Waiting list for LBF as rollovers and reduced space leave some firms struggling

Some agents and publishers who chose not to roll over their London Book Fair bookings from 2020 have reported struggling to get tables at next year’s event, with organisers admitting there is now a waiting list amid high demand and construction works at the Olympia venue.

The normal in-person event is due to take place at its usual spring date at Olympia in 2022, running from 5th to 7th April. However, there will be some changes, most notably the International Rights Centre moving to the ground floor owing to redevelopment work at the venue.

Organisers cancelled the fair in 2020 over fears surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, and offered exhibitors 60% of their fees back or, alternatively, a transfer of 100% of their fees to a booking for the same package at 2021's event. When 2021's in-person event was also cancelled, exhibitors were able to choose to put a portion of their investment into participating in the online fair, rolling over the remainder into 2022, when it could be then "topped up as appropriate". Alternatively, they could rollover their entire investment into the physical 2022 event with a price freeze applied.

The combination of a squeeze on exhibition space and a high number of transferred bookings from previous years means some of those who did not choose to roll over are facing difficulty in securing space at the fair. One frequent exhibitor, who did not wish to be named, said their company decided not to roll over their 2020 booking when the show was cancelled and were told they had now lost the dedicated space they had been taking at the show “for decades”. However, they admitted the situation had got “a bit better” in recent weeks with confidence of getting a place returning.

They said: "At present, because of the reduction in space and with 80% of exhibitors rolling over their bookings from 2020, we have been told there is simply no space available and we have been placed on a waiting list until that changes. It is frustrating for us, and I imagine many other exhibitors who are ready to commit for 2022, to lose out to potentially unconfirmed bookings for 2022, which were simply rolled over from two years ago."

Tongue Literary Scouting said it had been told it was on the waiting list for next year’s fair, so staff are having to consider a contingency plan. Ben Dunn of the newly launched DunnFogg Literary Agency is planning on doing everything online for next year’s fair, partly due to the “logjam” getting tables.

Andy Ventris, director of London Book Fair, told The Bookseller that the bookings for next year’s fair are “looking very busy already” and confirmed the show is “nearly sold out”. He said this was a “great vote of confidence in the fair and a sign of how much the industry wants to meet together again face to face”. 

He explained there also is less space owing to the redevelopment of Olympia and changes to the floorplan, saying: “Across the whole fair, LBF 2022 will have approximately 20% less space than in 2019, and we are allocating it with the health and safety of our attendees at the forefront of our decision making process. Specifically with regards to the International Rights Centre, this has been moved to the ground floor at the heart of the fair, and will see 425 tables compared to just over 500 in 2019. The majority of these tables have been allocated to those who rolled over their investment from 2020.  

“There is currently a waiting list for tables, and we will only be able to release these in the event of cancellations or if the floorplan changes; our team are speaking with exhibitors regularly on this. The floorplan is still being finalised and we continue to talk to all exhibitors, including those on the waiting list.”  

Despite the concerns of some, a number of frequent exhibitors contacted by The Bookseller said they have been offered tables for next year and were excited about face-to-face meetings once again. The majority had rolled over their bookings from cancelled editions. OneWorld and Hachette confirmed they have tables, while Madeleine Milburn said her agency has three tables rolled over from the previous two years, adding LBF “always treats us very well”.  

Pinelopi Pourpoutidou, foreign and digital sales director at Michael O’Mara, said her company has a stand already booked as a rollover from 2020 and were planning to attend the 2022 fair, adding: “We have been informed there are only a few spaces left, so it will hopefully be a successful one in terms of attendance.” 

Agent Lorella Belli has also secured a place as a rollover, but is waiting to hear if she can get an extra table as “they have had so many requests”. She told The Bookseller: “I am really hoping it’s going ahead — we have our agency 20th birthday party planned on the first day of the fair.” 

Sam Norman from David Higham Associates likewise confirmed the agency plans on attending in 2022 with rolled over tables. “Obviously we are prepared for the worst, but we are very much hoping to meet with our international colleagues and talk about all of our wonderful projects,” he said.