Next year’s Natural Stone Show at ExCeL London has been rescheduled for 15-17 March 2011, when it is likely to offer exhibitors and visitors a better return on investment.

The Show has always been an excellent place to gain new orders but with money tight both for exhibitors and visitors, Show Director Richard Bradbury has responded to industry requests to put the Show back a year.

And he has done so a year ahead of the original Show dates to protect exhibitors from any unnecessary preparation and promotional expense.

Richard explains: “We have listened to our customers and decided the responsible option is to move the event to 2011. We have already booked ExCeL for 15-17 March 2011.

“By then the Show will be able to tap into the opportunities presented by the £6.1billion building investment going into the 2012 Olympic Games and the £1.5billion re-development of the Royal Dock, both right next to ExCeL, as well as what we all hope will by then be a general recovery.”

The decision has received widespread support from the industry and many have already pledged their full support for the rescheduled event.

Jane Buxey, Chief Executive of Stone Federation Great Britain, summed up the response of the industry when she told NSS: “We appreciate the consultative approach the organisers of the Natural Stone Show have taken. We fully endorse their actions as supportive to the industry and look forward to the 2011 exhibition as an ideal springboard for recovery.”