The first Trade Stove and Fireplace Professional Show was a phenomenally HOT time for many in the industry – in more ways than one.
The weekend in Doncaster was held across the 30th-31st May – during the tail-end of a heatwave which showed no signs of letting up as traders began to put up their stands.
The builds ranged from small but quirky stands to outdoor sheds, stages, and gigantic displays which almost scraped the ceiling of the Doncaster Racecourse building. You could play foosball on the Tortoise stand, cook bacon butties with Mendip or sit and have a beer with Poujoulat.
The whole industry was represented, from component manufacturers and stove suppliers to chimney sweeps, trade associations, fuel providers and electric fire wholesalers. Accessories were also in abundance – some of the log baskets were so huge you could climb inside them (although we didn’t try this, honest!).
A fireside dream come true
Behind a huge amount of the organisation was Selina Brannan from M.A.C. Metalcraft, who had a dream of bringing the industry back together on a grand scale following a break of such events due to the Covid years.
Selina said: “The show has been amazing – it’s well exceeded my expectations – nice to see everyone from the industry together, networking in a positive way – it’s been great.
“The M.A.C stand has been fantastic, I’m really pleased with how it looks, how it’s been set out. We’ve had some great feedback, and we’ve been able to showcase our new products — four new stoves, a range of fire surrounds and media wall electric fires.”
Emma Hatherall, from Fireplace Specialist Magazine, said: “There’s been such a buzz, everyone’s really chuffed! It’s what the industry has been crying out for.
Positive future ahead for the stove and fireplace trade
“We’ve been delighted to see so many companies really step up with wonderful products to promote at the show and, from the magazine’s point of view, we’ve been really happy to help create the positive atmosphere.
“We’ve found that the industry has really got involved in promoting the show, especially on social media, and we’ve been able to do that too through the magazine and allow people to have a wider platform.
“We’ve been speaking to so many businesses who now want to advertise in the next issue of the magazine and through our e-shots, they want to keep that momentum up after the show.”
Recoheat’s Will Burrows was at the expo to promote his revolutionary heat recovery system. His heat pump boosts stove performance by circulating warm air around the appliance, helping reduce fuel consumption while improving heat output.
Boosting businesses
Will said: “It’s been brilliant! The key to exhibitions is having a live stove so people can feel our product’s effect on the heat.
“We’ve been to other shows before but this one has a lot more fireplace shops visiting, distributors and overseas manufacturers as well – so the people we want to speak to. It’s been very, very good.
“We’ve seen good numbers, and had a chance to connect with the people we really want to talk to. Retail showrooms are seeing and feeling the product in action so they want to put them in their showrooms. Feeling it is the difference between being convinced about the product or not.”
The trade was also able to touch base with industry bodies and David Hamilton, head of membership at the Stove Industry Association which also helped to organise the event, said: “The show has been amazing and far exceeded expectations. We’ve had lots of positive feedback at the event and we’re looking forward to another show — it will get bigger and better hopefully!
“From the SIA’s point of view, we’ve been delighted to support the show and encourage members to attend, signed some new members up which is both rewarding and increases the size of our voice with the government.”
A sweeping success
Jez Brook, from the Guild of Master Chimney Sweeps, said: “It’s been a good show for us. Our aim was to promote the Guild, our training course and to get people signed up as members — we think we have achieved this.
“There’s been a good atmosphere. We have been around the other stands at the expo, and were impressed by the variety of exhibitors – some have clearly spent a fortune on their stands!
“We have our own show for chimney sweeps, but it has been worthwhile coming here to Doncaster. Shops which employ sweeps have spoken to us and joined as a business – then each sweep will get a membership number as well.
“And the show has been an opportunity for us to tell people about Find A Sweep – our directory for consumers – as each member gets into the directory, where customers can then search for their business.”
The next steps for the Trade Stove and Fireplace Professional Show
So the question on everyone’s lips at the event was: will there be another?
Selina says: “It’s 100% going to happen, I can see myself doing this for the next 25 years! I’ve been in the industry since I was 19, and it’s such a nice industry to be in. It’s great to be able to support the industry and everyone in it – including our competitors!
“Our industry needs this and it’s better that people within the industry organise this event. The first show has given me some different ideas about future exhibitions.”
On his way out of Doncaster Racecourse on Sunday afternoon as the stands were being broken down, James Verlaque from the SIA and CEFACD — who spoke at the event on ‘The View From Brussels’ — summed up the vibe of the whole event nicely. He said: “I was talking to someone at the show who told me, ‘The buzz here has been incredible — it’s like we’ve got our industry back!’”
A huge thank you to each and every person who was a part of the Trade Stove and Fireplace Professional Show – we can’t wait to see you at the next one.
