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Welcome to todays diary entry! Set-up day! This is it—the moment we’ve been working toward for weeks and even months. All the planning, all the back-and-forths, the meetings, the late-night packing sessions—it all comes down to this. What’s been done is done, and now the only thing left is to focus on executing it and getting the show up and running.
It’s funny how timing always seems to pile everything on at once. The new system launching back at the shop couldn’t have come at a worse time, or maybe it’s the show that couldn’t have come at a worse time. Either way, it’s a lot. But there’s nothing for it now other than to knuckle down and get on with it. We’re in too deep to turn back, and there’s no room for panic—just focus and get the job done.
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Today has been all hands on deck as we tackled the bulk of the setup. Tomorrow morning will be about the finishing touches and tightening everything up before the soft launch in the afternoon. It’s a massive operation, and when you stand back and look at everything that’s going up—the awnings, the stands, the signage—it really hits you how big this event has become.
In hindsight, it probably is a bit more than we could chew for a single weekend. If we do it again, we’ll definitely consider stretching it out over more days to make it worth the sheer effort that goes into getting this all ready.
And let’s be honest, the logistics alone have been intense. From deciding on the layout and managing power to coordinating when stock should arrive, it’s like trying to conduct an orchestra where half the musicians haven’t played together before. You don’t realise how many moving parts go into an event like this until you’re right in the thick of it.
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That said, we wouldn’t have been able to pull this off without the support of the manufacturers. Their presence, their stock, their manpower—it’s made a world of difference. I really hope it pays off for them too. We’ll do fine regardless, but with so much competition all in one place, I just want everyone involved to do well. That way, it becomes something people want to come back to. If the brands can see a return for their effort, it sets us up for bigger and better shows down the line.
Once again, the weather has been an absolute gift. Bright skies, dry ground, no wind—it makes such a huge difference. Morale is higher, work gets done faster, and people are just generally happier when they’re not being soaked to the bone or wrestling with tents in the rain. Having a dry setup day is something you never take for granted, especially in the UK.
And today, having my two new lads there made a huge difference as well. There’s no better way to learn about awnings and tents than hands-on experience, and they both really got stuck in. It’s one thing to see it in a catalogue or watch someone else do it, but it’s another thing entirely to roll up your sleeves and pitch it yourself. They showed a real willingness to learn, and you can’t ask for more than that.
It’s been a proper team effort. Everyone’s playing their part, pitching in, and sharing the load. Lisa’s been brilliant behind the scenes keeping things on track, and even Rory’s been getting into the spirit, darting around the field with that grin of his. It’s moments like this that make all the chaos feel worth it. You step back, take a breath, and realise—we’re building something really special here.
Here’s to finishing strong tomorrow and kicking off the weekend on the right foot. Let the madness begin.
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