Ocean Nixes Event Production Show

Next year’s Event Production Show in the UK has been canceled as Ocean Media Group looks to get rid of its events business.

In a letter to exhibitors May 1, Ocean told exhibitors the 2013 show Jan. 30-31 has been scrapped and their deposits will be refunded in full.

Ocean managing director David Moran told Conference News the company is negotiating with four bidders to sell various combinations of the Event Production Show, UK Venue Show, Event Production Awards and the Access All Areas title.

“Disposal of the events business is part of our process of selling anything in an area where we are not the market dominant,” he explained.

The UK Venue Show debuted this year alongside the Event Production Show in February at London’s Olympia, but attendance fell short of its predicted 250 exhibitors and 5,000 visitors.