London Boat Show’s new layout: the editor’s verdict

Change is good when the boat show is this easy to navigate

The London Boat Show’s layout has come in for some stick over

the years, from exhibitors and visitors alike, with its sometimes confusing

layout creating dead-end aisles, deserted corners and plenty of confused faces.

However, this year the organisers seem to have got it right. Yes it is a new layout – one that will take a bit of getting used to – but the design is very easy to use and understand.

An exciting show experience hits you as soon as you enter through

the new Prince Regent entrance, courtesy of the Watersports Action Pool, and the hit of boats immediately after from the

Boardwalk marina continues this spectacular feel.

The decision to place both power and sail in the same hall creates a real buzz, doing away with the old-fashioned notion that these two worlds should be kept apart. It is especially good to see used boats taking their rightful place at the show. As the usual entry point for buyers it is so important that the brokerage market gets a platform and in doing so National Boat Shows (NBS) may well have solved the problem of the usually unpopular ExCeL waterfront.          

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