When the National Funeral Exhibition (NFE) opened at Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire on 15 June it had been four years since the previous NFE. The next one might not take as long to come round.

The exhibition is owned by the National Association of Funeral Directors and was organised for them this time by professional show organiser David Hyde of Leisure Expo. It had the backing of the National Association of Memorial Masons (NAMM), who incorporated their Tradex exhibition into the show as part of their centenary celebrations.

NAMM President Brian Morgan said afterwards: "Of all the exhibitions I have been to that combine funerals and memorials, this was the best."

He judged the Best Memorial Stand, giving the award to new NAMM members Milestone Global, memorial wholesalers based in Sheldon, Birmingham.

An exit poll of some of the 2,247 visitors was still being analysed as NSS went to press. It will be followed up by a survey of exhibitors. But it was clear at the show that there was some enthusiasm for holding the event every other year in future.

The exhibition was opened by government works and pensions minister James Plaskitt, who said he was delighted to be at the largest ever exhibition organised by the funeral industry in the United Kingdom.

NAMM said many of their members had visited the exhibition, although some of the memorials and equipment exhibitors said they were not entirely comfortable about being alongside coffins, hearses and mortuary parafernalia.

NAMM held their own Tradex exhibition in Telford last year and have always supported the Natural Stone Show in London. They say they have yet to decide about any future involvement with the NFE if it does go biennial.