dcockling wrote:Ah but what constitutes 'reasonable'?
Personally I start to seriously question it when it takes longer to get to event than the event itself takes. Perhaps in the case of something Like Scaleforum the benchmark could be set as whether it is possible to get there and back the same day. Personally, if I could set off on Saturday morning attend the majority of the day, stay over, and then attend most of Sunday and be home again Sunday night I would think that within a realistic traveling distance.
I appreciate that what is reasonable is very much down to individuals. I think probably people in the more peripheral areas are more used to traveling further to things than those in more central places and I sometimes think that there are some who don't realise that the transport routes to London also go in the opposite direction. I recall many years ago that the 2mm Association had their AGM at Derby and people from the south east complained that it was too far away. The next year they held it at Euston station, in a room above the main concourse, (how much more accessible can you get?) and still the majority of those attending were from Yorkshire (I believe they hired a bus) and elsewhere in the north. On the other hand the 3mm Society at one time had scarcely any members in the North of England or Scotland. For them it would have been pointless to organise society events in those areas. They did have a lot of members in the South West though and one of their best attended events was held in Salisbury. So it is very much a matter of judgement as to where those who are motivated enough to attend events will come from or too.
Terry makes the comment that 'we have to be practical and choose a venue that will be accessible to the majority'. While I agree with this I would say that maybe the criteria might be that 'will be accessible to as many as possible'. Having the event in the middle of the area with the most members does not necessarily maximise accessibility. Looking at Danny's map you could site the event in that little blue bit near the Welsh border where it would appear that there is very little interest but it would be reasonably central to all the orange and red areas around it
I do want to stress that I am not complaining or arguing with the choice of venue. and I most certainly do not want to be seen as unappreciative of what must be an amazing amount of work involved in putting the event together. Personally I am disappointed it is not closer to where I live but I appreciate it has to be sited where it will get people through the doors and not least somewhere convenient for those who are organising it. But as I said earlier if those of us who would like to attend but are too far away don't wave and say 'Hey, we're over here' then the next time the Society considers the venue for Scaleforum no-one will know if there is interest for a venue further north and it will look like we aren't interested.
As to my none too serious comment about Scalefar North. I doubt very much that an event up here would work. The excellent finescale show at New Lanark bit the dust some years ago after quite a short life. Generally, modelling in these parts seems to be more of the 'take it out of the box and watch it run round and round' persuasion. Look at the response to another member's attempt to get Perth Show to have a P4 layout.
