Playmobil exhibition in Hoorn, Netherlands-

[Hadoque]

Very interesting exhibition, thanks for the all the pictures and report! 

[playmofire]

Hmmm ... That might be an interesting project for you to organise, Gordon ... 

I'm actually thinking about organizing one here in south Florida (about an hour and a half from the the Palm Beach FunStore/Park). However, I think if I set one up. I would be loathe to ever take it down.

All the best with your plan, Richard, with the nearness of the Palm Beach Funstore/Park you should have a good catchment area. 

In my post I originally said (but then removed before posting) something to the effect that if something of this sort was done in the UK it would probably be done in London, certainly the South, and if it were done somewhere else there would be lots of complaints from people in London/the South about the distance to travel to it.  This is exactly what happened, for example, when the magnificent Armouries museum opened in Leeds and when County Durham cricket team joined the County Cricket League.  In the former case, there were interviews with lots of Londoners who said almost without exception how far it was to travel to Leeds (in fact, the distance from London to Leeds is exactly the same as that from Leeds to London, it's no shorter travelling south), and in the latter all the southern cricket teams complained how far it was to travel to County Durham and how unfair this was as they'd be tired when they got there, completely failing to see that they had to travel 200-300 miles to County Durham once or twice a season but County Durham had to travel a similar distance for many/most of its matches.  So not much chance of success up here in the wilds North Yorkshire!

Playmobil UK did run a series of roadshows some years ago, one of them at the MetroCentre at Gateshead, but they cannot have been very successful as they have never been repeated.

[Martin Milner]

Over 7,000,000 people live in Greater London, compared to 700,000 in Leeds, 200,000 in Gateshead, and a 50,000 in Durham (from the 2001 Census). That's 140 people in London for every one in Durham, or 35 for every one in Gateshead, or 10 for every one in Leeds.

You see why a roadshow or exhibition would be more accessible to a greater audience in London.

Where museums of national interest are involved, isn't London the obvious choice?

[Richard]

All the best with your plan, Richard ...

It's only a "thought," Gordon ... I don't have a "plan" yet ...

Of course we really can't compare hardy Playmobil fans to wimpy, whiny sports fans, can we?

And, regarding the Playmobil UK display, I'd almost rather take a beating than go into London to see anything! (And, that's the truth, Martin!) ... 

Now North Yorkshire, that's an entirely different matter.

North Yorkshire is almost centrally located between Edinburgh and London. And, it's beautiful. I'd take a train or drive out to see a Playmobil museum in North Yorkshire in a heartbeat. (Train fare is less than £200 return from either London or Edinburgh.)

The hotels located in North Yorkshire seem delightful! No problems with accommodations! (Many are less than £100 per night.)

It would appear that North Yorkshire might actually be the perfect place for a Playmobil museum holiday in all of the UK, Gordon!

Fort Lauderdale on the other hand is in the southern part of the Florida peninsula. It is more than 1300 miles to New York City, more than 2700 miles to Los Angeles and more than 1000 miles to Washington, DC.

We have no train travel to speak of. Air travel (since 9/11) is a royal pain. Gasoline prices are going through the roof, which makes automobile travel very expensive. And, all the tourists stay out on the beach where rents for museum space would be prohibitive.

Finally, it will probably take at least ten years to really become an established tourist attraction. You're about eight years younger than me.

So, it appears, Gordon, old friend, that you're much better positioned than I am for opening a museum ... 

All the best,
Richard

[Richard]

BTW, Martin ... It's NOT that I dislike London (actually London is a wonderful city), it's just that I dislike big cities in general!

[playmofire]

Over 7,000,000 people live in Greater London, compared to 700,000 in Leeds, 200,000 in Gateshead, and a 50,000 in Durham (from the 2001 Census). That's 140 people in London for every one in Durham, or 35 for every one in Gateshead, or 10 for every one in Leeds.

You see why a roadshow or exhibition would be more accessible to a greater audience in London.

But is it good that there is so much concentration on one city, and one that is expensive and overcrowded?  On an international basis, the "greater audience" approach would mean everything of international importance would be held in China!  And I'm sure that in other countries you don't have this concentration of Exhibitions on the capital.  It's not as if these exhibitions put on by the British Museum or the Tate or the Science Museum travel around the country.   Even where the London museums and galleries do have "outposts" they're not all that well sited.  There are four Tate galleries, two in London, one in St Ives (Cornwall), 420 miles away, and one in Liverpool.  St Ives has a population of 11,165!  The Liverpool gallery couldn't be less central for the north of England, why not Manchester?  There are "branches" of the National Portrait Gallery in Wales, Somerset and near York, but the accommodation for these is provided by other organisations, mainly the National Trust.

Where museums of national interest are involved, isn't London the obvious choice?

Only if you live in London, Martin.  And a museum of coal mining in London?  A museum of shipbuilding there?  I think not.

Civilisation doesn't stop at the Watford Gap (not when you're travelling north, anyway ), nor does culture and entertainment nor art.  And as for the countryside, well best keep it quiet or we'll be flooded out by visitors from London!

[playmofire]

BTW, Martin ... It's NOT that I dislike London (actually London is a wonderful city), it's just that I dislike big cities in general!

Ditto to both, Richard.  London is OK in small quantities.  I worked there for a time and it was a strange place in some ways.  I was working for J Lyons & Co, at that time the largest food manufacturer and catering business in the country.  I remember my travel expenses were queried by my boss. WHY ARE YOUR TRAVEL CLAIMS SO LOW!  I said I used the Tube (Underground).  WHY?  Quick and cheap.  BUT HOW DO YOU GET TO THE STATION FROM THE OFFICE?  Walk. (About 10 minutes.)  AND AT THE OTHER END?  Walk or bus.  USE TAXIS IN FUTURE!

Next time I had to go to a meeting (with the boss of my boss) we used a taxi.  We were late, very late!

[Martin Milner]

North Yorkshire is almost centrally located between Edinburgh and London. And, it's beautiful. I'd take a train or drive out to see a Playmobil museum in North Yorkshire in a heartbeat. (Train fare is less than £200 return from either London or Edinburgh.)

The hotels located in North Yorkshire seem delightful! No problems with accommodations! (Many are less than £100 per night.)

Unfortunately when you compare those train prices with £300 return flight to Miami, or £280 to New York, or around £200 to Houston, or £350 to Fort Lauderdale, and in all those locations I can get a double en-suite room for less than £40 a night, you can see how Yorkshire still seems remote to a Londoner.

I love England, and my wife and I visited York last year, sadly before I knew Gordon or I'd have suggested meeting up, but rail fares are still way too high. If two or more people are travelling, it's almost always cheaper and more convenient to rent a car, even with the ever rising gas prices.

[Martin Milner]

Quote from: Martin Milner on Today at 10:26:32
Where museums of national interest are involved, isn't London the obvious choice?

Only if you live in London, Martin.  And a museum of coal mining in London?  A museum of shipbuilding there?  I think not.

Civilisation doesn't stop at the Watford Gap (not when you're travelling north, anyway ), nor does culture and entertainment nor art.  And as for the countryside, well best keep it quiet or we'll be flooded out by visitors from London!

Of course I'm not suggesting a coal mining museum in London, the obvious choice would be Newcastle. Shipbuilding? Glasgow Docks, or Portsmouth if you're looking at wooden warships. I'm planning a trip to see HMS Victory later this year - I'm not suggesting it should be moved to London to suit me (we do have HMS Belfast which I visited last year). I feel you're putting words in my mouth, but I think you understand exactly what I'm trying to say. Maybe I should have said non-specific local, rather than national interest.

I agree the population concentration on London isn't a good thing, it drives house prices up, clogs the pavements, roads and tube network, but however you look at it, over 10% of the UK population live in Greater London, not counting the home counties. That's the way it is; I didn't personally make it that way.

If you were a Playmobil executive trying to reach the largest audience possible, would you choose London or North Yorkshire? Honestly?

[Sylvia]

Wonderful photos!

Thank you for sharing them and explaining the individual displays. There certainly was a lot to see!

Imagine the excitement of the child who asked for a container ship when he discovered his dream would come true.