Rundell, Myrie and Edmonson to speak at the Annual BA Conference and Gardners Trade Show

Katherine Rundell, Clive Myrie and Ade Edmonson will be among the speakers at the annual BA Conference and Gardners Trade Show.

The event will run from 1st to 2nd October 2023, and will be hosted at the Leonardo Hotel in Hinckley Island, Leicestershire.

The 30th annual Gardners Trade Show on Sunday 1st October will open with an introduction delivered by Nigel Wyman, sales and marketing director at Gardners, followed by talks from Rundell, Edmonson and Caroline Quentin.

A series of signing sessions will mean booksellers can get their hands on personalised or signed copies. Over 60 exhibitors representing over 100 imprints will be at this year’s event, making it the largest show yet. The Gardlink team will be on-hand for introductions, demonstrations and advice.

Following the trade show, Gardners will sponsor the BA Conference, allowing Booksellers to attend for free. 

A BA afternoon tea will be held after the trade show, as well as a New Voices session, sponsored by HarperCollins, presenting three debut authors. This will be followed by an Independent Alliance Conference Dinner for all delegates.

Chaired by author Cathy Rentzenbrink, the BA Conference on the 2nd October will open with an author breakfast, sponsored by Bloomsbury, followed by an introduction by the BA’s president, Hazel Broadfoot from Village Books in Dulwich. Meryl Halls, BA’s managing director, will provide an update on the organisation, followed by a keynote speech from journalist and presenter Myrie.

Bookshop.org will present the findings from a new survey, commissioned by the BA, looking at booksellers’ digital footprint and their digital marketing strategy. Lunch will follow, sponsored by Penguin Random House.

In the afternoon, the BA will host two skills lab streams, which will offer professional development for booksellers. Topics covered will include PR for bookshops, pay-it-forward schemes, "author-less" events, dealing with anti-social behaviour and more.

The afternoon will also see publishers present their key autumn and spring titles to booksellers, and the day will close with the conference awards and a drinks reception. A dinner will be held for BA members only, sponsored by Oxford University Press.

Wyman said: “This year we celebrate 30 years of The Gardners Trade Show and have been working on a fantastic line up to celebrate this. We celebrate 30 years of supporting book sellers enabling them to network with likeminded people throughout the industry.

"This year’s show has the highest number of exhibitors stands we have ever had, as well as an exciting line up of authors. We are delighted to be working with the BA on this cohesive event again in 2023, and to be sponsoring the conference to allow booksellers to attend for free. It’s one of the most exciting events in our calendar and we are counting down the days.”

Halls added: “It’s often in challenging times that the benefits of gathering really pay off, and booksellers in the UK and Ireland have had an unpredictable year so far. This year’s programme has pulled together a topical and rich range of relevant topics, as well as building in time for booksellers to dwell together and chat between activities – key ways to help booksellers strategise through the current challenges, and gain mutual support and reassurance from each other.

"We’re delighted to be working with Gardners again on delivering this unique joint event for our members, and are very appreciative of their ongoing support in bringing booksellers together.”

Additional details will be announced to delegates shortly, including information on the new Conference and Trade Show Attendee App, which is once again sponsored by Edelweiss.