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EVENTS
SAFETY FIRST
www.januaryfurnitureshow.com
THE SAFETY AND WELLBEING OF THE COMMUNITY IS PARAMOUNT
Where does the show stand in terms of exhibitor numbers, pre-registrations, etc? The response from the industry for the April dateline has been fantastic. All major brands in the UK, Europe and the Far East have confirmed their attendance, and visitor registration is ahead of the 2020 event. We’ve had an influx of brands register their interest now the dateline is in April, and visitors stating they are now able to attend the April dateline. What factors influenced your decision to postpone the exhibition when you did? The safety and wellbeing of the community and everyone involved with JFS is paramount, and this will always be put first. We wanted to give our exhibitors, visitors and partners the best possible chance of success, as well as give the industry the time it needs to prepare for an event like JFS. With this in mind, we felt it was the best option to postpone to a later dateline when the industry could feel confident, safe and secure. Why did you settle on the new late April slot? We felt the UK would be in a better position with regards to tackling the evolving pandemic, and, through consultation with the market, we know
Zoë Bonser
The decision to postpone January’s big UK show cannot have been easy – but it was the “best option” for all concerned, says the portfolio director of Clarion Events’ Retail division, Zoë Bonser. Now taking place at the Birmingham NEC from 24-27th April, the January Furniture Show (JFS) still promises to be an essential outing for trade professionals, while boasting even greater scope this time around …
April is still a good time to run the UK’s leading furniture event safely and successfully. Plus, we have managed to secure the same footprint with the venue. Seeing how Omicron’s spread has actually progressed through Christmas and January, do you regret the decision at all? No! The safety of everyone involved will always come first! Myself and the team have been speaking with the industry, and by their own admission they felt it would have been difficult to attend due to staffing and contractor concerns. In turn, we want to ensure visitors have full confidence in attending safely. It
