I haven't been before but I'm going next year so I'll be keeping an eye on this thread

Super exciting!!!

 

I have yet to go but also looking to go next year - Looking to go on the Thursday to see the spitz breeds and hopefully meet the breeders who I have been in contact with

 

I can't wait for it. I can't wait to meet these breeds. I so want to see a Bernese up close!

 

You can get food there it is expensive, I've never brought my own, but a lot of people do

 

I've only been once - but I took a small snack and small bottle of water and bought the rest of my food - yes it was quite expensive but I ddn't want to be carrying around food etc.
I did the same when I took my son (then 10) to discovery dogs

 

There are places to eat there, but the queues are normally long and the food is expensive, so I always bring my own stuff.

Def comfortable shoes and plenty of money!

Have a great time

 

Food there is overpriced and terrible! Thought I couldn't go wrong with noodles, £5 later (just noodles!) and a couple of mouthfuls of vinegar soaked noodles, I was 5 pounds lighter and still hungry. Maybe that's how supermodels feel!

I would take your own food. No one is bothered, there are plenty of folk who take their own and set up camp around the edges. The food vendors get a bit touchy if you try to sit on their seats and scoff your own food though.

It's a great day out. Something I loved, but didn't think I would, was heelwork to music. Brilliant! They were so creative, the woman who won last year was shown on the highlights on TV, we watched with my parents and scoffed at the fact they had cut down her amazing routine to 20seconds of possibly the most boring bit!

Dress comfortably, light layers! You will do a lot of walking and will need those extra pairs of hands for carrying all your stuff home on the train! Maybe a wheely shopper would be handy? I have one that folds up (Ha, Im not even 30 and my OH calls it my granny basket) its so handy!

 

I take my own food but usually go for a jacket spud for lunch to get something warm, as it can be cold in those halls. It's as cheap to buy your tickets on the day, and I would research nearby train stations where you can park and pop in on the train. I stay with the lady who bred my flatcoat, and that's what we do each year, it avoids the queues on the way in, and more importantly, on the way out!

 

Crufts is fab, my parents show dogs and we have been there every year since 1995 last year was the only year i missed, i will be going again this year with them on gundog day and taking my wee girl with me again as she loves dogs , it is a fab day out, but as others have said eating places are very expensive and not very good, would recommend taking your own stuff the discover dogs bit is fab even just to walk round and see all the different dogs.

Gill x

 

The bad news is Working and Pastoral Day is the busiest, the good news is that next year it falls on a Thursday so fewer crowds.

Thursday is always the best to go for ease of movement, Sunday is the best for bargains if you are shopping.

Tip Pay for the car park on arrival rather than on leaving, unless you leave very late and often you get away without paying.

Comfy shoes, take a shopping trolley so you can put in extra clothes if you get hot, put on extra ones if you get cold, it will carry drinks and food and also any shopping without making your arms drop off.

Go to the loo when you first get there as often getting in later you have to queue.

If you go by train you are laughing as of course you go straight to plaza rather than either walking miles from car park or trying to get on a bus when all the dogs (who apparently cannot walk that far) are taking up the places and you get rammed by trolleys, cages and it also means you miss the dog poo!

There is a cloakroom where you can leave coats etc, there is also a hole in the wall and bank if you need more money (find out where that is before you enter the halls)

You can take your own food and eat it outisde the halls if you want peace and quiet (they stamp your hand on going out etc)

A show guide is useful but it costs, if you want to know where stuff is and where all the trade stands are, research beforehand by going on to the Crufts site, it will tell you which stands are in which hall and you can research stuff on line before you go and, for example if you are looking at something large, examine and touch there and then order it on line later.

As you can tell I have been going for some years..............

 

Thanks for the advice guys. Much appreciated

 

I went this year and I'm going again next year on the Thursday I took my own sandwiches last time, I'd rather spend my money shopping!

 

I love Crufts - it's a great day out

As has been said, you can buy food there, but it's expensive - I only ever take my lunch with me, to save money.

Take comfortable shoes to walk in...there is lots of see at Crufts, and in order to see everything, a lot of walking involved - comfortable shoes are a must

If you plan to be buying stuff, take something to carry or pull along for all of your purchases as you don't want to be lugging it around all day!

Bear in mind that the car parks are a bit of a walk from the building

HTH

 

Probably repeating what others have said but here goes
Comfy shoes, food & water. Layers of clothes it's cold, it's hot, it's somewhere inbetween. Paracetamol, baby wipes and a BIG SMILE

Don't wait, till you are desperate for a wee. Any "facilities", without a queue, use them, squeeze out whatever you can

 

ahhh I love Crufts! My favourite day of the year

Plenty of good advice given - COMFY shoes and practical clothing, plenty of cash because most of the stalls do not take card payments. There are cash machines dotted about but they are not free to use and charge a princely sum, so get your money out beforehand. I'd also highly recommend looking on the Crufts website for a list of trade stands and make yourself a shopping list. Be very careful of presuming that everything will be cheaper at Crufts because it isn't always - as smokeybear said, you can always use Crufts to look at the product in real life and then order it online afterwards. If it's a product that several trade stands are likely to sell (say something like a Thundershirt) then take a notepad and pen, or make a note on your mobile phone of which trade stands are selling it and how much for - you can save a few quid by shopping round within the trade stands, so try not to buy from the first place you look - but DO make note of which stalls you want to go back to and where they were because otherwise you'll forget and get lost as Crufts is unbelievably HUGE!

I'd also look on the website and look at what displays/activities are on the day you are there - if you want to watch Heelwork to Music or Agility, you can go and sit in the arena (for free, for as long as you want!) and watch, I usually take a packed lunch and sit and eat whilst watching the agility

Also if you want to watch any specific breed judging, find out what ring they're in and what time they are being judged, it's a real bummer when you want to watch some judging and miss it! (as I did with the Borzois last year because I couldn't find them!) If you don't know where a certain breed is being judged, just ask someone who has that breed with them, they will know what ring/hall they're in, and if you can't see anyone then just ask any exhibitor (who doesn't look too busy!) if they can have a look in their catalogue for you and find out.

Definitely take your own packed lunch with you, food there is extortionate and you'll have to queue for ages, it's much better to take your own butties and a drink - a bottle rather than a can, then you can drink it throughout the day as it gets hot and tiring in there!

So to sum it up - sensible clothes, plan what you want to see/do beforehand, make a shopping list, take your own food & cash! And most importantly - have an amazing time!

I love Crufts, 2014 will be my 7th year there!

 

It's a fantastic day out - I've been twice and loved it. Am going again next year.

Take your own food. Whatever is on sale is expensive and tends to be junk food. Take plenty to drink too. Loads of people take their own and I ate my lunch while watching agility in the main ring.

You can leave bags in the cloakroom - worth using.

Some products are expensive so be sure you are not paying over the top - can always take web addresses and order later - after you've compared prices of course.

Flat shoes or boots are a must, you will cover a few miles in the day.

I actually found it quite hot but others have said the opposite so maybe wear layers and dump anything you don't want in the cloakroom?/

Enjoy - there's something for everyone, you won't be disappointed.

 

It's an amazing day out . The arena seating fills up as the day goes on, so to get a good seat/be able to sit together head for the arena as early as you can. I saved the shopping til the later afternoon when most people were watching the best in group or heading home, so the halls were much emptier.

The food is expensive. I spent nearly ten pounds on a sandwich and drink. Definitely take your own food, or buy something outside the NEC. I think the cash machines charge you something ridiculous to take your own money out, so visit an ATM in the train station or city before going into the NEC.

Train takes all the stress out. I left the day on an empty train (which was lucky with all the bags I had ) and no delays, whereas I heard people were waiting four or five hours in their cars before being able to leave the car park. I'm not sure if there was an accident or something on the day I went, but there were complaints all over the Facebook page.

Enjoy the day . I hope to be going again next year. The atmosphere in the arena is spectacular, especially during flyball and agility.

 

You can get money out for free at the NEC, there is a NATWest Bank and ATM!!!