You may be aware that redevelopment of the area surrounding the Peterborough Arena is planned, to create significant leisure development, alongside new homes, open space sports pitches, a school and other facilities. Today we have been advised by Arena management that this plan is being accelerated and brought forward, meaning that events scheduled after 1st July 2023 will not go ahead, and that the Arena exhibition space, which the plans retain, is likely to be unavailable for some time. This change does NOT in any way affect the running of the 2023 National Show, scheduled for April 15th. The Association has started looking for an alternative venue for the 2024 show and will share its findings as soon as possible. If a suitable venue can be found, which is our aim, the 2024 National Show will go ahead in its normal April timeframe.
Our show on April 15th will therefore be the last for the foreseeable future at the current venue. We go out on a high, with more layouts and more space dedicated to layouts than ever before. 70 traders and societies are attending the show and all available exhibition space is now occupied, though not I should stress at the expense of visitor circulation space or the show’s usual attractions, line the Landmarks Display, MoTY and Member to Member Sales. If you’ve been putting off attending, wait no longer because next year we’ll be somewhere different.
Alan Finch, Chairman