If it was Nat West’s Private Banking arm that was there, they were NOT there to lend you money!!
They would be there because Flyer’s events sales people convinced Nat West’s marketing bods that they would be meeting future high net worth customers (£100k pa pilots) in large numbers.
Unless you earn £80k plus or have liquid assets of 1/4m, you are of NO interest to them.
Those manning the stand will have gone home bemused given that they will have met only potentially debt ridden wannabes. with little chance of being high net worth customers in the medium term!
I’ll bet that they were simply honoring a long standing commitment to space at the show as, under the new RBS regime (they/we own Nat West), this sort of long term marketing activity will have been slashed!
It’s a very long time since I went to one of these shows, but I remember meeting a lot of people on stands who came across as being, there because they were told to be, or only because their competitors were there, and ,…would rather be at home!
These shows make a FORTUNE for the publishers of Flyer. Indeed, for many publishers, it’s the events and awards ceremonies that make them the money these days, not the magazines!
Shows are not put on for the good of Flyers readers, a LOT of money is in it for exhibitors and organizers….your money!
That said they are worth a visit (with a very open and perhaps cynical mind!!), as, in this business, you need to gain as much knowledge as you can, and to make as many contacts as possible.