Do you remember when GN had guests?

Yes I remember kitty. I win a prize or two although I can't remember what they were. I mentioned on here recently that I wondered what happened to the 'blogs'.

won

I won a coffee table book on fashion

Gransnet received some cash grants in the early days (I don't know where from) to help them set up various things. I know they got one to pay for the first year or so of the local websites. Maybe those grants funded the guests and the giveaways.

They also got more of a share of advertisers - this was before the internet was awash with sites where advertisers could place ads - so their income was more than it is in these days of every Tom Dick and Harriet monetising their site or Facebook page with ads through influencers' blogs or Google Ads. Companies would give freebies in the hope that people would remember their names after seeing the handouts.

I won a king size duvet, £300 worth of curtains, Sanctuary skincare, signed books etc.

We had some interesting guests including Anne Widdicombe, Jules Hudson, Alan Titchmarsh and Des O’Connor - my favourite because he was genuinely funny.

Those were the days!

Yes I remember those days, I was lucky enough to receive some fantastic prizes including a large box of children’s’ books which have been enjoyed by all of my grandchildren.

Happy days.

I too won prizes a Bluetooth dvd player, hair products and several books those indeed were the days.

I won some books and best of all six months of the most beautiful flower delivery from a company called Bloomon.

I won a large pile of adult Ladybird books plus some other random novels at different times.

I won 40 books and I was given the chance, plus some dosh, to stay locally in an upmarket care home for two days. The food was excellent and affordable, and my two rooms would have had one hour of free cleaning each week. I could have moved in, but over £6K a month was marginally beyond my means. I had to write a review.

Wow! Wish I'd been around then!

I didn't win anything but used to go onto the local site and I miss that

I loved the local site too.

Sounds great! Not like that now, what a shame.☹️

I won a Roberts radio and The Dangerous Book For Boys (2nd edition).

I was so chuffed.

I won gin and several books

I also won lots of the books, and then wrote reviews on them.

Yes, I won several books. The stipulation was to write reviews, which I did.
If I remember rightly, there was also the opportunity to ask authors questions about their books and they would give an answer session a few months later. That was always interesting.
It’s a shame none of these competitions and blogs are around any more.

I won a book almost every month and was happy to write a review. I also won a box of children’s books and a hamper of food . I don’t remember the guests though.

I won a mother and daughter spa day. It has triggered a spa enthusiasm, not just DD and Me but also DH and now, DGD. We have tried lots of spas, but none as good as the first one we went o and we still go back there.

We do 3 or 4 spa days a year.

I won a book. Clearly they are cutting back financially 😏

Oh, it was such fun back then! I managed to get a book most months and won some lovely prizes. Including a family Forest Holiday which DS, DD2 and their partners enjoyed - their children were then only toddlers so went along for free - and afternoon tea for DH and me with M.C. Beaton including an overnight stay in Stirling, which was great fun. We were so lucky to be part of GN in those early days.

Aveline

I won a large pile of adult Ladybird books plus some other random novels at different times.

I won a set of Children's Classic paperbacks.
Plus a couple of books in the Book Club

Competitions on Mumsnet
Head over to Mumsnet for a chance to win big prizes.

We're the poor relations. ☹