Helix Leisure’s Marshall Ashdown looks ahead to a busy week at EAG International in London.
Name: Marshall Ashdown
Position: Senior vice president global sales
Company: Helix Leisure Group (Embed, LAI Games, The Locker Network)
I’ve attended 19 London Amusements and Coin-Op shows.
The most amusing memory I have of a previous show is… Demonstrating a dodgem car video simulator ride to a female customer when I worked for Mitchells Kiddie Rides (since taken over by Photo-Me). Before the ride starts it takes a photo of the driver and superimposes the face on a video screen animated character. In this instance the woman climbed into the ride before I could stop her – it was a very tight fit as it was a kid’s ride and as she was doing this her knee pressed the start button activating the camera. She was not happy with the photo of her underwear that ended up superimposed on the screen. I admit it was hard keeping a straight face.
At 09:55 on January 13 you’ll find me… Ready for kick-off on the Embed booth or Harry Levy’s booth (our UK games distributor).
My main objective for EAG International is… To meet new and existing customers from far and wide to introduce our new product and to secure sales.
What I enjoy most about the show is… It is always good to meet up with industry colleagues, friends and customers to get different perspectives on the industry in general, both for UK and international markets.
My favourite place for a drink after the show is… Do people drink at EAG? I don’t believe it.
My favourite place for a meal after the show is… Options are a little limited around the ExCeL area, but Canary Wharf is only a short cab ride away and there are some good restaurants there. Jamie Oliver’s Italian restaurant is good value.
The thing I love about being in London in January is… The weather
The think I hate about being in London in January is… The weather
During EAG International I like to stay… I would like to stay in the Dorchester but reality is I usually end up in the Ibis or Novotel.
My advice to first-time visitors to EAG International is… Wrap up warm and bring an umbrella.
At the end of the show… I collapse into a self-pitying pile, exhausted from the show and the cold (man flu) that I always seem to pick up from the massed ranks of visitors bringing exotic viruses from far and wide.
