Exhibition News

Home & Gift colocated with Manchester Furniture Show

Both shows will run 18-21 July at the Harrogate Convention Centre and will each have their own registration process with separate registration and entrance points onsite at the HCC. Manchester Furniture Show will exclusively use Entrance One at the HCC with Home & Gift using all other entrance points as per previous years.

Clarion will take extra space this year in the HCC to allow the Manchester Furniture show to occupy four halls, with Home & Gift occupying the rest of the HCC plus the marquees within the grounds of the Majestic Hotel.

Home & Gift will see over 650 brands, with some key new names for the fi rst time. You can read our interview with Portfolio Director Zoë Bonser and our ‘sneak peek’ of the show in this issue of Gifts Today, see page 16. homeandgift.co.uk

London Stationery Show runs this October

The show will now run 5-6 October 2021 at the Business Design Centre, London.

‘We understand that it will take some time for retail to recover from the recent lockdown,’ commented Event Director, Alex Butler. ‘We believe that the October dates will allow for a successful show for visitors and exhibitors alike.

‘We’re very grateful for the support of the industry and are looking forward to welcoming everyone to the Business Design Centre in October when we can finally meet and do business once again.’

At London Stationery Show you’ll find the biggest UK and international brands, exciting new designers and innovative start-ups, all under one roof. Explore exciting new products and brands, alongside established bestsellers. With hundreds of products that work perfectly as additional items to your core range, London Stationery Show is the must-attend event for stationery and gift retailers. The 2021 event has a long list of exhibitors set to attend, including ExaClair, eco-eco, Pentel, Staedtler (UK) Ltd and Pukka Pads.

In the meantime, the team are working on an exciting new venture launching in the spring. Stationery365 is an online directory showcasing new products and collections, connecting suppliers with stationery and gift buyers all year round. Retailers will be able to browse brands and products all in one place, and message suppliers directly to place orders. stationeryshowlondon.co.uk

Hyve Group launch Spring and Autumn Fair Online Marketplace

A brand extension to the live events, it off ers the gift community an additional trading platform with existing and new partners throughout the year. This B2B online marketplace launched on 4 May and is a brand extension to the heritage brands Spring & Autumn Fair, two live events that are now complemented by a 365 digital trading platform. It will allow brands to access serious, vetted buyers all year round, deepen relationships started at the live events at the NEC, generate leads and take online orders. Buyers can fi nd new products from loved and trusted brands, discover new brands online, build their collections and shop with ease throughout the year.

Speaking on behalf of Hyve Group, Julie Driscoll, Managing Director UK Retail and Fashion says: ‘Spring and Autumn Fair are the fi rst omnichannel retail trade events in the UK to do this. As we move forward, our focus is on refuelling retail for 2021 and beyond, supporting our community in recovering from the pandemic and building back stronger than ever.’

Autumn Fair is set to run as a live event 5-8 September 2021. Spring Fair will run 6-10 February 2022. springandautumnfair.eventsunited.net

Messe Frankfurt cancels Tendence 2021

The show has been cancelled for the second year in a row, with online platforms Conzoom Solutions and Nextrade bridging the gap until the key shows return next spring.

The organiser says that ongoing restrictions to contain the pandemic in Germany as well as abroad mean Tendence cannot currently be held on its planned date. ‘We have therefore decided, even though this is anything but easy for us, to cancel Tendence now for the second time in a row,’ says Stephan Kurzawski, Member of the Board of Management of Messe Frankfurt Exhibition.

‘All the more reason for us to concentrate, together with our exhibitors and visitors, on the coming spring and the successful staging of the leading trade fairs for the consumer goods industry, such as Ambiente, Christmasworld and Paperworld. And in July, as usual, we are planning Nordstil in Hamburg.’ tendence.messefrankfurt.com

Top Drawer returns this September

Clarion Events announce the show will return to a live format for its A/W21 edition this September at Olympia London. Running from 12-14 September, the show promises to reunite design-led brands, buyers and designers for unmissable trade opportunities.

To ensure the needs of its audience are best met, in planning for the show’s return to an in-person format, the team extensively surveyed its community of leading retail buyers and interior designers - an astounding 82% of whom said they intend to attend in September.

The A/W21 edition of Top Drawer will include the full range of show sectors, showcasing the very best names and products across gifting, interiors, greetings & stationery, fashion, children’s products, hand-made craft, and giftable food & drink. topdrawer.co.uk.

BCTF bought by Kerrison Exhibitions

The British Craft Trade Fair has been acquired by Kerrison Exhibitions Ltd from PSM Limited, following cancellation of 2020 and 2021 live events. The deal was completed on 14 April 2021 after the previous owner, PSM Limited, was forced to seek a new owner for the fair following the cancellation of events due to Covid-19, ensuring the handmade British craft show will have new investment for its future. bctf.co.uk

Clarion Events REVEALs all

Clarion Events, the team behind Home & Gift and Top Drawer has announced the launch of their much-anticipated digital offering, a trade e-commerce platform called REVEAL.

Designed to complement the existing live show offering, for suppliers, it will be a 24/7 digital shopfront, placing products at eye-level for the UK’s largest network of soughtafter buyers. For retailers, it will be a daily dose of product discovery, and a unique opportunity to source, connect and buy, as well as learn and be inspired. info.clarion-retail.com

Scoop and Pure London unite this September

Designed to offer an exclusive and safe buying experience, Scoop X Pure will now take place 7-9 September 2021, at the Old Truman Brewery in East London. Scoop X Pure will also be co-located alongside the UK’s leading international fashion sourcing show, Pure Origin, bringing the entire fashion supply chain under one roof in the heart of London’s creative district. scoop-international.com

Event pilots show promising early results

Large events could be one step closer to coming back, as trials to see how they might run with extra Covid-safe measures have reportedly had positive results, in a report published in The Times newspaper.

Since April, the government’s Events Research Programme has anaylsed the Covid risk of various large-scale indoor and outdoor events, including the indoor Brit Awards with 4000 attendees, the FA Cup Final with 21,000 seated outdoors and an indoor Liverpool club night with 3000 people.

The research team, who are working in partnership with local and national health authorities, will also analyse transport to and from events, duration of events, and catering and alcohol. A full report is due to be published soon.