Stationery Show Manchester 2018 will not be staged this year organisers confirmed today.
A tough retail market, cautious buyers and uncertain suppliers has led to the decision not to run what would have been just the second edition of the stationery show based in Manchester, aimed at attracting buyers from the midlands and the north.
“We feel the level of uncertainty in the market is too high to expect our exhibitors to risk supporting a new show. We appreciate the trust and support of those companies who had committed to supporting our Manchester show, and we will ensure all of them are recognised accordingly,” said event manager Hazel Fieldwick.
Entries into LaunchPad Manchester, the search to find individuals and companies wanting to break into the stationery market, will be carried forward to next year’s London event.
In addition, a new dedicated hosted buyer programme for northern and midlands-based retailers will be introduced for London 2019.
“It is frustrating to walk away from an event that the whole team was working hard on and looking forward to, but we cannot ignore the economic realities stationery industry suppliers are currently facing,” concluded Hazel.
