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3 Jun 2020,  George Bullivant

Is there an appetite for Glee 2020?

It’s 15 weeks till the start of Glee. Invoices have arrived with exhibitors for final payments to participate in the exhibition. But will the show be going ahead?

7 Jul 2020,  David Jenkins, DJ Turfcare
I’d like to extend my congratulations and thanks to the organisers of Glee for finally sharing with the industry the news that Glee 2020 will be cancelled in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. I can’t say that the news came as a surprise, yet we waited with bated breath for the official announcement. I am under no illusions that this would have been an easy decision to make, but common sense had to prevail, and I feel confident that the decision to cancel was the correct one. The safety and protection of our staff is of paramount importance and I know other suppliers and retailers will feel the same, and it is this protection that has to supersede everything else. There is no question that a year without Glee will be a sad year for us all, and we will all miss the opportunity to showcase our newest product developments, meet with new and existing customers, and network with our peers. For many, the lack of Glee will represent a significant loss, but we will find alternative ways as individual businesses, and as an industry, to come together to share our ideas, growth plans and nurture our relationships. At DJ Turfcare we are already looking forward to returning to Glee 2021 and will continue to support the development of the show in a (hopefully) post-Corona world. For us Glee is an incredibly important part of our annual business development strategy and we hope that others will not forget the value the exhibition has for their business and will continue to engage with the many platforms that the Glee team is working tirelessly to create for us. For now, we will be continuing to support our retail customers as we move towards a new normal and will continue to bring to market exciting new organic-based fertiliser solutions to meet the demand of the new eco-conscious consumer.
23 Jun 2020,  Paul
I was reading with interest the recent press release from the organisers of Spoga + Gafa just as the BBC 1 o’clock news began its report on the reintroduction of lockdown after the new outbreak of Covid 19 in North Rhine-Westphalia – exactly where this exhibition is due to take place in September.  If ever there was a reminder of the potential foolhardiness of GLEE going head this year, then this perhaps may be it!!
11 Jun 2020,  STEVE ILLSLEY
To Gerald Ingram, your comments may stop suppliers wanting to deal with you, we as an industry must stick together and work through this as best we can, we may well see the demise of many suppliers which in turn will put a big demand on those that are left. I run a plant focused specialist Nursery and I have contacts going back 30 years and it is because of this that we are trading and trading well, yes there are issues with supply and demand, we all face that, just because a supplier is big or even a leader in its field it does not mean they can cope any better than the smaller, family owned companies.
11 Jun 2020,  Simon
Further to my April comment that as Glee is owned by the Hyve Group answers are likely to be slow currently due to Staff furloughing and as Hyve are currently involved in a vital Rights Issue following the 90% collapse in their share price. It is interesting that Directors acquiring  substantial share holdings at 90p in December and January were not buyers at the recent 12p, and  it is not obvious if they have taken up their Rights now. Hyve run nearly 200 international trade events and have cancelled and postponed nearly all of these so far this year, the Investors Chronicle recently reported that Hyve would run no shows in September, and expect now to run no shows except in China this year, de facto cancelling Glee. Hyve should be clear now on their position, we appreciate that furloughed staff are unable to work to advise Customers, Hyve Directors are able to do so, and as the CEO earns £1M pa they should be clear to Customers. As a very long standing GLEE show exhibitor, we want the show back in fine form, but probably not until 2021, I have supported Hyve and taken up my Rights to assist them in securing their vital £35M Bank line injection dependent on the success of  the £127m Rights Issue funds and wish the group well for the future, hoping that despite their current intentions to build their online capabilities, physical shows will return. Clarity now would be useful, as clearly Customers in the UK do not have the appetite to attend Glee Birmingham in September 2020.
8 Jun 2020,  David Jenkins, Managing, Director, DJ Turfcare
I saw the recent article regarding ‘Is there an appetite for Glee 2020’ and knew I couldn’t sit here and not respond.

The fact that Glee is 14 weeks away and yet the organisers have remained all but silent on the matter of whether it will run or not is bordering on irresponsible.

I appreciate that we currently live in a time where predicting the course of the Covid-19 pandemic is nigh on impossible, however in light of the fact that other exhibitions scheduled for September have cancelled it seems only right that Glee should follow suit.

There is no doubt that the cancellation of such a long running show would be an incredible shame, and for some Glee would still be needed, however for most the show comes at a time of too much uncertainty. I would not wish to send my team to the show and would be incredibly concerned for their safety at this time. I am sure that other suppliers feel the same, with retailers sure to echo these feelings and well as not necessarily feeling the need to place orders in the same way they normally would during September. I highly doubt international visitors would attend, air bridge or not, so we’d be left with a show that, at best, offers the bare bones that our industry has to offer.

I would be intrigued to see what these safety measures mentioned are, though I am under no illusions that they would efficiently counter the general health and safety concerns that comes from a worldwide pandemic.

These are unprecedented times and as such an exhibition of Glee’s scale is not a viable option. We will miss Glee and remain hopeful that its presence in 2021 will be just as important as it always is. But for 2020 it must not go ahead, and the organisers need to accept this truth. Their ongoing silence is problematic and every day that passes this silence is speaking volumes about Glee’s role as show organisers. I urge them to think carefully about their next steps.

7 Jun 2020,  sales agent
Envisage most retailers will not bother to attend. We are agents for 4 suppliers and none of them will exhibit this year. Overseas exhibitors/customers having to isolate for 14 days surely will stop them attending. Cancel now.
5 Jun 2020,  A Supplier
So sad Gerald Ingram could not be more supportive of his suppliers: "After this crisis we all know the suppliers that have not performed and we need GLEE to source replacement suppliers.". How many garden centres have paid their bills on the due date?
5 Jun 2020,  The PBSR Company Ltd
No appetite for the Show this year! Whilst it would be a landmark date on our calendar, and we would look forward to GLEE, in anticipation, the uncertainty throughout the hospitality sector remains. Stand designers and organisers on whom we rely, cannot confirm positively, that they will be able to perform and ridiculous increases in prices have been quoted by those still contactable, with staff not furloughed. We can use the time more wisely supporting the Garden Centres ,catching up on lost sales. It's a logistical nightmare which should be cancelled with respect to everyone this year.
4 Jun 2020,  Gerald Ingram
Yes definitely GLEE should go ahead, we need to get back to normality, its the shop window for our industry. After this crisis we all know the suppliers that have not performed and we need GLEE to source replacement suppliers. By September the events of the spring will be history and we will be looking forward not backwards.
4 Jun 2020,  Supplier
No appetite what so ever! Suppliers are not looking at any NPD for 2021. Many product design teams remain on furlough. Senior category managers have not been able to visit the far east to sample. Buyers are saying they are not looking to make any major range changes. Suppliers can use technology to meet virtually and share screens to present brochures for any minor changes. Please cancel GLEE 2020 and put £100k back onto the bottom line of many exhibitors P&L.
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