Brintex says it is committed to improving the quality of audience, which is already underway for 2013.  2014 will see the LIWF invest more than £40,000 in visitor incentives, specifically to attract buyers from the on-trade, independent retail and multiple retail sectors.  These will take the form of: travel and accommodation bursaries; channel-specific lunches; free evening social events for specific buyers; and competitions and giveaways in partnerships with select exhibitors. For the more general visitor, benefits will include an increased breadth of exhibitor, improved content, invitations to wine events and study bursaries and an emphasis on socialising.

Catering – something which has been much maligned in previous years – will reflect the needs of the visitor and exhibitor with specialist on-site delicatessens. To build a sense of community in and around Olympia, there will be restaurant and bar partnerships offering corkage and dining deals to allow exhibitors to entertain guests with their own wine, inexpensively. There will also be an industry annual event – something that will be the highlight of the wine trade social calendar.

Carter said: “There has been much speculation over a possible venue change for next year’s show, and we are pleased to now be able to announce the move back to Olympia.  We have listened to both current and past exhibitors and also our visitor audience and the majority consensus is that this will be a better venue. Moving to Olympia will mean a refreshed show, and a sense of returning to its roots.  Olympia will allow for the reduction in costs we have outlined and also faster travel times for exhibitors and visitors coming in from Heathrow and Gatwick and for UK trade professionals.  Being in Kensington will be an opportunity to build a sense of community around the show and we will partner with leading local restaurants, bars and venues to provide entertaining choices to both exhibitor and visitor.”

Next year’s London Wine Fair will be late ,  the week commencing June 2 2014.