Spring Fair 2016 coincided with the 40th anniversary of The NEC, a happy occasion marked by cakes, champagne, unusually mild weather and ‘random acts of kindness’ for the full duration of the show.
This year’s show also saw a new layout to many of the halls, widely deemed a success by exhibitors.
Widdop & Co opened the exhibition with a drinks reception to celebrate their rebranding and said they were “overwhelmed by all the love and support” they’d received throughout the show.
Major giftware supplier Xystos, which distributes major home fragrance brands Woodwick and – new for Spring Fair – Candle-Lite, doubled their sales compared with last year, while first time exhibitor On Interiors from Sweden (right) said: “We’re very happy with the response, we’ve had a wide variety of buyers throughout the show, from independent retailers and interior designers throu
gh to department stores and garden centres. We’ve had the full spectrum of retailers here. I’m sure we’ll be back.”
Sophie Conran, pictured left, presented new licensed ranges for T&G Woodware, pictured left and leading cutlery manufacturer Arthur Price.
Designer Kelly Hall appeared on behalf of Ulster Weavers, which showcased a variety of stunning new ranges at the show, including an equally beautiful Designers Guild collection.
Great British Bake Off winner Nadiya Hussain launched her first licensed range with new exhibitor Wow! Stuff. Pictured here with Gifts & Greetings Review, Giftware Review and Garden Centre Buyer editor Charlotte Cowell
We loved the fabulous range of garden centre-friendly gifts launched by Zeal, which also donates a percentage of the proceeds on sales to bee preservation charities
