Spring Fair In Pictures

By Jakki Brown
8 February 2019

PG Buzz shares some Spring Fair moments in pictures…

Above: There was a definite tropical flavour to the Woodmansterne stand as (right) Paul Woodmansterne, md and sales agent Tim Shaw rising to the theme.
Above: There was a definite tropical flavour to the Woodmansterne stand as (right) Paul Woodmansterne, md and sales agent Tim Shaw rising to the theme.
Above: Culinary maestro Prue Leith (centre) on the Portico stand with Charlie Czul, Portico’s sales and industry Stalwart, Riou Baxter of Why Management who is facilitating the licensing programme. Prue confectionery from House of Sarunds was also on show at the fair.
Above: Culinary maestro Prue Leith (centre) on the Portico stand with Charlie Czul, Portico’s sales and industry Stalwart, Riou Baxter of Why Management who is facilitating the licensing programme. Prue confectionery from House of Sarunds was also on show at the fair.
Above: It was a cheers from Berni Parker who christened the company’s diversification into extending its portfolio into producing glassware, calendars, clocks and more gifts under its own steam.
Above: It was a cheers from Berni Parker who christened the company’s diversification into extending its portfolio into producing glassware, calendars, clocks and more gifts under its own steam.
Above: Keen to still work in the industry, (third right) Chris Houfe, former md of Emotional Rescue (which has just been sold back to former co-owner David Greaves) enjoyed catching up with everyone, including at the PG drinks do. (Left-right) Ben Hickman (Brainbox Candy), Claire Williams (Paper Salad), Raj Arora (Davora), Karen Wilson (Paper Salad), Neil Anthony Greenwood (agent).
Above: Keen to still work in the industry, (third right) Chris Houfe, former md of Emotional Rescue (which has just been sold back to former co-owner David Greaves) enjoyed catching up with everyone, including at the PG drinks do. (Left-right) Ben Hickman (Brainbox Candy), Claire Williams (Paper Salad), Raj Arora (Davora), Karen Wilson (Paper Salad), Neil Anthony Greenwood (agent).
Above: (Far left) Debbie and Jerry Brown (third left) of First Class Greetings in Hadleigh spun ‘the wheel of fortune’ on the Cardgains stand to win £30 prizes donated by suppliers as part of the buying group’s 30th anniversary celebrations. Pictured with Cardgains’ (second left) Chris Dyson, joint md and Penny Shaw, marketing director as well as Xpressions’ independent sales director Christine Harrison.
Above: The show saw the launch of Half Moon Bay’s May The Thoughts Be With You range under its new Ice House publishing imprint. Creator of the brand, Charlotte Reed caught up with Peter Thompson, md of Half Moon Bay/Shruti.
Above: The show saw the launch of Half Moon Bay’s May The Thoughts Be With You range under its new Ice House publishing imprint. Creator of the brand, Charlotte Reed caught up with Peter Thompson, md of Half Moon Bay/Shruti.
Above: Louise Tiler Designs and Tache joined forces and showed on an impressively designed shared stand.
Above: Louise Tiler Designs and Tache joined forces and showed on an impressively designed shared stand.
Above: There was lots of happy chatter at the PG drinks gathering at the end of each day, including between this Stripy Cats, Wraptious and Davora group.
Above: There was lots of happy chatter at the PG drinks gathering at the end of each day, including between this Stripy Cats, Wraptious and Davora group.
Above: The Handcrafted Card Company won the Gift of the Year Cards and Wrap award for its Pen & Ink collection with Marianne Cameron, agent for Handcrafted collected the trophy (left). Seen here with Blue Eyed Sun’s Jeremy Corner (second left), (second right) Origamo’s Furio Ceciliato (as the Quilling Cards by Origamo, distributed by BES received a Highly Commended trophy) and Fiona Burge of Really Good/Soul as the company received a Highly Commended award for its Suck It reusable straws in the Under £10 category.
Above: The Handcrafted Card Company won the Gift of the Year Cards and Wrap award for its Pen & Ink collection with Marianne Cameron, agent for Handcrafted collected the trophy (left). Seen here with Blue Eyed Sun’s Jeremy Corner (second left), (second right) Origamo’s Furio Ceciliato (as the Quilling Cards by Origamo, distributed by BES received a Highly Commended trophy) and Fiona Burge of Really Good/Soul as the company received a Highly Commended award for its Suck It reusable straws in the Under £10 category.
Above: For the second year running, Paper Mirchi won Design & Craft award for its hand marbled giftwrap. Founder Rani Moochaala was there to collect the trophy.
Above: For the second year running, Paper Mirchi won Design & Craft award for its hand marbled giftwrap. Founder Rani Moochaala was there to collect the trophy.
Above: Archway Cards’ Chris Dyball (far left) and Amy Beeby (far right) caught up with the Out of the Blue Studios’ team (2nd left-right) co-owners Clive Rubin and Pete Rawlingson, designers   Bobbie Mulkerrin and Colleen Whittaker and area sales rep Martin Sanderson.
Above: Archway Cards’ Chris Dyball (far left) and Amy Beeby (far right) caught up with the Out of the Blue Studios’ team (2nd left-right) co-owners Clive Rubin and Pete Rawlingson, designers Bobbie Mulkerrin and Colleen Whittaker and area sales rep Martin Sanderson.
Above: The Motor Neurone Disease Association was delighted to be presented with a giant cheque for £20,000 from Cardgains as a result of the fundraising by the buying group in 2018, largely through its annual charity challenge, a mega walk in Cumbria undertaken by many publisher suppliers and retail members, many of whom were there for the chaque handover.
Above: The Motor Neurone Disease Association was delighted to be presented with a giant cheque for £20,000 from Cardgains as a result of the fundraising by the buying group in 2018, largely through its annual charity challenge, a mega walk in Cumbria undertaken by many publisher suppliers and retail members, many of whom were there for the cheque handover.
Above: Portfolio’s md Jayne Diggory (centre) shows off the publisher’s brand new website with colleague Natalie Morphet (left) and agent Sarah Caldicott.
Above: Portfolio’s md Jayne Diggory (centre) shows off the publisher’s brand new website with colleague Natalie Morphet (left) and agent Sarah Caldicott.
Above: A doubly ‘happy’ gathering. (Far right) Emily Coxhead, creator of The Happy News with (third left) Giles Andreae, co-creator of Happy Jackson on the Blueprint stand.
Above: A doubly ‘happy’ gathering. (Far right) Emily Coxhead, creator of The Happy News with (third left) Giles Andreae, co-creator of Happy Jackson on the Blueprint stand.
Above: Paper Rose’s former owner Alan Hawkes popped onto the stand at the same time that (centre) Bev Cunningham (now Ginger Bee Studios, formerly of Abacus) was catching up with creative director Reggie Pugh.
Above: Paper Rose’s former owner Alan Hawkes popped onto the stand at the same time that (centre) Bev Cunningham (now Ginger Bee Studios, formerly of Abacus) was catching up with creative director Reggie Pugh.
Above: Brainbox Candy boys Mark Williams (left) and Ben Hickman celebrated the company’s distribution tie-up with Modern Toss with a couple of Modern Toss tinnies!
Above: Brainbox Candy boys Mark Williams (left) and Ben Hickman celebrated the company’s distribution tie-up with Modern Toss with a couple of Modern Toss tinnies!
Above: It was a ‘Hey Girl’ moment on the Pigment stand when sales exec Andrea Caspar realised it was her 25th anniversary Spring Fair.
Above: It was a ‘Hey Girl’ moment on the Pigment stand when sales exec Andrea Caspar realised it was her 25th anniversary Spring Fair.
Above: While the Tate collection and a range of bamboo travel mugs were a major attractions on its Museums & Galleries stand, sibling brand Mint also had some new licensed ranges. Company’s co-owner Alan Williams showed off its new ‘Be a…’ range, based on Sarah Forde’s popular books, published by Octopus with mugs being produced under licence by McLaggan Mugs. 
Above: While the Tate collection and a range of bamboo travel mugs were a major attractions on its Museums & Galleries stand, sibling brand Mint also had some new licensed ranges. Company’s co-owner Alan Williams showed off its new ‘Be a…’ range, based on Sarah Forde’s popular books, published by Octopus with mugs being produced under licence by McLaggan Mugs.
Above: Scottish retailer (and PG columnist), David Robertson with Toasted Crumpet’s owner Jo Clarke. 
Above: Scottish retailer (and PG columnist), David Robertson with Toasted Crumpet’s owner Jo Clarke.
Above: The BrownTrout stand was showcasing the company’s latest acquisition, the US-based Brush Dance calendar company.
Above: The BrownTrout stand was showcasing the company’s latest acquisition, the US-based Brush Dance calendar company.
Above: This year was David Metcalfe’s 50th anniversary Spring Fair. Having headed up the running of the show for many years, and having continued as a consultant for several years, this was his swansong. There was a toast to the great man on the PG stand. Seen here with his wife Brenda (centre) and LB Warehouse’s founder Lynda Raymond.
Above: This year was David Metcalfe’s 50th anniversary Spring Fair. Having headed up the running of the show for many years, and having continued as a consultant for several years, this was his swansong. There was a toast to the great man on the PG stand. Seen here with his wife Brenda (centre) and LB Warehouse’s founder Lynda Raymond.
Above: Members of the John Lewis buying team with Woodmansterne’s Keith Gillespie on the publisher’s stand enjoying a cocktail at the end of the day.
Above: Members of the John Lewis buying team with Woodmansterne’s Keith Gillespie on the publisher’s stand enjoying a cocktail at the end of the day.
Above: (centre) Dean Morris, founder of Dean Morris Cards in a ‘Dom sandwich’, between (left) Dominic Early of Earlybird Designs and Lesser Spotted’s Dominic Greyer at the PG drinks do.
Above: (centre) Dean Morris, founder of Dean Morris Cards in a ‘Dom sandwich’, between (left) Dominic Early of Earlybird Designs and Lesser Spotted’s Dominic Greyer at the PG drinks do.

Top: Birmingham’s NEC, home to the Spring Fair.

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