Clarion strike deal with NEC

Effectively a take-over of the NEC organising arm by the newly independent Clarion Events, the whole enterprise will be overseen by Clarion’s managing director, Simon Kimble, who wants to develop the NEC’s exhibitor organising capability.

The move marks a major first step in Clarion’s expansion plans since their £45m management buy-out of the company towards the end of last year.

Andrew Morris, who joined the NEC as chief executive last October, is known to have thought it not sensible to have an in-house organising facility and was anxious to separate business and organisation.

Before Birmingham Mr Morris was chief executive at Earls Court & Olympia, where he was in favour of splitting the halls business from fair organisation, which subsequently happened with the Clarion management buy-out.

Mr Morris declares himself pleased to be once again working with Simon Kimble and his team.

Clarion Events own two thirds of the new operation at the NEC, comprising the shows the NEC previously owned. The third retained by the NEC involves only shows they manage and this part of the business will move to a different department in the NEC Group.

Clarion have acquired a portfolio of 10 shows, including the four antiques fairs at the NEC and one in Glasgow as well as Collect It! They have not yet formulated a precise long-term strategy, but in the short term we are told there will be no discernible changes at the NEC, with Fran Foster and her team remaining in place and rumoured hikes in stand rents not imminent.

Dan Gorton, executive director of Clarion, told ATG: “We look forward to working with Fran Foster’s excellent team within the new company. The Antiques For Everyone portfolio and Olympia antiques fairs are two of the most important groups of events for the antiques trade in the UK.”

Fran Foster, who now works for Clarion, has known for some time that Andrew Morris had this development in mind and last week told ATG: “This is no surprise and is always on the cards with in-house organisers. I knew it was going to happen but it is exciting and will benefit customers and visitors at the NEC fairs.”