I went yesterday (Wednesday) and it was worthwhile going, at least for me.
Negatives:
The gates opened late and we stood around with no info as to why the gates had not opened. A young lady was sent down to tell people by the gate that there was a safety meeting taking place before the event could open. Not many people would have heard her, and it would have been better if a loud-hailer or public-address system had been used to speak to the waiting crowd. Lots of people were on their mobiles and the Hop Farm switchboard was jammed. A dealer later told me the reason for late opening was the gate key was lost. Who knows? but the gate opened at 09:41.
Leaving the event around 15:30, the exits were closed and no-one was being allowed in or out, due to a missing child. Good that the Hop Farm takes missing children seriously, but most people leaving had just a bag or a bundle of vehicle parts so in no way was the missing child with any of them.
Some stalls had been moved, and it was difficult to find where they had been moved to.
The 'rows' were actually blocks, so stalls back to back had the same 'row number, and the stall facing had a different number. I don't recall if this was the usual way of numbering stalls, but it made it difficult to find one particular stall that I was looking for. (No I didn't buy a programme, not on top of 19.50 entry fee)
Neutral:
The ground was generally fine. Some wet and muddy patches, but firm in most places. The only place I stuck in the mud was inside a dealers tent, where the ground was like glue.
Positive:
I met the people I planned to meet.
I picked up a lot of not too expensive bits and pieces, some quite interesting (to me at least).
The weather held off and was dry with just a few spits of rain throughout the time I was there.
Weather on the M25 heading home through Essex/Herts section was horrendous, and I guess that's whats moved down towards Beltring overnight.
I wish everyone well that intends going, and a big thank you to the traders that are there. It would have been so easy for many of them to have cut their losses and stayed away, so please support them with a few purchases.