In general, your average travelling showmen is pretty resourceful and generally multiskilled. Everything from an electronic engineer, through a qualified welder to an airbrush artists can be found withing the funfair community. In fact, virtually any requirement that a showman had, could be met within our industry. The money could be circulated and kept ringfenced in this business and would benefit us all. Sadly, many people would prefer to to spend their money outside of the showland fraternity, simply because they feel that by giving money to another showman they are somehow helping him up the ladder of success and they don't want that.
A number of years ago I was designing and selling lighting systems. At a large Northern funfair, (Newcastle Hoppings), there is a section of the site reserved for traders who are selling goods directly to the showmen. One of these traders specialised in electrical and lighting goods. He asked me if I had any lighting control units ready assembled that he could sell on his stand. I had two identical units, I gave him one to sell and kept the other for myself as someone I knew was coming to look at it. The gentleman in question duly arrived, he looked at the unit and we discussed the price which was £200. He told me he would think about it and let me know. He then left me and visited the aforementioned trader, where he immediately paid £350 for my other identical unit! The trader then came back to me and took my second unit to replace the one he had just sold. I was happy, I had my money, the trader had made a nice profit, and the showman in question was happy, he had given his money to someone outside of the business???
A distant cousin of mine has been decorating fairground rides and transport for a few years now. I recently had a quick look over his site and was pleasantly surprised, I hadn't realised just how good he was. Anyone wanting custom airbrushed artwork should look over DAZEBESPOKE. I intend to practice what I preach and am waiting for a price from him to redecorate some of our attractions in a traditional Victorian theme.
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A number of years ago I was designing and selling lighting systems. At a large Northern funfair, (Newcastle Hoppings), there is a section of the site reserved for traders who are selling goods directly to the showmen. One of these traders specialised in electrical and lighting goods. He asked me if I had any lighting control units ready assembled that he could sell on his stand. I had two identical units, I gave him one to sell and kept the other for myself as someone I knew was coming to look at it. The gentleman in question duly arrived, he looked at the unit and we discussed the price which was £200. He told me he would think about it and let me know. He then left me and visited the aforementioned trader, where he immediately paid £350 for my other identical unit! The trader then came back to me and took my second unit to replace the one he had just sold. I was happy, I had my money, the trader had made a nice profit, and the showman in question was happy, he had given his money to someone outside of the business???
A distant cousin of mine has been decorating fairground rides and transport for a few years now. I recently had a quick look over his site and was pleasantly surprised, I hadn't realised just how good he was. Anyone wanting custom airbrushed artwork should look over DAZEBESPOKE. I intend to practice what I preach and am waiting for a price from him to redecorate some of our attractions in a traditional Victorian theme.
The Professional Approach To Corporate Funfairs
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