HIC Talk

The first day of the Knitting and Stitching show saw record number of visitors flocking to the exhibition at Harrogate International Centre between 25-28 November despite poor weather conditions.  This continues the organiser’s trend for increased attendees across their portfolio of craft shows.

The success of the event can be largely attributed to the organiser’s pioneering marketing strategies and focus on client needs.

Knitting and Stitching organiser, Andrew Salmon from twistedthread said: “The exhibition was a great success. It started fantastically on the Thursday with huge numbers.  However, the icy conditions created challenges during the weekend. The exhibitors had brisk business and they loved it as was clearly demonstrated by the superb testimonials we have received.”

The twistedthread portfolio of shows has remained popular despite the recession because of their professional and creative marketing strategies, including:

• Data Quality and Use – High quality databases have been developed and maintained to target highly segmented groups through direct mail, emails and adverts.
• Long distance coach transfers – Using their data, the organisers were able to target and transport specific audiences from around the country directly to the event in Harrogate.

Salmon continues: “Whilst The Knitting and Stitching Show was taking place, Gok’s Fashion Fix, starring Gok Wan was being filmed in The Royal Hall.  Gok did come in to see The Knitting and Stitching Show and was very impressed – he said it was like haberdashery porn!  In fact, on the Thursday, he chose to stage his Recipes within the Show which caused a great deal of excitement amongst our younger audience in particular.”

Testimonials and comments included:

“An essential date for everyone’s diary… this annual extravaganza is not to be missed.  A knitter’s paradise – Woolaballoo is selling out of stock faster than Take That!” Lucy Bush, owner, Woolaballoo

“What a wonderful fair in spite of the terrible weather! We were busy every day and even whilst the heavy snow was falling on Sunday.  I thoroughly enjoyed myself! Well done Twisted Thread yet again.” The Cross Stitch Guild, managing director, Jane Greenoff

One of the visitors from Birmingham said: “It is wonderful to be here especially on a day like this. I was able to do some great shopping and find new products and ideas. It is brilliantly organised and the transport to the event was great.”

Harrogate International Centre (HIC) has worked with three separate public shows, running simultaneously, to ensure cross promotion and a greater outcome for all.

Sales & account manager Paul Ashton: “The Joules Big Sale, Simply Christmas, and Love Cooking (all taking place at HIC from 3rd to 5th December) are targeting similar markets so it makes sense that they work together and open their doors not just to their own visitors, but also those attending the alternative events.”

The venue is once again demonstrating its desire and ability to add value by providing strategic advice to the organisers and events involved.

Dominie Cripps, brand and PR marketing manager at Joules said:  “Harrogate is the perfect place for The Joules Big Sale, as we design upbeat, colourful clothing for women, men and children who love the outdoors.  It was vital when we planned this event that it takes place in both a venue and location that goes beyond meeting our needs logistically to provide both added value and the right image.  Harrogate and HIC have achieved all of this – and the suggestion that we work in partnership with Love Cooking and Simply Christmas was fantastic.”

Paul concludes:  “Love Cooking and Joules are both new events and recent business wins for HIC.  Advising them to work together was an obvious step that would benefit all parties involved.  Consumer shows such as these are reliant on visitors and they are far more likely to attend three shows under one roof than just one.  As a venue we see it as our place to offer strategic advice and suggestions that can help clients flourish and develop – on the one hand it is great added value to our clients – on the other it will grow the shows for their triumphant return next year, benefiting the Centre and the local economy.”

HIC recently reported a £92 million economic impact to Harrogate and the region for the first six months of the 2010/2011 financial year.

We are moving onto a new era.  Business has changed dramatically during the last couple of decades, particularly since the advent and introduction of computers and mass data manipulation.  This comparatively small period in the commercial world (when compared to the industrial age for example) has changed the way we work.  It has given us the tools and information to move forward.  The real trick though is how we use that information… if knowledge is power and we are at the start of the knowledge economy then surely information is the currency.

The event industry is a rapidly changing market place and a key part of the macro knowledge economy, whilst supporting its own micro knowledge economy.  Our industry brings together vast groups of people, we draw ideas from them, we constantly re-invent what the word event means and we have the flexibility to grow with the needs of our customers, suppliers and stakeholders. In fact of all industries we are the best place to be a part of the knowledge economy.

Like the fiscal economy, the new knowledge economy needs to be based on a strong currency – information made up from data, hubs of expertise, businesses and like minded people coming together to share and progress.  And this is where we are already leaps ahead of other industries.  For years we have developed and supported “destinations” and “associations”.  The events industry already has a thriving knowledge economy, we now need to appreciate its power and invest further for the betterment of all.

Take Harrogate as an example – a far cry from stereotypical Yorkshire and “northern destinations”, it has re-invented itself as a growing hub of commerce, fashion, networking, best practice and success.  Venues, organisers and suppliers work in harmony to make the town a centre for knowledge exchange and information sharing.  We have all seen a giant leap in internet usage over the last couple of years – particularly Social Media.  This instant sharing of knowledge on a global scale allows individual places to become the centre of the world for periods of time – consequently, last month Harrogate was the centre of the flooring world and therefore the centre of the knowledge economy built around that industry.  In a week it will be the centre for the textile and knitting knowledge economy… the list goes on.

However, like any economy, knowledge is reliant on investment and faith in the currency.  We need to support and maintain their faith by ensuring we develop further micro economies, and above all apply quantative easing by continually injecting new information into the system.

Alison Griffin, Head of Sales and Marketing at Harrogate International Centre recently wrote an article for Stand Out Magazine – extracts from which are detailed below…

Events move and there really is not much we can do about it… or can we?  Destinations and venues frequently face both the fear and excitement of an event move.  The fear comes from the fact that a “regular” is considering somewhere else, whilst the excitement revolves around the possibility of a new event.  The big questions of course are why the event is moving in the first place and what can be done to secure the business.

It is important to recognise the fact that different events move for different reasons. Regular (annual / biennial etc) conferences tend to be more flexible and often work on a rotational system, revisiting the same venue for several years or in a fixed pattern – sometimes because “it is the way they have always done it”, other times because of delegate locations or particular messages to be delivered at particular times.  Exhibitions on the other hand tend to stick to one location for longer periods of time and move for “a change” or because the organisers believe a different location will drive up visitor numbers.

However, don’t be fooled into believing that it is the organiser’s decision.  More often than not the need for a move comes from a far less controllable and harder to influence group – the audience and delegates.  If they are unhappy, they will make their problems known to the organisers and change starts to take place.  With this in mind, destinations and venues need to focus on several key areas to excite and engage the audience… More to follow!

Harrogate International Centre will welcome back The Association of Perioperative Practice (AfPP) in 2014 for their 50th Anniversary celebrations. This conference is expected to bring around 1,000 visitors to Harrogate and like so many major events at HIC it is expected to provide townwide benefits for local hospitality trade as well as retail and transport providers.

HIC’s Alison Griffin:  “AfPP’s decision to bring their celebrations to us in 2014 is a major coup for Harrogate. It has a substantial effect on the local economy and  the AfPP remit is to influence healthcare policy which impacts on the entire UK. The AfPP annual conference is an opportunity for theatre nurses, operating department practitioners and perioperative staff to share views and innovations which are crucial to healthcare for us all.”

AfPP’s head of events Joanna Ripley has already expressed her excitement at the prospect of the event: “HIC has an amazing team that I had the privilege to work with last year and am looking forward to working with this year. In particular, they work very closely with me to ensure that we meet our budgets and look at cost saving options that do not affect the quality of what we deliver.  I have been in events for 20 years and have never worked with such a cohesive in-house team, including the regular suppliers that we engage. Everyone’s efforts are seamless.”

Alison, concludes: “This decision to confirm the 2014 event, on the eve of their 2010 event, shows a true commitment to Harrogate and really demonstrates  AfPP’s desire to return to a destination and venue they clearly love.  The 2010 event starts on 14th October and will once again be the highlight of the AfPP annual calendar.  I am sure the rest of the town will want to join me in welcoming the event this year and thanking the organisers for their long term business.”

The AfPP event follows a succession of contract wins for HIC in the last six month, which combined will contribute £70m into the local economy.

The AfPP event will run from 14-16 October, 2010.

The 2010 Hearth and Home Show was an overwhelming success for both HIC and the organisers, The Fireplace Marketing Company, who staged their largest exhibition since 2005 from 13-15 June 2010.

The event, which took place across three halls at HIC, saw visitor figures rise since 2009 by 20% to 2,186.  This followed a rise in pre-registrations of 43%.  In particular, the show dramatically increased attendance from sales and marketing teams (up 75% on 2009), forging greater links between the exhibitors and reseller, which will have long term positive effects on the market.

Show organiser, David Spencer: “2010 has been a great year for the show as we continue to grow, attracting more visitors and exhibitors than ever before.  2009 was a turning point for the show – amidst the recession a number of businesses regretted their decision not to exhibit last year and focused tremendous effort on the 2010 show instead.  Both their feedback and the feelings of the industry as a whole point towards a strong 2010/2011 season with the Hearth and Home Show acting as a starting point.”

David Spencer continues: “An exhibition of this size requires a great deal of flexibility from a venue and the whole team at HIC worked with us to provide a 2010 event that eclipsed all others.  Harrogate is the perfect location for the event, sitting right in the middle of the UK it is easily accessible through the national motorway network – a fact that is clearly demonstrated by the regional breakdown of attendees.  One of our chief aims for 2011 will be to build on the international (particularly European) attendance.”

Just a few comments received by exhibitors at the show in the days following the event include:

“The show is the place to be.  The show is the industry.  You simply had to be there.” Mark Blewitt, Sales Director, ESSE

“We were very pleased with the exhibition.  Lots of interest in the products and a large number of stove retailers visited us.”  Vicky Naylor, ACR Heat Products Ltd

“2010 was our first year and we didn’t really know what to expect.  You can only really measure success by sales but I can tell you we received over 100 good leads that we are confident of converting into real business!”  Phil Mangnall, Flues Chimneys

“We had a great time at the show, and it ticked all the boxes with what we wanted to achieve.  And most importantly we had fantastic attendance from the retailers.  As you may have seen there were 8 of us on the stand and we were all pretty much flat out for all three days.   We made up a postcode map when we got back from all the leads we took at the show (we only wrote down viable leads not everyone who visited us) and we have pretty much saturated all the postcode areas across the country I think there are only about 5 or 6 where we didn’t have a good lead.  So all in all we couldn’t have had a better result.”  Anna Buckley, J Rotherham

“For us it was a great show, the response to the products was fantastic, we are all very busy collating the leads.  Congratulations to you all for this year’s show, now that we are expanding our product range and appealing to a wider demographic we will certainly be doing the show again.” Huw Williams, International Sales Manager, Chesneys

Tip-ex 2010, which took place from 27th-29th May was a great success for the organisers and demonstrated how as a town Harrogate can pull together and generate long term reward for a huge range of businesses.

HIC’s director, Stuart Quin “Economic changes over the last two years have impacted businesses of all sizes.  Where a town like Harrogate can work together to help a business facing tough times it is in our best interest to provide support and we look forward to welcoming Tip-ex back next year.”

Tip-ex, which is the UK’s only exhibition dedicated to the tipping industry was scheduled for 2009 but cancelled due to the recession.  Rather than impose heavy cancellation fees on an already beleaguered exhibition, HIC agreed to postpone the event, preserving long term revenues and ensuring the event’s success.

Despite the downturn in the economy and the cancellation of the 2009 show, more than 2,000 visitors attended, using a variety of the town’s business and leisure facilities, including hotels, restaurants and pubs.

One key factor of the event was the use of the Crescent Gardens – the council car park – for the spectacular display of several brand new tipper trucks.  Images of this have been and will continue to be used throughout the tipping industry, increasing regard for Harrogate as a world leading business tourism destination.

Quin continues: “Events like Tip-ex have a huge economic impact on Harrogate, providing revenues for businesses of all sizes.  Harrogate is a beautiful destination and the use of an outdoor space such as Crescent Gardens adds to the town’s superb business events infrastructure through the use of unusual spaces.  It has become more crucial than ever that the town works together to secure and keep these valuable business events – the ability to provide this, and other, outdoor space is an important element in the offering.”

Following the devastating fire at the Majestic Hotel in Harrogate last month the whole of Harrogate, including Harrogate International Centre and Destination Harrogate (an association of the town’s 12 leading hotels) pulled together to ensure valuable event business remained in the town.

Harrogate International Centre’s, deputy director, Simon Kent, said: “After such a tragic fire, it was imperative for Harrogate to pull together as a community and for all pre-booked and planned events to go ahead. Event business is exceptionally important to Harrogate and our immediate focus was to ensure business as usual.”

Harrogate International Centre, along with Destination Harrogate venues was able to accommodate several of the events planned for the Majestic at no extra charge to the organisers, whilst both staff and customer accommodation was sourced across the rest of the town.  Additional infrastructure was also put in place to ensure logistical needs and transfers were all met.

The Toymaster Exhibition operations director, Ian Edmunds said: “[HIC] helped turn the disastrous event of the 5th May at the Majestic into the resounding success that was Toymaster’s May Show…  I fully understand and appreciate the difficulties and challenges our event must have presented you all with having booked it on the Monday and needing the carpet laid on the Friday, not the normal time scale I would expect anyone to adhere to.  To say you were all a pleasure to deal with is a total understatement.”

Harrogate International Centre’s Simon Kent concludes:  “Clearly our primary intention was to maintain the current business for Harrogate and ensure the additional revenue streams were maintained for our suppliers, partners and third parties across the town.  However, to have such a resounding endorsement and subsequent confirmation that Toymaster will continue to support Harrogate really is the icing on the cake.”