London Ski Show Review

Another Start To Winter, Another London Ski Show…

Now in its second year at Battersea Park and at least it kept dry this year with quite a bit of the show being outside.

This year the mezzanine floor was a bar and lounge so there was somewhere inside to get food and drink as well as the other end of the hall (last year this was more stands and through to an extension piece as well so overall there must have been less floor space by exhibitors than previous years).

No Ellis Brigham for the first year I can remember (I’ll have to go to a shop to continue my collection of White Book catalogues) and as they normally have a big retailing operation quite a surprise. Snow and Rock were there with a “Show Case” stand – not actually flogging gear, just promoting themselves and look to have been a late addition to the show. Just as well they were there as they won the “World” Snow Award for best retailer!!! Hmmm… Finches Emporium was one of the few places for gear geeks to check out new kit and seemed to be doing a decent amount of business when we looked in. – No Tesco, Aldi, Sports Direct etc this year and Decathlon only had a small presence really.

Seemed to be a good atmosphere outside in the many places selling food and drink, plus the outdoor ice rink added to it and the kids throwing themselves off the Mount Battersea jump were impressive as ever (although seeing what was created in Annecy in September it’s not really that big anymore). Plenty of activities for kids on half term and lots of specialist stands too – at least 4 Action Camera stands including GoPro & Kodak – and our friends over at Snow Shepherd have started manufacturing their own “workers” ski gloves, they look really decent quality, bet I wish I’d bought a pair come January.

The EIS HAUS ice bar was fun, a couple of freezer storage containers with ice carvings and an ice bar with ice glasses – just the place for a Jäger… It’s going on tour, with a spot at the Tower of London pop up Ice Rink from 16 Nov to 03 Jan and then off to The Alps – we hear Snowbombing is one of the first places confirmed so far. Not sure how it will work in The Alps (you could just drink outside?). The ice sculpting with a chain saw was so clever though.

No doubt the conversations around on-line bookings, on-line information, on-line shopping etc will beg the question if these type of events will carry on for ever – seemed less Tourist Offices there this year and the France Montagnes Tourist Organisation had only a few resort representatives there with Norway by far the biggest presence. Still plenty of information available, talks and holiday discussions to have with many smaller independent and specialist operators as well as the likes of Alpine Elements, Ski Olympic, Inghams, Crystal and Ski Total (interestingly airports Lyon and EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg had stands). No fashion show this year or much live music about – although Will was enjoyable up on the Mezz floor. Comedy still going strong with Altitude Festival being promoted by various comics, the bar inside was probably not the best place for it later on Saturday though.

For a lot of people it’s just a chance to catch up with friends, make plans for next season, get a skiing fix, remind yourself of après ski & how good skiing holidays really are so you can look forward to Winter and enjoy a drink or two of course – Long may that tradition continue…

PS. Top marks to Pig in the Middle – just the best sausage rolls ever…

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