Olympia moving to ExCel this year

[milliepops]

https://londonhorseshow.com/olympia-the-london-international-horse-show-moves-to-excel-london

Hmmm
the whole rigmarole of getting to Kensington is part of the charm for me! and the glorious old building.
Glad they've found a new home for this year though, let's hope it can go ahead

 

[The Xmas Furry]

Oh pants! More of an epic trip for me, used to enjoy the early trundle up in the car but the journey to Excel is a bit more of an arse for me.
Glad its planning to go ahead tho ?

 

[ester]

the whole rigmarole of getting to Kensington is part of the charm for me!

weirdo

 

[milliepops]

weirdo

I did miss my annual stress about parking, and cursing myself for being too tight to prebook the on site stuff AGAIN, last year
That replaced the annual stress about the last tube, back in the days before we drove there
it's tradition ya know

 

[MuddyMonster]

I think the Excel is an easier train journey for me, so this might be advantageous. I wonder of the charm would be the same inside as the Grand Hall is beautiful.

Not getting my hope's up just yet though with CV's past form of ruining plans ...

 

[rara007]

Yippee perfect for us in the east...!

 

[ester]

google suggests it makes no difference at all time wise to me . But I did normally walk not get a train to actual olympia.

 

[milliepops]

we will probably give it a miss this year as will add at least an hour to the journey time, boo. can barely stay awake on the drive home as it is! hope the TV coverage is good.

 

[hobo]

Loved our more recent visits to Olympia prebook parking which was very reasonable price considering where it was, stay in a cheap prebooked premier Inn usually about £40 what not to love. I hope it does go back there in future years.

 

[BaronSamedi]

Too much hassle for me including the DLR so I won’t be going

 

[Michen]

I’m amazed that no one who goes to Olympia has sussed out the ease of parking at Westfield Shepherd’s Bush (about 8 quid) and then walking or cab.

So easy ?

Moot point now though.

 

[LEC]

I’m amazed that no one who goes to Olympia has sussed out the ease of parking at Westfield Shepherd’s Bush (about 8 quid) and then walking or cab.

So easy ?

Moot point now though.

Yep that’s what I did and then walked.

Excel is a pain for me but will see what tickets they offer as only go if half price sjing. Normally they do half price dressage but that’s a bit dull for me.

 

[Karran]

ooooh yay! Its now only a short bus (and cable car!) ride away!

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

The Excel is easy to get to much easier than Kensington I might actually give it a try this year

 

[milliepops]

I’m amazed that no one who goes to Olympia has sussed out the ease of parking at Westfield Shepherd’s Bush (about 8 quid) and then walking or cab.

So easy ?

Moot point now though.

OH does not believe in pre planning. so our trips always involve a thrill ride round the residential streets, him in absolute certainty that we will find a space within 10m of Olympia, me having heart palpitations about being late, haha.

 

[NinjaPony]

Ugh what!! I got the email today and I can’t help feeling that Olympia isn’t really Olympia without the venue! Silly I know, but I’ve been going every year for 15 years or so and it’s the whole experience that makes it special for me, even down to the overpriced Pizza Express. I’ll have to think whether I can go this year, new venue is much more of a pain to get to.

 

[criso]

The Excel is easy to get to much easier than Kensington I might actually give it a try this year

Depends where you are coming from. I live in North East London and Excel is a tube, overground, another tube and DLR or 2 tubes and 2 DLR I can do Olympia with one tube and the overground.

Docklands is a nightmare, when I travel I rather go all the way to Heathrow rather than negotiate all the changes with luggage to get to City Airport.

 

[Bernster]

I also love the tradition of Olympia but I’m so starved of horsey outings I’ll still try and make the journey. I’m north London too and it is a fag, although parking might be easier. For my friends it will be further to travel too but it’s our annual Xmas event so it’s a ‘must attend’ in my view!

 

[Snowfilly]

Urgh that place is a nightmare to get to. Consensus is it’s going to be too hard to manage sadly, we’re all gutted. Far too many changes and trying to get across on the DLR.

 

[ecb89]

Much easier for me to get to (Essex based)

 

[Polos]

I’m absolutely gutted about the move. I’m really hoping it’s temporary as if it’s a permanent change I’m not going to be able to attend anymore and it’s been a family tradition for years which is v sad.

It seems a very difficult place to get too (my journey will be a minimum of 1.5 hours but that’s only if the trains line up which just isn’t feasible with a disabled relative waiting for me at home) and the only people that seem to be be benefitting from this move are the ones Essex way.

it means evening performances aren’t going to be feasible for many due to last train times. Which again is sad as I would have loved to have seen the puissance.

judging from the comments on the Olympia fb post it does seem a lot of people aren’t sure they can attend due to the transport length so I would be intrigued to see if there is a drop in visitor numbers?

 

[teapot]

Soulless venue and a pain in the arse to get to.

It would put me off going for an evening trying to get back to Waterloo/Victoria, and all things being well Covid wise, hotels will be expensive the week before Christmas.

 

[Branna]

I'm Essex based too so much easier for me, although the DLR never seems to be the most reliable after nights out in London!

 

[BaronSamedi]

Depends where you are coming from. I live in North East London and Excel is a tube, overground, another tube and DLR or 2 tubes and 2 DLR I can do Olympia with one tube and the over ground

Snap for the excel but Olympia only takes me 45 minutes, 1 train 1 tube. Excel takes me over 2hrs

 

[COldNag]

Far worse journey for me - and Olympia is a bit special. Not sure we will go

 

[BaronSamedi]

ooooh yay! Its now only a short bus (and cable car!) ride away!

The DLR (if that’s what you mean) is a proper train not a cable car. I did event stewarding at the Excel and the DLR was the bane of my life

 

[DabDab]

Humph, the venue is very much part of the charm for me....I doubt I will bother very often to go to the excel

 

[criso]

The DLR (if that’s what you mean) is a proper train not a cable car. I did event stewarding at the Excel and the DLR was the bane of my life

Or they mean the cable car that goes between Greenwich and Royal Docks for Excel.

The problem I find with the DLR is they don't go every couple of minutes like the tube but it's not like the Overground which goes less frequently but at a specific time so you can plan.

 

[Nicnac]

Much easier journey from Kent but really not the same as the ExCel is soulless. It can't be called Olympia if it's at the Excel can it?

 

[Karran]

No I definitely mean the cable car. I can get a bus to North Greenwich and hop on it from there and walk around. I've never had an excuse to get on it before as there's never anything at the Excel worth going too!