The Framers Forum

So what did you framers think of this weeks show?
Any exciting new ideas or products?
Who had the best/worst stand?
Tell us your views and opinions....!!

Slater Harrison

We normally go on the Saturday night and do the Sunday only. This year we did the Monday too.

Not enough moulding suppliers and not too much to write home about from the handful that were there. Where were Nielsen?

Took on two new print publishers and quite a few originals from FW Holroyd - things you don't get to see any other way but the fair.

Did the gift halls on the Monday, found them a bit confusing - tableware and soft furnishings next to ceramics and glass etc. Have a whole bundle of catalogues and price lists to study, plus a few CD Roms.

Considering the costs involved, its surprising that so many exhibitors do make the effort, but also understandable why so many are unable to justify the expense.

As a framer, I have never been happy with the NEC venue, much preferring the old Olympia show, which was targeted exclusively at our trade. However if we did more in the way of gift-ware I might perhaps take a different view.

I went on the Sunday and spent some 4 hours there. 2 hours sorting out CMC which was worth it.

I was very impressed with WESSEX and FRINTON stand, just did not realise they did so much in the way of moulding.

Sorry to say that nothing else grabbed my attention, it seems as though the art/picture side of things was exactly the same as last year.

SIMONS and LIONS had not really changed at all.

A lot of the smaller exhibitors were sat there looking Oh so really bored and a few commented that they hoped it would pick up during the week as they needed to cover their expenses. (As John above says). Mind you, not sure who does their framing, but their overcuts on the mounts and mitres really need looking at. OK I understand if they are for display only and they must get some sort of battering being carried from show to show, yet that is no excuse.

However, being so far West, it was good to meet the people that are usually on the end of the telephone.
Reps Please take notice. England does NOT stop at Plymouth!!

Hi keuth,

We thought the fair was an awful lot busier than the normal Sunday. Tried to talk to Mike Braddock a few times but he was inundated with clients, so I left it, and said I'd speak to him via email at a later stage.

I felt that there was nothing really knew on the market this time around, apart from the fillet cutter from Fletcher, and Mosro's new deep rabate supports.

This year my wife went on a mission to get better aquainted with certain prints and print companies, a mission that she said was successful. We are trying hard to get away from soley original artwork, and maybe just keep a few artists. Seeing the prints face to face is much better than from a broucher for the first time.

2 stands that she didnt cross swords with were De Montfort and WG, she says that they always give off an air of superiority and tend to lean towards people that are spending 1000's of pounds, and not those that may only spend a few 100. I was disappointed though that Solomon & Whitehead wernt there.

All in all, not a bad show, could be better.

Steven

I mentioned FW Holroyd above, I don't know where that came from, I meant Hornchurch fine art. Duh!

Hey Square Frames, Solomon & Whitehead WERE there!

Admittedly they were trying a different approach by ONLY exhibiting originals by their stable of artists but it looked pretty good and the glass of champagne made the show more bearable!

OK, I confess, I nearly walked by them as they had a much smaller stand than usual so I wasn't expecting to see them where they were, but they were worth a visit.

Solomon & Witehead were NOT there, per say. They were not where the plan said they were and the stand that you are reffering to - althogh clearly them, but only to anyone that would know, was called "The Fine Art Group".

Hi John,

Apparently, if you'd have blinked, sneezed or whatever, you would have missed what S&W did this year, my wife did neither and still missed them..ah well. Fortunately my wife has spoken to them since or return home.

Many thanks John

Keith,

Good to hear from you, although we did not see each other at the Spring Fair

I was only working in the Fletcher-Terry stand for the first three days, but observed that it was a very busy Sunday...perhaps even stronger than in previous years. Monday and Tuesday were spotty.

John wrote:As a framer, I have never been happy with the NEC venue, much preferring the old Olympia show, which was targeted exclusively at our trade. However if we did more in the way of gift-ware I might perhaps take a different view.

As a retailer who attends large gift shows in the U.S., we need the 5-7+ days to see all the new product. Attending framing and art shows however is a different matter, and traditionally framing shows in the U.S., Spain, Australia that I've attended run 3 days. This puts the Spring Fair into a unique position. I can't image the organizers closing the Gallery Hall early, say after three days?

Thanks for the plug on Fletcher-Terry's Fillet Cutter, Steven. Indeed we had a fair amount of interest on the stand.

I ended up contributing to the UK economy during my three days at the Spring Fair. I did order almost £400 worth of Wallace & Gromitt prints from Flip Editions, exhibiting at the fair.




Perhaps I'll even put them on the web! Now there's an idea!

Regards,

P.S. Almost forgot to mention the very nice dinner I had with this misplaced Welsh framer and his lovely wife with the heavy London accent.

John

Hi Mr Ranes II,

Glad to see you arrived home safe and sound. Excellent products as Fletcher are producing, esecially the fillet cutter dont need that much plugging, they speak for themselves.

I do hope to see you before next Spring Fair, if I can get things organised this end.

Steven