Exhibition organiser Clarion Events reports that the Manchester Furniture Show will go ahead this year, but will take place in Harrogate, not Manchester Central.
The show will be hosted at the Harrogate Convention Centre (HCC) and the DoubleTree by Hilton Harrogate from 18th-21st July, co-located with the Home & Gift Buyers’ Festival, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year.
Due to undisclosed reasons, the decision was made go ahead with the event in the new location this year, giving exhibitors an opportunity to do business with over 10,000 additional buyers, and giving buyers the chance to explore over 650 brands.
Portfolio director at Clarion Events, Zoë Bonser, says: “We are delighted that we are able to run the furniture industry’s first and largest in-person event for buyers and suppliers to unite and do business in over a year. After such uncertainty, we are positive that this is the opportunity the industry has been waiting for, and with 87% of buyers saying they would attend the physical show in July, we are expecting a strong return.
“These events bring together over 100 years’ trade show experience, and, combined with the launch of our new digital platform, Reveal, we cannot wait to share our fully integrated live and digital offering for the first time with the retail industry’s largest gathering. We are excited to share more information about Reveal very soon.”
Clarion Events has confirmed that the show will have its own entrances with a separate registration process, and will be situated across four halls. Buyers will be invited as normal, and exhibitors will also benefit from the specialist interiors buyers that Home & Gift Buyers’ Festival attracts.
With safety remaining paramount, Abigail Quesnel, senior operations manager, adds: “Safety is our priority, and we are working closely with the Association of Event Organisers (AEO), which is liaising with the Government directly on live event guidelines to ensure the best possible experience for exhibitors and visitors alike.”
Zoë concludes: “We are in the process of contacting all Manchester Furniture Show exhibitors, and visitors can expect to see more communications about this exciting new development over the coming days and weeks. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our customers and stakeholders for their patience and understanding over the last 12 months, and to say that we cannot wait to see you all in person in July for retail’s highly anticipated return to live B2B trade shows.”
Pictured: Manchester Furntiure Show in its traditional setting, Manchester Central, in 2018
