Thank you for all the nice comments
I have been seriously thinking about calling it a day for several reasons. Some good, some bad, some downright shitty tactics by others suggesting a boycott.
Farthest From was set up as a love letter to the show 'pre-ebay' where you got in a car, drove for hours to a village hall (often dark and dingy) and then crammed in to riffle through to find the gems.
Whilst location was always a factor in today's 'sit,click and collect' culture, by having the event running on at regular intervals, spring, summer and winter, it allowed for folk to plan in advance for a particular event and make the journey. However I always wanted to have the event an experience for people, that if they had zero disposable income, they could walk away from attending the event richer for the experience (be it through presentations, displays etc).
When the show started it felt special, it felt that everyone who came and supported was rewarded in some way.
Today, it feels taken for granted or just ambivalence with respect to it.
It is worth highlighting I run several other shows through the year, both in Fordingbridge and beyond, craft markets, food markets and other toy events, and as a result you can see/ judge what goes on. A lot of folk say it needs a bigger venue or central location, but truth is, you will probably never get many more vintage dealers, simply due wherever and whenever you hold the event, there's not actually that many out there.
The educational element to the has also been absent from the last few years (with the exception of the Christmas Dinner events) where space has been tight, which is something I feel is a loss.
In addition, a lot of time effort and energy goes into each one and without going into too much detail I've had health issues - I'm still alive, but the sort where you rethink and start making bucket lists just in case.
The biggest factor however is over the last couple of years you can see the anticipation has dwindled for Farthest From, you can see the interaction has dwindled and you can see the post-chat dwindle too. Whilst in other areas where there are additional events, the anticipation, interaction and post-chat has exploded and gone through the roof, which is great in bigger picture for the longevity of the hobby, but there's people that attend both, post all about one, but not about another, sort of leaves you thinking they have lost the love and enthusiasm for Farthest From. This might be because of that established regular fixture of Spring, Summer and Winter, maybe there are too many events on the calendar now, maybe the other show is better, maybe go to next one - with the next one being "maybe go to the next one". 20 events down and there are still plenty of folks to yet even make one show.
Then you pick up the passive aggressive comments that is a movement to wound the event, by dropping the occasional suggestions that place in a negative light, or perhaps putting an idea out there to not support the event. This has to be the dumbest and most selfish tactic employed. I have explained reasons more than once, several times in fact, with a valid rational. It is not accepted, which is fine, we don't all have to agree. However to paint negative pictures on the event in attempts to create pressure and force an outcome is not cool. It would not be a victory, no-one would benefit, more would be lost, try and respect the reasons which have been outlined several times. The needling employed is at the expense of everyone else. Please stop.
I am immensely proud that the event has brought many people together and has been the glue that created many new friendships and that in many ways grew beyond the few hours of the show for evenings of beer, curry and tales, you can't put a value on that.
Who knows what the answer is, but I think if hands were put on heart, the love for it just isn't there anymore. Maybe a rethink is needed, maybe let it die, maybe something to take it's place, but always welcome everyone's thoughts, good and bad
