The Natural Stone Show at ExCeL next year (11-13 March) is set to be the largest and best supported yet with the Stone Federation \'village\' at the heart of the show already sold out.

The \'village\' is a collection of Stone Federation member stands with their own distinct design centred around the Federation\'s stand at the hub.

As well as being able to see the goods and services of the Federation\'s members who exhibit, there is also a help desk on the Federation stand where architects, designers and developers, as well as the stone industry itself, can find the answers to their questions about the use of stone and the companies that supply it.

Stone Federation members exhibiting in the \'village\' next year include Albion Stone Quarries and Bath Stone Group, presenting their classic Portland and Bath limestone ranges, respectively.

Limestone will also be exhibited alongside their ironstone on the Great Tew stand following their acquisition of Creeton Quarry after the 2006 Stone Show.

Johnsons Wellfield will be promoting hard Yorkstone from their Crosland Hill quarry together with a new range of hard gritstones.

More British sandstones will be available from Stancliffe Stone Company, including the buff-to-grey coloured Fletcher Bank, Howley Park and Stoke Hall, the famous red sandstones of Locharbriggs, Plumpton Red Lazonby and Red St Bees, the greenish Scoutmoor Top Rock and the popular Stanton Moor range.

Stancliffe will also be showing for the first time some of the sandstones of Darney, High Nick, Talkin Fell, Bank End (St Bees) and Doddington, having just bought these quarries from Ennstone.

Completing the choice of British stone within the village is Realstone. Their sister company, Blockstone, operate 10 quarries throughout the UK - six sandstone and four limestone - while Realstone also process a wide range of other indigenous and imported stones.

The stone \'village\' also plays host to overseas Stone Federation members the Solnhofen Group, who will be showcasing their Jura limestone and Solnhofen Stone at the show.

New Stone Federation members Hardscape will be exhibiting for the first time and offer a point of contact to landscape architects and local authorities for the procurement of materials.

Developers and architects will find specialist contractors for their major projects with a visit to the stand of Stonewest, who will be exhibiting alongside their conservation specialists St Blaise and 2006 acquisition Rattee & Kett.

Consultants Sandberg, Harri-son Goldman and Geoffrey Walton & Associates will also be in the \'village\'.

And to complete the round up, Halfen Deha will offer their comprehensive range of stone supports and restraints, including grout-in anchors and sub-frame supports.

Natural Stone Show Director Richard Bradbury told NSS: "The UK stone industry and the Stone Federation have supported the Natural Stone Show since it was launched in 1995. Stone Federation have just this year signed a new sponsorship agreement for the next two shows, so we are delighted their members have demonstrated their commitment by filling the \'village\' area with eight months still to go before the event opens at ExCeL, London\'s top exhibition venue."

Of course, the \'village\' is only a part of the exhibition and most of the UK and international exhibitors are outside of it on their own individual stands.

But space outside the village is also filling fast and Richard suggests anyone wanting to book their stand at the 8th Natural Stone Show should contact him now on Tel: 0115 945 3889. Email: stoneshow@qmj.co.uk