Happy New Year.

Welcome to the first TurfPro Weekly Briefing of 2017. It's great to be back with you every Monday, rounding up the turf world's news.

It doesn't take long for the industry to get back into the swing of things following the festive period, with BIGGA's BTME exhibition only a week away now. There's always plenty of new machinery and services on show across the exhibition halls in Harrogate as well as a comprehensive Learning Live programme for turf professionals to really get their teeth into. Not forgetting the invaluable networking side to the show with Harrogate itself always proving a welcoming and convivial host. A trip to North Yorkshire is always well worth a day or so away from the business.

It'll be great around the halls (and pubs) of Harrogate to get a sense of how the industry is feeling coming off the back of such a tumultuous 2016. At SALTEX a couple of months ago the mood amongst most exhibitors was pretty positive. You'll see in today's Briefing, the show's organisers have released some findings from post-show visitor surveys, which back up what I've heard anecdotally - some serious business was secured at the show.

It seems that certainly the show's organisers and the exhibitors are pleased with how the NEC move has turned out. Whilst numbers aren't what they once were at Windsor, it's the quality of the visitors coming through the stands at the NEC which is important. Attending the show are professionals with purchasing power authority. Whilst the whole team might not be getting a day out kicking tyres anymore, the show is seeing representatives of facilities who are in the market for spending money.

So it'll be interesting to see if there's a similar atmosphere at BTME. Is there currently the appetite for investment in new equipment in the golf sector as there appears to be in the sportsground and amenity markets?

It has been sales of commercial machinery which has kept many professional dealers going this past year when sales of agricultural equipment have been somewhat under the weather. 

And there's more good news emerging this morning in fact which should see public space upkeep continue to see investment. The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and Big Lottery Fund have just announced grants totalling more than £33million that will help restore and revitalise 13 public parks across the UK.

Five of the grants being awarded will directly benefit parks situated in coastal communities. Soon to enjoy revitalised green spaces are Great Yarmouth’s Venetian Waterways; South Cliff Gardens in Scarborough; Ellington Park in Ramsgate; Mount Garden in Fleetwood, Lancashire; and Stanmer Park in Brighton.

HLF’s Chief Executive Ros Kerslake, said, “It’s well-known that public parks play a vital role in our health and well-being. But for coastal communities their role is even more critical. Often a central part of their tourism offering, this investment from National Lottery players will empower local people to maximise the potential of their local park to boost local economic well-being.”

And of course these parks will require skilled professionals, armed with the latest equipment, to maintain them to the quality required in order to attract and retain these local economy-boosting tourists.

So some positive news to kick-start 2017 - let's hope they'll be plenty more throughout the year.