A successful BTME this week closed with the announcement that the show would be expanding into the Harrogate International Centre's Hall Q as well next year.


GGM Groundscare's stand at BTME this week

A total of 4,692 visitors attended the three days of the exhibition, with the halls particularly busy on the first day when 2780 poured in. In a briefing to the press BIGGA CEO Jim Croxton said this first day was just a couple of hundred down on the previous year, which considering this was a year without the 'big boys' in full attendance, was very good going.

Next year they expect visitor and exhibitor numbers to rise again, hence the use of a fifth hall is required. Hall Q at Harrogate, which used to be used a number of years ago by the show, will be put back into operation. This will also lead to the creation of another entrance to the exhibition at the far end of the conference centre.

BIGGA were particularly pleased with how their educational programme, Continue to Learn, went this year. They reported that it broke all records - at the last count, an initial figure of 2,900 delegates had travelled from across the UK and the world for the diverse range of seminars and workshops.

And anecdotally, the buzz for this week from exhibitors was pretty much universally positive. The covering of snow which Harrogate and the surrounding areas woke up to on Wednesday didn't seem to prevent too many visitors from attending. And those who did appeared to be in the mood to do business.


The Baroness stand

David Mears, Director at Highspeed Group, said for example, “It’s been our best show ever for business. We had a greenkeeper walk up and buy one of our tanks on the spot on the first day."

As ever there were rumours flying around the halls. One which seemed to have some weight is that there is new golf industry show being mooted by a new magazine, for Sandown Park in March of next year. When asked if he felt this would effect BTME, Jim Croxton said, "I'm disappointed to hear about this potential new show by rumour and not direct from the organisers. I feel we are an industry that doesn't need another show. It doesn't appear fair on the trade. Too much is being asked of both visitors and exhibitors. I wish the organisers no ill will, but I just don't think we need any more."


BIGGA CEO Jim Croxton

And on the subject of whether the move of Saltex to November this year will impact BTME, Jim said, "It probably will impact us slightly, but our research has shown that our visitors are likely to attend both. I sympathise with exhibitors who feel they can't afford both shows and are torn between which to attend. However when I walk around Saltex I do see companies who aren't relevant to our show at all so I don't feel the need for any sort of combined 'industry show'."