“I can’t stress how invaluable it is to be able to step away from your business.”
As one of the directors of the Lakes Hospitality Association (LHA) Trade show and businessman in his own right, James Tasker knows all about the value of the event.
“If you own a business in the area you will feel the benefit of coming to the show,” James said. “What sets us aside from other shows is that exhibitors can get to the people. The vast majority of visitors to the show are those make key decisions; they come here to do business.”
Now in its 48th year, the event is billed as a platform and venue where a variety of trades are available under one roof.
This year almost 2,000 people are expected to have attended the two-day event which concludes today.
Held at the J36 Rural Auction Centre, the sell out event took place during a period when the industry is watching closely what impact governmental and global decisions will have on the economy. For some, last year’s dismal summer is still recent memory and confidence about whether tourists will ‘staycation’ again was mixed.
Ben McClure, sales director of Windermere-based wholesale food supplier McClures, says the effect of Brexit is still being felt when it comes to availability of supplies.
“Since Brexit it’s been a lot harder with the fresh fruit and vegetables to get it across the border with the paperwork etc but touch wood, the rest isn’t too bad at the moment,” Ben said.
Meanwhile demand for environmentally friendly, sustainable cleaning products is buoyant. Bunzl Cleaning and Hygiene Supplies branch manager Hayley Garner says a growing awareness among tourists of where products have come from is boosting demand.
“Recycled toilet paper and hand towels has completely evolved and it now feels exactly the same as non-recycled products,” Hayley said.
Marketing and promotional suppliers at the event included Kay Groundwater whose father opened Identity, a Barrow-based workwear, embroidery and printing firm, 50 years ago next year. In a day and age where image matters, demand for products is strong.
“We’re always diversifying, always looking for the next thing that customers will want is what keeps us young,” Kay said. The most unusual request for item of clothing to be branded? ‘Underpants’ – although who (and why) remains a trade secret!
“We’ve quadrupled our production capacity,” Matthew Stockwell, director of Three Hills Gelato, said.
Three years after starting out, the Torpenhow-based enterprise is making the most of working with an organic dairy farm which uses regenerative farming techniques.
Kirkby Stephen’s Out of Eden are also serving new customers, on two and four legs. Georgia Taylor says visitors often arrive with pets in tow therefore catering for canine needs is important.
“We provide towels, go treats, bowls – after Covid a of people like to take their pet away with them,” Georgia Taylor from Out of Eden said.
As the event wraps up for another year, there is one added bonus to a gathering of visitors and suppliers which organisers say they are unable to quantify.
“The amount of business done among exhibitors themselves is phenomenal – we just can’t measure it,” James Tasker says.
“Innovative ideas are being showcased here. We offer a world class destination – and we offer world class businesses with that destination.”
