Our 2026 VW show season officially kicked off last Sunday with a return visit to Camper Mart at the Telford International Centre, and we’re pleased to say it definitely wasn’t a one-off success.

As a relatively new addition to our events calendar, Camper Mart is quickly proving itself to be a worthwhile early-season show. We had another great day on the Volkswagen Owners Club of Great Britain stall, chatting with visitors, catching up with members, and shifting a healthy amount of club merchandise and officially licensed VW goodies.

Slightly Chaotic Start to the Weekend

In the run-up to the show, we had a bit of a scheduling mishap and somehow ended up needing to be in three places at once. A missed note about Saturday-only setup meant we had other commitments booked, but undeterred, we made it work.

Huge credit goes to Claire, our Events Coordinator, who put in a storming shift to get down to Telford and set up the stall solo. The rest of us arrived in the early hours of Sunday morning after a family event up north. If we looked half asleep on the stall at times… that’s probably because we were.

Busy Club Stall

Despite the long hours, we pulled together a great-looking stall, packed with club merchandise and officially licensed Volkswagen products. Judging by the number of empty boxes we loaded back into the van at the end of the day, showgoers seemed to approve too.

It was brilliant to spend the day talking to visitors. From long-standing members to people discovering the club for the first time. Those conversations are always one of the highlights of these indoor shows.

Show Layout and Event Space

Once everything was running smoothly, we managed to take a short wander around the halls to grab a few photos.

This year, the Tattoo Freeze event, which shares the venue with Camper Mart, had been moved to a different hall. While it still split the camper show in two, the two main camper halls were now positioned side by side, which felt like an improvement overall.

That said, reaching the smaller hall containing some of the display vehicles required crossing in front of the tattoo stage. This meant a blast of speakers and briefly interrupting the crowd watching the stage entertainment, an interesting layout choice that felt a little awkward at times.

Familiar VW Trends and Standout Builds

As expected, there were plenty of later Transporters on display, mainly T5s and T6s in various shades of grey, running air-ride suspension and sitting on Rotiform wheels. A familiar formula, but one that’s popular for a reason.

That said, there were some real standout vehicles that offered a bit more variety. A blue Crafter caught our eye immediately, and the contrasting styles of the red T4s in the foyer were a refreshing change from the norm. It’s always good to see creativity pushing beyond the usual trends.

A Productive Day (Even Without Seeing the Stage)

We didn’t manage to catch any of the stage entertainment or other activities; the stall kept us busy all day, but we did have some good conversations with fellow traders. With a bit of luck, those chats may lead to new member discounts in the future.

A Solid Start to the 2026 Show Season

All in all, Camper Mart in Telford proved to be a strong opener for our 2026 events calendar. A busy stall, good conversations, and plenty of interesting VWs made for a successful, if slightly exhausting, weekend.

We’re already looking forward to seeing how the show continues to develop, and we’d happily return again next year.

Words & Photos: Andy Hayward