Colin Crosby Heritage Tours

Essex Tourism and Leisure Show

I went recently to the annual Essex Tourism and Leisure Show.

Having been held at Colchester for the last few years, this year the show was transferred to the Brentwood Leisure Centre.

This was probably a good move. Lots of group organisers come to these shows, and of course there are, as with everything else, loads of them in London. Brentwood is a lot closer to London than Colchester is, so it must be a better proposition to attract Londoners.

I particularly like this show, as there are always representatives from the smaller places, instead of just the big cities and resorts who are represented at some of the bigger shows.

It was nice to be able to talk to people representing Southend (hello Elaine Matson), Maldon (hello Russell Dawes) and Adventure Island at Southend (hello Mike Pressling).

But also with this show it’s good to speak to people from places like Braintree, Brightlingsea, Saffron Walden and Waltham Abbey, and the Tiptree Jam people.

And among the visitors whom I chatted to were some people from a club in Rayleigh who knew my mum.