Whilst it may appear that Harrogate forgot to pack away its Christmas decorations on the 12th night this season, there is a very good reason why the town continues to be adorned with Christmas trees, lights and tinsel, as HIC has just played host to the largest Christmas trade show in the UK.
For the 64th year, Christmas & Gift has staged its annual exhibition in Harrogate from 13-16 January with over 100 exhibitors showcasing new products and innovations not only destined to decorate homes in Christmas 2013, but gifts and home ware for almost every season. The event attracted over 4,000 visitors to the town as retailers and buyers flocked to snap up the latest new product launches to adorn their shelves and tempt customers in the coming year.
Simon Anslow, show organiser, comments:
January is the perfect time to showcase items for the following Christmas, retailers have fresh in their minds what they’ve sold well, any missed sales opportunities and their own ideas for next year. The show is guaranteed to deliver everything you could possibly want to stock, as well as some unusual and inspirational new product ideas, everything from trees and decorations to furniture and gifts for every occasion including Halloween which is a growing consumer market.
Simon Kent, acting director of HIC, added:
This one event has an estimated economic benefit to the local economy of around £1.04m which is wonderful news for everyone. On a personal level it was a great feeling, walking around the venue on a cold damp January morning to see twinkling lights, dancing snowmen and fantastic decorations, together with exhibitors talking to customers about next Christmas – I’ve already got a few ideas!
