More Like Essen

Today's photo is rather more record than photography but it does give some idea of the hugeness and fullness of the UK Games Expo happening this weekend in Brum.  It's occupying the whole of Hall 1 of the NEC, plus the entirety of the Hilton hotel on the same site.  

No, they are not playing Monopoly; rather more likely will be the top few hundred of the new titles published this year.

Essen is a big annual European games (etc.) fair in, well, Essen, in Germany. It's rather the Mecca for boardgame enthusiasts and traders though I've never been myself.  

The UK Expo is in its 10th year and really, for something run by (highly competent) amateurs in their 'spare' time its success and growth is phenomenal. The comment "it's more like Essen [now]" was overheard more than once today.

Quite possibly I may have bought more games than I was supposed to. In mitigation, I did dispose of a few in the Bring & Buy, and I'll charity a few more. Honest.