It's possible I might be taking someone who uses a disabled sticker to Crufts. Does anyone use the disabled car parks at the NEC and where are they? I can only ever remember using the West car park for some reason! Do they need to be pre-booked?
TIA

I'm not sure where the disabled car parking is, but it costs £10, the same as ordinary car parking.

Disabled Visitors information.

Thanks JG

In effect the NEC has taken away the benefit of having a Blue Badge.

There are relatively few disabled parking spaces close to the halls and when these are filled parking will be in the regular car parks, where you will have to either walk or catch the bus to the building.

Where parking for Blue Badge holders used to be free they have now upped the payment to be the same as able bodied parking prices.

Shame on the NEC!

Disabled parking is funneled to the South Car Park as that has the buses.

>Where parking for Blue Badge holders used to be free they have now upped the payment to be the same as able bodied parking prices.

To be fair, the cars take up the same amount of space so should be charged the same price. The concession should be ease of access.

Jeangenie, because of my disability I will only manage to walk around the halls for a half day even with taking strong painkillers, I may go back the next day dependant on pain.

Total parking cost £20, if I decide to return.

As it is I can't stay all day but still have to pay the same parking fee as someone who can although I have a Blue badge.

It isn't always about distance :-)

People who are 'temporarily disabled' (ie on crutches after surgery etc) can't get around without pain and don't even have the advantage of closer parking, so it works both ways.

(You could always park at the railway station which is usually a couple of quid cheaper. ;-) )

> The concession should be ease of access

I agree - there are lots of people who won't be able to afford to go at all - able and disabled

I'm judging at LKA and friends wanted to come and watch some who are disabled, sadly when I told them of the £10 fee they have decided not to attend, i can't blame them.

> sadly when I told them of the £10 fee

But today, with the cost of rail travel, petrol etc, entrance fee, £10 parking can't be the sole deciding factor not to attend. I really don't see why disabled people should be the only people receiving a concession - a lot of elderly people could plead ease of access etc and extending a concession to everyone who has a claim to needing ease of access or being in receipt of benefits, for example, would be impossible

I really don't see why disabled people should be the only people receiving a concession



They aren't ....children OAP's and students do too.

>They aren't ....children OAP's and students do too.

That's entry to the show; parents', OAPs' and students' cars all take up the same amount of space in the car park.

I assume you'd be travelling alone, Charlie Brown, and not have an able-bodied person in the car who, in the past, would have been diddling the car park management out of a fee ...? ;-)

It is as that's £10 extra on top of fuel bills etc.  Even more annoying is that certain events still don't charge car parking fees, although I understand that is due to them having large number of stalls so the costs can be cut for people coming to see the event, but in some ways still seems unfair to others that are going to events that don't have as many stalls.

> Even more annoying is that certain events still don't charge car parking fees, although I understand that is due to them having large number of stalls so the costs can be > cut for people coming to see the event, but in some ways still seems unfair to others that are going to events that don't have as many stalls.

But this is a commercial event ! I've never been to Crufts, but I have been to the Horse of the Year Show, Olympia etc etc - I expect to pay ! :) :) :) Everyone has a choice - if they go, it costs money - if they don't go, it costs nothing :) :) :)

>It is as that's £10 extra on top of fuel bills etc.

People could always go by train instead, if they don't want to pay to park.

I assume you'd be travelling alone, Charlie Brown, and not have an able-bodied person in the car who, in the past, would have been diddling the car park management out of a fee ...?

Actually I take my little boy, he isn't old enough to drive and park a car so not diddling anyone out of a fee :-)

I've been going to Crufts for over 30 years, and have never paid a car parking fee at the NEC.

If they haven't charged previously and still don't charge for some other events parking fees why charge for Crufts?

The charge for disabled parking applies to all events at the NEC now, not just Crufts.

From the NEC website:

Disabled parking at the NEC has moved from being free of charge to costing £10, bringing it in line with the majority of other venues. However, we have also improved the service for our visitors in many ways:

    The parking area is fully signposted and close to the venue.
    We have recently introduced shelters and dedicated help points in the disabled car parks for those visitors who require assistance which ring through to the venue. From here, a porter service is provided to take you to the Bartrams mobility collection point.
    Free wheelchairs for blue badge holders will be available (booking in advance is advised). Booking information can be found here.
    Wheelchairs and mobility scooters will also be available in the venue at a charge to visitors requesting them. As with all venues, the number of wheelchairs is limited so, we would ask people with their own wheelchairs to please bring them
    A Parking Attendant is also on hand to help out offer a more personal service feel.

The charge for disabled parking applies to all events at the NEC now, not just Crufts.

From the NEC website:

Disabled parking at the NEC has moved from being free of charge to costing £10, bringing it in line with the majority of other venues. However, we have also improved the service for our visitors in many ways:

    The parking area is fully signposted and close to the venue.
    We have recently introduced shelters and dedicated help points in the disabled car parks for those visitors who require assistance which ring through to the venue. From here, a porter service is provided to take you to the Bartrams mobility collection point.
    Free wheelchairs for blue badge holders will be available (booking in advance is advised). Booking information can be found here.
    Wheelchairs and mobility scooters will also be available in the venue at a charge to visitors requesting them. As with all venues, the number of wheelchairs is limited so, we would ask people with their own wheelchairs to please bring them
    A Parking Attendant is also on hand to help out offer a more personal service feel.


Nowhere in the above does it say car parking charges are for every event, and neither is anything in the above of any help to me.

> But this is a commercial event

It is not it is a sporting/hobby event.

By all means charge visitors but not competitors and participants, who have already paid huge entry fees, and still have to pay for any helpers/partners over and above the number of dogs entered.

> People could always go by train instead, if they don't want to pay to park.

I have done it and your very unlikely to get there in time unless you live close by.  One year I went and due to train cancellations I arrived as Open dog was being judged and I had my exhibit in Junior bitch.

I also had to plead to be allowed in as it was after the 12pm last arrival time for exhibitors.

They say that and I think it was supposed to be from October but if you look at the events it isn't true!

Some events are stands only, so get a huge income from the people who have the stands, thus enabling organisers to allow people going to their event not having to pay a full £10.

Out of interest all the other ch shows around the UK which charge car parking do those who are disabled have to pay there?

> It is not it is a sporting/hobby event

Yes - but it's still run on a commercial basis - it has to try to cover it's expenses.

No they don't have to pay at the other shows.

The toy fair has free parking at the NEC, so why can't we get the KC (for Crufts) and LKA organisers to get it for us, for exhibitors at least???

the caravan show show is £4 for car parking :)

free parking for carvan show 2013 if tickets bought in advance :)
2013 Ticket Prices:
Ticket Prices Advance* On-the-Door
Senior (over 60yrs) £7.00 £9.00
Adult £8.00 £10.00
Child (under 16yrs)* FREE FREE

we being taken for a ride ;)

It's because as I said above the stand holders pay for their stands, a few thousand pound each, so if it's a show where a hall is full of stands the NEC makes lots of money.  Due to our shows only having a few stands and us using a few halls they don't get the same revenue so charge us for parking!

Think you will find that Crufts use more halls than the Caravan show and has hundreds of stalls, there is more floor space used for commercial purposes than there is for rings & benches.

Not sure about others, but disabled exhibitors do pay for parking at Edinburgh and I am pretty certain Blackpool charge.

I actually do not mind paying to park but I do expect that the parking will be close enough for me to be able to walk to where I am going, carrying anything I need with me. What does make me cross is when the disable park is either too far to walk with no where to sit and recover or that the way is littered with obstacles.

I'm not surprised that crufts entry alone is charged at a higher rate than other trade fairs at the same venue. The amount of cleaning up after the show to make the venue in and out useable for the next clients must be tremendous. The place is covered in dog poo and wee by sunday. It is absolutely revolting! I'm glad we are going on Thursday next year!

I think the amount of human litter at any concert etc will probably equal or exceed what the irrepsonsible handlers leave from their dogs (though granted poo is not nice to clear up).