottom of my heart, we sincerely appreciate everything that everyone has done, thank you.
To find out a little bit more about Jake's story and keep up to date about how the money raised is being used and the effect it has, you might want to follow the Facebook page.
You may have spotted me on some live feeds rocking out my BCN "work uniform". I would really like to waffle on a lot more about this and how privileged I feel.
However, this blog is really about the show itself, not me. I would be remiss however if I didn't endorse them as the friendliest bunch of guys (and girls) you could possibly meet.
They really are as nice in real life as you imagine them to be, and they are just as much of a nerd as I am. I was really made to feel at home. Thank you!
Incidentally, any perceived animosity between Jimmy Thomas and BCN seems to be largely over-played, I enjoyed talking with him for a while over by Smart-Shapes and we could both relate to seeing some of our own creative works come to life by manufacturers.
Mind you, I should probably stir the pot a little if we are to ever finally see someone actually start whacking each-other with their hand-bags at one of these shows!
This liberal, one-love tree hugging attitude will never do!
For the people still awake, I am now ready to reward you with further riveting and enthralling reviews of the individual exhibitors below!
Quick Links
The Soft Play Creation Station and Jay's Inflatables
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This year the Soft Play Creation Station (SPCS) went all out. I have never seen them go so large or as much ready to take home!
Not only did they come prepared with volume, but they also presented some of the most interesting and new soft play I have ever seen.
Last year I commented at how good the hand-painted artwork looked, and anyone that had previous reservations should certainly reconsider.
The hand-painted artwork was very realistic looking, even on human faces (a known point of anguish for many aspiring artists). It almost looks as if some is air-brushed!
The printed artwork quality is at all time high. Never before has it been so detailed, vibrant or crisp looking. I personally kicked the living day lights out of a "mega-basher" and could not for the life of me cause any damage to it!
However, the real draw for me was all the new sensory equipment. I genuinely do not know of anyone in that market right now other than the SPCS.
These items are a real break through and not just a gimmick. I have seen first hand how much enjoyment these items bring.
They aren't just a piece of soft play and "claimed" to be sensory just to add a mark-up, they are legitimately being used in Special needs places. In truth, the only people they are competing with at this point is themselves.
I think any hirer not picking up on this trend needs to take another look and have a think. It's a market that isn't being filled and the SPCS are really path-find and setting standards here. Plus, Unicorns, OMG!!
The inflatable took center stage, with very detailed hand painted artwork all over the units, including side walls both inside and out!
I was nice seeing Josie take control and come into her own. She's been going to the shows for years, but looks like she's holding her own now and becoming more involved. Looking forward to seeing what ideas she brings, she's a very bright young lady.
For the absolute peerless quality, I couldn't believe the bargains on their stand! I have no idea how they manage it!
Lots of photos and a nice video below!
www.thesoftplaycreationstation.com
Aark
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These guys seem to be trying very hard. They introduced their nifty WASP alarm at a previous show and it was a brilliant concept.
Some met that alarm with practical doubts and pointed out it could do with a more robust manufacturing process.
However, there is no denying the very clear innovation, and they can only be admired for trying to bring innovation to a legitimate safety concern.
I'm sure we will all hear more on that front, but that's not new. True to form however, they show-cased their ball pool design and added some innovation.
Every man and his dog has a super value inflatable ball pool available. You can't move for them!
However, Aark have provided a solution for the cumbersome job of putting balls back in the bag. Simply, you never actually take them out of the bag...
Check out the video below to see how easy it is and then order yours today!
www.aarkanum.com
JB-Inflatables
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JB showcased their new version of the interactive system, as well as some inflatables that really work well with the system.
I was very taken with the interactive arena shelter. It reminded me of a quasar laser shelter, and I can see the same type of high energy games taking place.
It's clearly a very adaptable system, ranging from back-garden hires to events. It looks like one system could be enough to test the water and be used for multiple uses.
I'm not sure why this hasn't got more of a buzz, everyone was definitely having fun using it! I think it's suffered from a little bit of miss-marketing early on.
Originally it was pitched as being something to add to a bouncy castle.
While that's still possible, I think that's only a very small part of what it can be used for, and you're only really limited by your imagination as to how you can use it.
Just look at these big kids having fun!
www.jb-inflatables.co.uk
Airquee
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Again, never short of innovation they had lots to see that was new. I was personally tempted by the paw patrol play park.
A smaller and not as expensive version of the fully fledged full on tower version, yet still leveraging the same popular brand (and light).
I think it's a great entry point for many hirers.
They also had their take on what reminds me of a soft play activity structure, with over-head crawl space, steps, slide and ball pool.
It's a similar concept to what has been seen previously, but it's a different design, smaller and lighter, and definitely aimed more at toddlers.
I'd be interested to see this unit in use and how it works. A video demonstration would be cool, it's really intriguing and the size/weight makes it viable for lots of venues.
The un-climable ladder was something very new to see. Many people claimed they beat it, so it may possibly need a small tweak. However, it was very impressive and had lots of people talking about it!
I was most interested in the standard A-frame castles with the animal mouths on the front. They looked like they would be popular, and there was clearly a lot of time spent making it.
www.airquee.co.uk
Pineapple Leisure
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It was fantastic to see these guys at the exhibit. They're a very big brand name that has been missing previously, allowing people to see the product up-close and judge for themselves, rather than go by hearsay.
The prices where clearly aimed to shift volume and it wasn't all run of the mill A-frames, either. They had lots to show and had a very impressive printed grotto that was probably my value pick!
If you look at the photos you'll see these little tags, allowing you to loop through lights or tinsel or anything you like. A well thought through feature.
I wasn't a huge fan of the white rain-covers as they'll surely get dirty easier. However, that's a small issue to pick at it.
All webbed beds was great to see and I was pretty amazed to see such a nice looking fully printed jungle a-frame, with straight, clean stitching and looking like good value for money.
The man himself was very approachable and nothing like the reports of his rude demeanor.
It's a little bit like "nobody reads the sun newspaper", yet it's the most popular paper in the country... His exhibit always had people looking!
www.pineappleleisure.com
Better-Bounce
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I wasn't impressed with Lee's shorts and t-shirt, but was pleased to see he changed before the start with his trade-mark £50 off the shelf Primark suit.
Apparently next show he considering dressing in skirt and boob-tube for charity. I'm not sure who started this rumor, but I fully support it. If nothing else but to get him o leave the suit at home.
The exhibit normally has pride of place, but was a little hidden by Triple-A. However, once you found them, it was hard to miss the bargains!
I saw some princess mats on show offer for £25 each, which is the cheapest I have ever seen.
Better Bounce have recently been flipping unit ages ranges that are traditionally for older kids.
They have had success with making their toddler fun-run and it looks like they have managed to do the same with a bungee design, showing off their "junior bungee".
It's a cool idea that may well be popular with hirers due to the amount of space needed, plus it's much cheaper than full sized ones.
I was also keen on the v-front with the large side attachment (which could be used as a giant ball pool or a soft play enclosure).
I think you may well see different versions of this hit the market with different side parts (as inter-changeable attachments, possibly?).
The racing theme was nice to see on display!
www.better-bounce.co.uk
Better Bounce
Jump Bounce
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A very nice selection of soft play on offer with some great show deals. Very cute hand painted artwork, although none printed.
They had some pretty cool looking shapes that you could smash with a hammer to make games out of, and was showing this on a video demonstration.
I liked the thought put into the games you could make happen with their soft play. Clearly not just static shapes that kids kick about, they're designed to be interacted with!
www.jump-bounce.co.uk
Smart Shapes
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I personally really like the toddler bounce house and think it's an very good value, especially as Smart-Shapes is still VAT free (for now).
They always bring something different to the shows and this year they have my pick as coolest innovation.
They show-cased what I keep calling a "jump giant inflatable", I'm pretty sure that's not what it's called but it's super impressive.
Those trampoline parks with foam pits are a booming market, and this design really rides that trend and makes it accessible in another format.
To be honest, you would need a long-wheel-base van full just for the unit and foam, but I think the return would be phenomenal.
It would also really suit a soft play center that had the space to spare. It would instantly elevate them in the market and add a another age-range to appeal to.
I legitimately can't wait to see what Martin makes for the next show. He's a victim of his own success and has set the bar very high.
www.smart-shapes.co.uk
AAA Inflatables
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They usually bring a mixture if midi-bouncers in printed and hand-painted, as well as one unique looking inflatable as a minimum.
Always a strong showing with great value inflatables. This year was another level though.
The main star attraction of the entire show was without a doubt the base jump and slide inflatable.
It sold very quickly but the new owner was a good sport and allowed people to still have a go. Check out Big Phil proving his macho bravado isn't all talk!
They also had some extremely good value commercial ball pools available at just £90 for 500 (orakel). I believe I actually snapped up the last two bags and they sold out!
They had some really big equipment on show as well as some very nice looking garden hire units, too.
I could go on about the large basketball inflatable and how they've made it an event item, but in truth I was just mesmerized by the rather impressive base jump!
Pretty sure it would need to be manned, I doubt you could just leave it. However, if it attracted so many hirers, imagine the attraction to customers at events!
www.aaainflatables.co.uk
Rodeo Sales
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Rodeo Sales show cased their merry go-round a couple of years ago. I remember saying it was a great proof of concept, but wasn't quite polished.
This year they showed what a finished item looks like and it's amazing! Plus you can change over parts to different accessories. It's kind of like Velcro panels but for entry level fair ground items.
You can change the top part to anything else and leverage your investment in the base to it's maximum potential!
Rodeo bulls and sweepers have really led the way in infusing technology into their products, so it's not hard to see why they've adopted some of JB's interactive systems into their products.
The operator on the sweeper really gave the BCN team a run for their money on the Facebook live demonstration, destroying all but the mighty Sam!
The integration of technology is something very nice to see, even the beat the buzzer had a fresh new look.
Not just a simple buzz wire game, it now has a slick looking screen with score's stats and settings, making the game extremely competitive and also appealing to the smart phone generation.
www.rodeosales.co.uk
ProFab
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Peter Phillips very patiently showed me round the entire ProFab exhibit. I haven't seen them at a show since the LSS a few years ago when they had a single unit, so it was nice being given a tour.
The seem to be over engineered (which isn't a bad thing), possibly providing a reason s to why they last so long. The core design hasn't changed much over the years, but they have definitely improved their artwork designs, showing off a mixture of air-brushed and painted.
The part that really caught my eye though was the mobile soft play structure. At only £4000 it provided a genuine entry level into the market of a mobile soft play set-up for high-end events (or a small area for just about any soft play center).
I loved the fact that it was truly mobile with fast set-up and pack-away time, yes it was still module and extendable! You could buy this and still add not worry about it being small, adding more to it over the years.
facebook.com/ProFabInflatablesUK
I Love Photo Booths
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Another brilliant example of moving with technology and the times rather than against it. Show-casing their interactive mirror that was un-doubtedly the smartest "smart-mirror" I've ever seen.
The way people interact with their phones and the amount of photos taken is growing. It's estimated that this year alone there will be 14 trillion photos taken. Trillion!
Even if you take away Kiim's 50% of that figure, that still leaves a lot of photos. It's clear that people love taking photos, but it's definitely a trending phenomena...
You can't just take a normal photo anymore, you have to have big eyes, weird ears or some creepy filter. These guys get that and are certainly not being left behind.
www.ilovephotobooths.co.uk
I Love Photobooths
Vivid Inflatables
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It was nice to see some familiar faces on Vivid's stand and that they are now ready to start exhibiting again.
The inflatable they had on show was every bit what you would expect from these guys and I am sure that they will be a company to keep an eye on moving forward.
www.vividinflatables.co.uk
Tear-Away Leisure
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Their didi car tracks likely wasn't seen by many people, they went super quickly! I wasn't sold on the idea of a bowling alley, it kind of confirmed my fear that it practice it's a bit of a nuisance.
The basketball games saw at the show have a ball return and I love the engineering of it, there definitely needs to be some type of break-through with these bowling alleys.
However, I was really blown away by the Nerf shoot-out game. You can get cheap versions anywhere, but it's the same type of problem as above, you need to then collect everything.
This shoot-out was very affordable and had none of those issues as you could shoot as many darts as you like, and they was all collected for you!
www.tearawayleisure.com
Bouncy Castle Network
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Clearly the dominant force for online booking solutions at the show.
They was able to demonstrate their on-site developers, creative artists, support, marketing and totally in-house creative team, and that still wasn't everyone!
I can't stand out-sourced services for support, let alone development. It felt reassuring seeing so much on-site knowledge!
With record breaking sign-ups BCN shows that they're definitely the preferred provider and it's no wonder with their continued company ethos of pushing the envelope.
I was privileged to be a part of that and look forward to what the future brings.
You can see me below logged into Phil Donovan's admin portal, pushing the secret BCN Google rank button for him a few times (brown envelope at the next show buddy).
It was super cool hearing the success stories of customers, and the same thing you hear on the forums all the time was said at the show, too "Wish we had done it a long time ago".
On a personal level, I really enjoyed spending time with the team and getting to know them.
www.bouncycastlenetwork.com
Bouncy Castle Network
Andy J
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Last, but certainly not least was AndyJ. For a guy that left it o the last minute to exhibit, he certainly made a big splash. While no one exhibitor dominated, he certainly tried!
It was nice seeing the imported inflatables against the ones made at his factory. They both had pros and cons. I noticed a different material on the imported ones and definitely preferred the ones made locally.
The printing on both looks fantastic, and it was used liberally, rather than printing only down ones side of a unit or used sparingly on the inside.
There was an obstacle course int he second hall that looked so bright and colorful, it really stood out with so much printed artwork all over. The price was incredible, too.
The basketball game was good, I liked how the ball returned.
If anyone wasn't sold on the idea of a deflator fan, then you got to see it work in person; And work it did!
The old black deflator fans did not really do what you wanted them to. The tube sucked together and it just didn't work. People was carrying carpet tubes in the back of their vans to kind of make it happen...
This new deflator fan concept actually does what it says. It has a castle deflated properly in under two minutes. You could roll it up smaller and it's not even any more expensive than a regular fan on the market, plus it's much more rugged!
I genuinely think other fan manufacturers are going to have to do something. If they stay still and don't innovate, they will a fond memory in years to come.
www.ajluk.com
BIHA
Mark Jerram from the BIHA was at the show (as he is at almost all domestic shows) witha great stand, sporting his BIHA branding!
Mark is well known in the industry as one of the early creators of a bouncy castle hire group collective.Nowadays he's busy sending out his tip of the week and other schemes for hirers the fuel card for example). It was good catching up with Mark and hearing some of his views on todays modern advertising and how the industry has changed.
The BIHA is never afraid to court controversy or be at the heart of heated discussions. I respect Mark's thick skin and ability to remain professional, as I suspect his patience is often tested. There are lots of views on the BIHA, but one thing is for sure; Everyone has heard of it!
www.BIHA.org.uk
Randoms
Here are some random pictures of exhibits where I am not sure where they fit. No offense intended to those companies, I just cannot remember their names and wanted to include them anyway, as they all made such a great effort and was part of what was the best trade show in the UK I've ever attended!
Conclusion
If you're still reading this, then it's just as late for you as it is for me. You're too far gone!
I'd like to end this by saying what a thoroughly great time I had at the show, as I am sure everyone else did.
I'm genuinely looking forward to what the next one brings and am so pleased I could be a part of it.
What an incredible job every exhibitor did and a massive thank you to the show organizer Brian Auty for raising the bar to all time heights!
Spencer Elliott
Bouncy Castle Hire Bexley