The Clubhouse Exhibition will move to Harrogate next year. The rights have been acquired by the British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) who will run Clubhouse alongside their successful BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition (BTME).
The Clubhouse Exhibition, which was most recently owned and staged by the NEC, Birmingham, will have its own identity within the Harrogate International Centre while BTME – Europe’s biggest indoor fine turf exhibition, now entering its 15th year – continues to expand. Routing will allow visitors to take in both exhibitions making it the major event of its type in Europe.
“I am excited that the Clubhouse Exhibition will be moving to Harrogate where it will merge with our existing Golf Club Show under the Clubhouse banner and complement our extremely successful BTME,” said BIGGA executive director, Neil Thomas.
“It gives visitors a genuine one stop shop for their clubhouse and golf course needs at a time of year which is ideal for visitors.”
As with the BTME, an educational programme will run alongside the Clubhouse Exhibition for the benefit of golf course owners, secretaries and managers.
“I am delighted that this exhibition will have the backing of both the Association of Golf Course Secretaries (AGCS) and the Association of Golf Course Owners,” continued Neil Thomas. “I look forward to welcoming many new companies and visitors to Harrogate.” .
Commenting on the move to Harrogate, Andrew Gibb, divisional director of Centre Exhibitions at the NEC, said, “This decision has been made in the best interests of the industry and we fully support the move to Harrogate,”
“We are very pleased that Clubhouse is moving to such a venue,” said Keith Lloyd, secretary of the AGCS. “It is clearly in the best interests of our members, enabling them to visit both exhibitions at the one location and to resource all requirements for their golf clubs.”
The Clubhouse Exhibition and the BTME will be held at the Harrogate International Centre, 21-23 January 2003.
BIGGA www.bigga.org.uk