Bloom - overpriced?

Letyourselfgo

Letyourselfgo wrote: »

Rather than start a new thread. I have tickets for Monday but would now rather go on the Sunday,can I just turn up or not? Thanks

Just an update if anyone else is thinking of changing days. It's actually classed a weekend ticket so I'm free to go either Sat or Sun or Mon.

DebDynamite

We're thinking of going to Bloom tomorrow, but as we don't have a garden, we don't really have an interest in buying plants, gardening demos, etc. We like looking at nice gardens, but they just make me want a garden all the more

Is there enough other stands / exhibits to see that would make it worth our while? Food would be out main interest really.

Sgt Pepper 64

DebDynamite wrote: »

We're thinking of going to Bloom tomorrow, but as we don't have a garden, we don't really have an interest in buying plants, gardening demos, etc. We like looking at nice gardens, but they just make me want a garden all the more

Is there enough other stands / exhibits to see that would make it worth our while? Food would be out main interest really.

huge food section. get yerself down there, demos by nene

paddy147

22 degreec C today and its a scorcher over there.

Tigerandahalf

Just read through this whole thread. Very surprised that people would consider a family ticket for 40 eur as poor value. Have never been to Bloom as far from Dublin and I doubt I would go if the weather was poor or if it was too crowded.
However 20 eur for an adult who can spend the whole day browsing, learning about different plants and flowers and tasting different foods seems good value. A ticket to a rugby or soccer game will cost you more. This is a once a year event.

Letyourselfgo

I thought it was great value, my 3 kids went for free as well. Great day out. My favourite garden was Jack and Jill.

A few pics here
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25938822@N07/sets/72157633902077931/

glaswegian

went yesterday (sunday) had a great day out,could have spent twice as long as i did,but i wanted to take in the zoo seeing as i was in the park. looking forward to next years bloom.

paddy147

Well we are just back from Bloom.

A fantastic day and event.

We bought lots of flowers and plants.

At 5pm all the flower stands started to sell off all their stuff for half price.

Plenty of bargains to be had,and we got some allright.:D


Pics on the way later.:)

paddy147

Some pics.:)

ted1

Managed to get free tickets for Sunday, thought it was over crowded. The entrance was poorly organised. We had to collect our tickets from a friend who was at the red entrance and kept on getting sent the wrong way by staff who didn't know there was a green and red entrance.
Once in there I thought it was very good.
Lots of interesting stands, I liked the bees and newts as well as the show gardens

On a good note my little girl won a draw at the grow wise stand and was delighted with her prize.

paddy147

ted1 wrote: »

Managed to get free tickets for Sunday, thought it was over crowded. The entrance was poorly organised. We had to collect our tickets from a friend who was at the red entrance and kept on getting sent the wrong way by staff who didn't know there was a green and red entrance.
Once in there I thought it was very good.
Lots of interesting stands, I liked the bees and newts as well as the show gardens

On a good note my little girl won a draw at the grow wise stand and was delighted with her prize.

Yeah one of the car park/security lads gave out to us for going and bringing the car down a bit closer to the entrance to load up the car with the plants we bought.


We parked the car into an unoccupied car park space and my missus went to load the plants into the car and this security fella came over and started giving out to us......


"you cant park there,you,ll have to move on"




Our reply was......" well this is a carpark,and a parking space isnt it,and we did pay 5 euro to park in this carpark".:D

He then shut up and went off mumbling away to himself....:pac:



Congratts to your daughter on winning the draw.:)

magicbastarder

i did hear sunday was extremely crowded; monday was fine. maybe the mini marathon drew numbers away.

trishasaffron

I'd just like to get back to the title of the thread. Most replies have focussed on boosting Bloom by people who are clearly involved directly or indirectly with the event - so I would regard them as having a vested interest (perhaps we should have a formal register;)).

Also people saying "its a good event - so the price is justified".

But neither of these points specifically answer the question. Something can be very good and valuable for the exhibitors and still be viewed as too expensive by a large number of people.

I went to it to meet a gardening friend in Dublin for the day. I thought it seemed very commercial though I loved the OPW garden but I suppose I can get to see that free? The show gardens were a bit dinky and very conventional looking by and large.

Since then I've spoken about it with lots of people - some friends & some not.

Without exception they have mentioned the price and said that's it was too expensive for them. I agree. Please no need to convince me that its a good event - I agree - it is. I'm only talking about the price and I'm sure it could be done more cheaply.

paddy147

trishasaffron wrote: »

I'd just like to get back to the title of the thread. Most replies have focussed on boosting Bloom by people who are clearly involved directly or indirectly with the event - so I would regard them as having a vested interest (perhaps we should have a formal register;)).

Also people saying "its a good event - so the price is justified".

But neither of these points specifically answer the question. Something can be very good and valuable for the exhibitors and still be viewed as too expensive by a large number of people.

I went to it to meet a gardening friend in Dublin for the day. I thought it seemed very commercial though I loved the OPW garden but I suppose I can get to see that free? The show gardens were a bit dinky and very conventional looking by and large.

Since then I've spoken about it with lots of people - some friends & some not.

Without exception they have mentioned the price and said that's it was too expensive for them. I agree. Please no need to convince me that its a good event - I agree - it is. I'm only talking about the price and I'm sure it could be done more cheaply.

The walled kitchen gardens are free to walk through all week long and all year long.

They supply food to the nearby cafe and also to the Aras and Farmleigh.


They are fantasticly well looked after and maintained by the staff,and they also will be producing honey very soon too,as they have their beehives now aswell.

A few more years,and their orchard will be producing fruit too.






Oh and Im not involved with Bloom in any way at all........I want to clarify that point again.:)

Hootanany

I wonder how much profit Bloom makes and for whom.

Sgt Pepper 64

Hootanany wrote: »

I wonder how much profit Bloom makes and for whom.

110,000 attended

dont know about that but thumbs down to the naysayers as numbers are up
(good weather no doubt helped)
and companys got new business
I really dont see how or why anybody would knock it.
I doubt anyone could organise such an event for over 100,000 people for few and and 20 euro each isnt much for a full day out

http://bloominthepark.com/news/?article=43

Business is Blooming in the Phoenix Park


Monday 3rd June 2013 Bloom 2013 attracted in excess of 110,000 visitors - an all-time record, exceeding the previous peak of 90,000. Organised by Bord Bia, the show has now more than doubled in size compared with attendance at the inaugural event in 2007. Bloom continues to grow in popularity and with the exceptionally high attendance this year, artisans, exhibitors and garden designers alike reported a surge in onsite sales.

Speaking at the event today Aidan Cotter, Chief Executive, Bord Bia said "Bloom 2013 has been a hugely successful show, our best to date according to feedback. It is now a well-established showcase for the talent, diversity and capability of the Irish food and horticulture sector and its capacity to contribute to economic recovery.” In addition to all the sales and business conducted during Bloom, in an effort to develop further business offsite, Bord Bia brought buyers from key retail outlets including Tesco, Dunnes, Musgraves and Lidl to meet artisan food producers exhibiting at the show.


Budding Business


Show garden designers Michael Carroll and Kevin Dennis, whose ‘Riverside Calm’ garden won a silver gilt medal, have had huge interest in their garden and in particular their table top trees. “Bloom has been a great experience for us. We have already secured in the region of 30 strong leads and commissions.” Alan Rudden and David Ryan from Gardens Now estimate they’ve lined up a minimum of €80,000 worth of business through their presence at Bloom 2013. Kildare Growers also reported its plants sales had surpassed the €100,000 mark during the final day of the show.

Gary Graham, Bloom Show Manager, Bord Bia added “Bloom is the most important event in the horticulture calendar – a total of almost 2,000 people worked onsite during the build up and throughout the weekend, including designers, exhibitors, Bord Bia representatives, OPW and essential support services including the Gardai, security and caterers. Bord Bia, and our event sponsors including Woodies, Keelings, Kerry Foods and Mazda, are delighted with the success of this year’s show.”


Only 357 days to go!

Seve OB

paddy147 wrote: »

Oh and Im not involved with Bloom in any way at all........I want to clarify that point again.:)

I genuinely thought you did have some involvement. You seemed to be there every day in the build up and preparation. If you had nothing to do with it, how were you able to wander round so freely?

Sgt Pepper 64 wrote: »

Bloom continues to grow in popularity and with the exceptionally high attendance this year, artisans, exhibitors and garden designers alike reported a surge in onsite sales.

In addition to all the sales and business conducted during Bloom, in an effort to develop further business offsite, Bord Bia brought buyers from key retail outlets including Tesco, Dunnes, Musgraves and Lidl to meet artisan food producers exhibiting at the show.

Show garden designers Michael Carroll and Kevin Dennis, whose ‘Riverside Calm’ garden won a silver gilt medal, have had huge interest in their garden and in particular their table top trees. “Bloom has been a great experience for us. We have already secured in the region of 30 strong leads and commissions.”

Alan Rudden and David Ryan from Gardens Now estimate they’ve lined up a minimum of €80,000 worth of business through their presence at Bloom 2013.

Kildare Growers also reported its plants sales had surpassed the €100,000 mark during the final day of the show.

This pretty much sums up what I was trying to point out before the show. It appears to have been a great success for all these business making money hand over fist and fair play to them. It's great to see after all the doom and gloom we are going through.

But that was just it, these exhibitors are all raking it in, but joe blogs still has to fork out €20 to get through the gates........ so he can spend more money inside!!!

I'm delighted for all the people involved in Bloom that it was such a success, and numbers indicate that people were willing to pay the entrance fee so they obviously didn't price themselves out of the market, but €20 a head was to much for me and at least 20 other people I discussed with, so I still feel their numbers could have been a lot greater if they dropped the price and made it a bit more affordable.

peadar76

paddy147 wrote: »

Oh and Im not involved with Bloom in any way at all........I want to clarify that point again.:)

you yourself may not be directly involved, but from your earlier posts, you seem to know a lot of people who are involved

paddy147

Again I will say it for people.............Im not involved with Bloom or the running/organising of it.

I was over there before,during and after Bloom and took some pics


I payed in on Monday with my family.
We all had a great time and we all enjoyed Bloom 2013.:)


Pics of Bloom 2013 and the gardens on previous page.

paddy147

Oh look what we have here......

Some pics of Bloom and it all being dismantled today.

There were still a few plants and trees on sale there today.:)

magicbastarder

i was in bloom on friday manning a stand (for a non-profit organisation), so i got to see probably less than a quarter of it.
on monday i went back (using tickets an acquaintance had acquired through work and did not want); we arrived at ten and left about 1pm. would have stayed longer except i had to collect someone from the airport. saw a fair few things which i would not have been aware of before (e.g. the wall mounted water butts with integrated watering can) or would have spent time trying to hunt down, so 20 quid would have been a reasonable cost for the time saved in that sense. got some nice plants, but was slightly underwhelmed by most show gardens.
good array of food producers on display too, some offering discounts.

all in all, i would not have been unhappy spending 20 quid getting in.

Tar.Aldarion

Was 40e for myself and my gf, far too dear for what was there combined with the crowd. The main problem is they sell as much tickets as they possibly can and you cant even go near the gardens for hours. You will see nothing. The only way this is good value is with a family ticket/free children or seeing ti when it is calmed down.

Sgt Pepper 64

stevieob wrote: »

This pretty much sums up what I was trying to point out before the show. It appears to have been a great success for all these business making money hand over fist and fair play to them. It's great to see after all the doom and gloom we are going through.

But that was just it, these exhibitors are all raking it in, but joe blogs still has to fork out €20 to get through the gates........ so he can spend more money inside!!!

I'm delighted for all the people involved in Bloom that it was such a success, and numbers indicate that people were willing to pay the entrance fee so they obviously didn't price themselves out of the market, but €20 a head was to much for me and at least 20 other people I discussed with, so I still feel their numbers could have been a lot greater if they dropped the price and made it a bit more affordable.

True, but what a pleasant environment they create for you spend your money!
Plus I would say we probably got around €20 euros of free stuff as well.
made a saving on plants I would normally buy dearer elsewhere, plus learnt a thing or two and the family have happy memories

Hootanany

So Bord Bia organised it:rolleyes:

paddy147

Sgt Pepper 64 wrote: »

True, but what a pleasant environment they create for you spend your money!
Plus I would say we probably got around €20 euros of free stuff as well.
made a saving on plants I would normally buy dearer elsewhere, plus learnt a thing or two and the family have happy memories

It was like Supermarket Sweep once 5pm came around on the Monday and the nurseries and traders started to slash the prices of the plants and flowers...:D:D

Sgt Pepper 64

paddy147 wrote: »

It was like Supermarket Sweep once 5pm came around on the Monday and the nurseries and traders started to slash the prices of the plants and flowers...:D:D

last year, we had to wait until a certain time and then everyone was shouting at the poor stand people, and 3 people tried to grab the same plant!

peadar76

paddy147 wrote: »

Again I will say it for people.............Im not involved with Bloom or the running/organising of it.

I was over there before,during and after Bloom and took some pics


I payed in on Monday with my family.
We all had a great time and we all enjoyed Bloom 2013.:)


Pics of Bloom 2013 and the gardens on previous page.

So is Bloom open to some of the public before it's open to the public?

paddy147

Hootanany wrote: »

So Bord Bia organised it:rolleyes:

Ah here.....




Id love to see "Hootanany" Bloom 2014 then...:pac::pac:

Id say it would be like something from Craggy Island.

paddy147

peadar76 wrote: »

So is Bloom open to some of the public before it's open to the public?

Bloom opens at 10am on the Thursday and closes at 6pm on the bank holiday Monday.

peadar76

So what would one have to do to gain access before 10am on the thursday?