The NEC secures new national retail show
16th Jul 2012
The UK’s only exhibition dedicated to serving the independent retailer is set to take place at the NEC in October 2012 from 28th to 29th.
Building on nine years of their very successful CTN World national trade exhibition, show owner, the NFRN (National Federation of Retail Newsagents) are to launch a completely new and much larger show called the Independent Retail Show (IRS) at the NEC this autumn.
CTN World was last held at Coventry’s Ricoh Arena. However to help build a show that is twice the size, the NFRN, the principal trade association for news and convenience retailers with a nationwide membership of 16,500, have taken the decision to hold their new event at the NEC.
2012 will see the organisers return to the NEC with this new look show after last running there in 2007, when it was co-located with the SubPostmaster Show.
With its central location, first class infrastructure and public transport links, the NEC is an easily accessible venue for NFRN members from all across the UK as well as those thousands based in the Midlands. Furthermore its excellent range of hotels, facilities, and amenities made it the number one choice for the organiser.
NFRN marketing director, Graeme Collins, said: “We are aiming to create a completely new exhibition which will be on a very much larger scale than CTN World and we have been encouraged by the very positive reaction of exhibitors to this exciting new concept. Although more broadly based than CTN World, the new exhibition will continue to be built around a core of exhibitors of specific interest to our membership of news and convenience retailers.”
“With support from other important retail led trade associations such as the NFSP (National Federation of SubPostmasters) and the Rural Shops Alliance, the Independent Retail Show marks an exciting and important development for the whole of our industry. It is only fitting that such an important new national show is held at an equally prestigious and well recognised venue – as far as the NFRN is concerned, there was only one choice and that was the NEC.”
Chris Hartley, Business Development Director at the NEC, says: “At the NEC we are committed to supporting non-traditional organisers so we are delighted to be hosting another event driven by an association.”
The IRS aims to attract suppliers and manufacturers from across a wide range of confectionery, news and tobacco products, such Mars, Daily Mail, Britvic and Imperial Tobacco as well as the show’s principal sponsor wholesale giant Booker, generating a corresponding visitor audience of newsagents, independent convenience retailers and post offices.
The new, larger show will also aim to attract new exhibitors from adjacent market sectors such as organic foodstuffs and health foods and supplements with the aim of increasing the number of visitors and broaden the base of the exhibition.
The launch of this new event will also greatly support the NFRN’s public affairs objectives and showcase it as leading the cause for all independent retailers who find themselves in a constant battle with supermarkets, multiples and online shopping.
