Volksworld 2010

March 27th - 28th.

Sandown Park Racecourse.

The first Major Air cooled VW show of the year.

Volksworld 2010.


An hour before the doors open for this huge season opening event in the air cooled calender, the finishing touches have been put on the Sterling Automotive stand and it's time to take a stroll around to see what's on display. The expected array of jaw dropping beauty in the halls. Frantic activity from the event organisors, catching up on last minute detailing. A veritable chain gang, streaming box after box of rarity items up to the the swap meet area. A quick glance outside the front doors and it seems that the show's actually already in full flow.

Why wait for the doors to officially open to start looking around. You've got the camping area, the visitors car park, the (unofficial) car boot sale and most importantly, the cars for sale zone all to be perused.

Oh yes, Veedub enthusiasts don't waste precious time standing in line. they've got work to do!

The experienced show visitors at Volksworld know to arrive early. In fact the night before makes sense. Those that decide to lay in, take a relaxed breakfast, watch a few cartoons on telly and and hit the road mid morning however, (eg. my wife and 6 year old Son) were able to enjoy a two and a half hour queue to get into Esher.

It was a rather quiet day on Saturday morning. Not the Volksworld show, that was packed! No, I mean the Sterling Automotive stand. Why did so few people want to come onto the stand? Why was nobody asking questions, telling me about their projects and enquiring about our work loadings? Time to take a walk and look from a distance. Suddenly the issue became clear to see.

Flags!

 Keen to get the crucial words 'Sterling Automotive' as prominent as possible, I'd posted a pair of feather flags at the front of the stand and they had been acting as sentries, gently turning the visitors at the slightest of angles away and around the frontage, diverting the public gaze toward the show cars opposite.

Flags moved to more suitable 'subliminal message' locations further down the hall and the tide is turned on the Sterling stand. Suddenly, the type 2 splitty at the back of the stand is being noticed and admirers are having to push past the crush surrounding the 1952 floor pan and freshly painted body shell.

Moral of the story....   Less is more.