Exhibitors at the open show held by Clydebank and District Canine Club on December 16 had a last minute change of venue. The show - originally scheduled at the Playdrome in Clydebank - was moved to the Jack Kane Centre in Edinburgh, owing to problems with the roof.

The roof had been leaking in several places in the main sports hall where the show was to take place, with as many as 28 buckets at a time catching drips around the hall.

The problem apparently arose since water seeped into the roof in wet weather and gradually seeped out throughout the day into the hall. If there is a frost it freezes and gradually defrosts during the day as the venue heats up. Unfortunately this made it dangerous for exhibitors who would have been moving their dogs in the rings.

All bookings at the centre were being considered on a day to day basis, and cancellations were being made the day before most events. The Centre also suffers from a condensation problem. Work was supposed to start in the car park areas where JCBs were due to excavate and create channels for repairs. The owners of the centre are at the moment preparing to sue the builders for these defects in the seven year old building.

It was only when the secretary contacted the centre earlier in the week with the arrangements for the layouts for the show that the problem was revealed. Obviously this put the exhibitors and show at risk and the committee then had to make the decision to try to move the venue, if at all possible. The SKC was informed immediately of the problem and advised that in the circumstances the show could go ahead in any part of central Scotland.

A desperate search for venues started with the area around Clydebank and widened to cover most sports centres, equestrian centres, hotels, industrial units, sports grounds in the central Scotland belt. It also included the Scottish Football Association.

On the Wednesday morning prior to the show, as a last attempt, the Jack Kane Centre was contacted, and agreed to move the bookings already taken for the Saturday and the show was rescheduled there. This entailed contacting every exhibitor by letter to inform them of the change. Since entry forms were with the printers, this meant that the letters would have to be sent from there so the Secretary went up to the Print Shop at Brechin and organised a posting from there, with a great deal of help from Bill and Sandra Sturrock and Cath Mason. Some exhibitors received the letter the following morning and on the Friday.

With the entire show reorganised to the new venue the Committee tried to cover every option. A member was posted at the original venue but only five people turned up there, and two actually came on through to the show and made their classes!

This is every club’s nightmare but the show went ahead successfully with a good atmosphere and no further hitches. The committee appreciated the support and understanding of the exhibitors.