BA Conference and Gardners Trade Show postponed to 2021

The annual Booksellers Association Conference and Gardners Trade Show is to be postponed until spring 2021.

It had previously been moved back from September to November because of the pandemic. However, following internal discussions and conversations with members, it has been decided to move the event to next year.

Meryl Halls, m.d. of the BA, said: “The BA Conference is a fantastic chance for booksellers to network and come together as a community, and we had hoped to offer that opportunity this year. However, in the current landscape, and in line with feedback from our membership, it is clear that moving the conference to Spring 2021 is the right decision, and will be a better time for booksellers to come together and take stock. We continue to focus on supporting bookshops as they reopen and look forward to meeting in the spring to share experiences and ideas, while celebrating the consistent resilience and passion of booksellers.”

Nigel Wyman, sales and marketing director at Gardners, added: “We really hoped to be able to put together a great Gardners Trade Show off the back of the success of 2019’s very well-attended event. It was with a heavy heart that we came to this decision as we know that booksellers and publishers alike have been starved of the direct interaction that makes bookselling so enjoyable and rewarding. However, we do believe this was the right decision based on the current landscape and we looking forward to welcoming you all in spring 2021 for a bigger and better event in a new venue.”

Details of dates for the BA Conference and Trade Show in spring 2021 will be shared later in the year.