Organiser of the Portsmouth Boat Show, Graham Kinnersley, admitted the event, which some exhibitors slated, was a ‘disaster’ and blamed the World Cup for lack of attendance. He also said Gunwharf Quays had let him down by not producing promised brochures and posters and that the venue itself was unsuitable for a marine event.

‘It’s a place where youngsters pose outside the shops,’ he said, “I will never go back there.’ His organisation, County Exhibitions, run a boat show at Lowestoft and are looking for other venues including one on the South Coast to run short ‘provincial’ shows.

Kinnerseley denied he had ever said Portsmouth would rival Southampton Boat Show or that 130,000 people would visit the Gunwharf Show, but that this number of people did visit Gunwharf Quays and therefore would be potential visitors. He told YM he had advertised the show throughout the marine media and in local newspapers.