London Spring Pen Show March 8Th

[Beechwood]

I was due to go to the Pen Show followed by the London Book Fair, news is that the Book Fair has been cancelled:

 

https://www.londonbookfair.co.uk/

 

Just watching the news and they say that some football matches will be played with empty stands.

 

I am becoming surprised that the London Pen Show has not been cancelled, the London Book Fair has the same sort of numbers in attendance and similar style of event.

Edited March 6, 2020 by Beechwood

[peterg]

Looking forward to getting some bargains

[AJ50]

I see that The Writing Desk has just pulled out of the Show. Don’t know of any others that might decide not to risk it. I hope those attending have a good time and get plenty of bargains

[danielbird193]

It's a shame to hear that some well known exhibitors have pulled out. I still plan to attend and look forward to it very much.

[dapprman]

I was due to go to the Pen Show followed by the London Book Fair, news is that the Book Fair has been cancelled:

 

https://www.londonbookfair.co.uk/

 

Just watching the news and they say that some football matches will be played with empty stands.

 

I am becoming surprised that the London Pen Show has not been cancelled, the London Book Fair has the same sort of numbers in attendance and similar style of event.

Don't forget the official advice at the moment is effectively - just take care - 3 weeks time (I think that's when the book fair is - apologies not checked your link but was speaking to some one last night who was looking to go) things could be different and people are panicking as htey do so events further afield time wise might just be pre-empting.

 

As to vendors - this is what I know:

Now known not to be coming

Cult Pens

Onoto

Stilograph Corsani

The Writing Desk

William Shakour

 

Confirmed they will be there

Write Here

 

Also Pure Pens (also known as Niche Pens and Pelikan Pens) still have the same flash on their website saying they are attending).

[Beechwood]

Book fair was to be 9-11 March

 

Good luck to all.

Edited March 7, 2020 by Beechwood

[Mercian]

Wrt to worrying about contracting infections in London, I personally would be far more worried about using the ‘Sewer Trains’ (you, gentle reader, may know those better as ‘the Tube’) than about being in the warm room in which the pen show is held.

 

Ok so I am a rural FrootLoop with twigs in his beard, and as a Midlander I’d be thinking of going to the Birmingham Show in June anyway, rather than to the one in London in March (the Birmingham show’s location is just across the road from one of the exits from the main railway station in Brum).

But the Tube is hot and horribly crowded and carries Cthulhu knows how many people every day, in one of the most globally-interconnected cities in the world.
To be fair, I suppose I’d just need to wear gloves in order to ride it without fear of any infection, and maybe a scarf around my face if I were feeling especially frit.

 

Let’s hope that there’s no need to cancel any of the shows, eh?

[peterg]

I would say that the number of traders and punters was about the same as last year's spring show which, considering the current hysteria, is not a bad result.

 

Came away much poorer, but that is par for the course!

[bbs]

Thats good to hear. I thought there were some gaps on the tables, and it was less busy than the established October show, but I havent been able to get to a spring show before so cant compare like with like.

 

A huge thank you to the organisers for making it as safe as they were able with the hand sanitisers, and to all the vendors who turned up. So of course I showed my appreciation by buying far more than I intended ... but I found a few pens that had been on my wish list for ages at cant resist prices. Well what are pen shows for?

 

And really sorry I didnt get to meet up with everyone - I went to the pizza place at 12.30 but they werent opening till 1pm, and as I had to leave for home at about 1.30 I wouldnt have had time to hang around. Only thing I regret is not having a good chat about what everyone else had found. Will do in October!

Edited March 8, 2020 by bbs

[sansenri]

Was Corsani actually there?

It would be surprising, but hope they were, as they have some nice own SE pens.

As of last night anyone in the region of Lombardia (Milano area, which is where I am) cannot leave the region...

Edited March 8, 2020 by sansenri

[sansenri]

Dreaded double post...

Edited March 8, 2020 by sansenri

[LesterPendragon]

A great day at the Spring 2020 "At-Your-Own-Risk" London Pen Show.

 

[ I was only sneezed on once, and that was some Scottish guy, so — fingers crossed — it probably doesn't count…]

 

Big turn out from the punters; a few drop outs amongst the vendors — mainly from the "modern" retailer community, so the old-school character of the show remained intact — which was OK with me. That's what the internet is for…

 

Lost my wallet half way through — [ DISASTER ! ] — only to recover it 20 minutes later from John Sorowka's table [bless you, John] — which consequently gave me an unlooked for splurge-to-the-limit sense of freedom which I wholeheartedly recommend as a purchasing strategy…

 

Ended the day with three pens [Wyverns], four inks … and retained a budget surplus…

 

[ If I'm still posting in May you'll know it was probably worth it. ]

 

-------------------–

Seriously though, congratulations to the new WES team for mounting a successful show in the face of some daunting hurdles.

[bbs]

Was Corsani actually there?

It would be surprising, but hope they were, as they have some nice own SE pens.

As of last night anyone in the region of Lombardia (Milano area, which is where I am) cannot leave the region...

No, sadly, I think there was only one seller from Italy: a woman I didnt recognise, apologies to her! I may well be wrong about that, but Corsani, Novelli and Santini were not there. I have bought from the first two in past years, and am interested in a Santini.

 

Sorry that you are having such a bad time with this virus, I hope the quarantine measures work in limiting the spread and you can get back to normal soon.

Edited March 8, 2020 by bbs

[dapprman]

Thats good to hear. I thought there were some gaps on the tables, and it was less busy than the established October show, but I havent been able to get to a spring show before so cant compare like with like.

 

And really sorry I didnt get to meet up with everyone - I went to the pizza place at 12.30 but they werent opening till 1pm, and as I had to leave for home at about 1.30 I wouldnt have had time to hang around. Only thing I regret is not having a good chat about what everyone else had found. Will do in October!

Apparently they removed a row in the main room, which created more space and some vendors used additional tables. It did work as you'd not know more than a couple of vendors had dropped out.

 

We must have just missed you finding out it was not Sophie's Pizzaria was not open till 1 - we did go back just after the - I hung around the coffee area between 12:30-13:00 talking to others with my back to the entrance so missed you this time.

[bbs]

Oh that’s a shame! I thought I heard you at Sarj’s table but didn’t interrupt and say hello as I was sure I’d be seeing you later.

 

I thought the show worked really well, it was easy to move around and look. Too easy .... !

[sandy101]

It was a pleasure to see people as they went about their pen show business.

 

Pizzeria Sofia's pizzas were nice. I'll certainly go back there again.

 

Till next time.

[sansenri]

No, sadly, I think there was only one seller from Italy: a woman I didnt recognise, apologies to her! I may well be wrong about that, but Corsani, Novelli and Santini were not there. I have bought from the first two in past years, and am interested in a Santini.

 

Sorry that you are having such a bad time with this virus, I hope the quarantine measures work in limiting the spread and you can get back to normal soon.

That is what authorities hope. Latest news the whole of Italy is quaranteened...

No other way to force Italians to stick to the rules...

[Parker51]

That is what authorities hope. Latest news the whole of Italy is quaranteened...

No other way to force Italians to stick to the rules...

Given that a part of what is now Italy invented the quarantine, perhaps they are simply going with what has worked and are choosing to be as safe as possible.