PATS’ standing as an international pet trade show is set to grow even further following the decision to move its September 2015 show to the Telford International Centre.

The switch to Telford is seen as a great opportunity to attract more international visitors eager to discover innovative new pet products from UK companies. With England’s two largest international airports (outside of London) ideally situated for Telford – Birmingham with 110 daily arrivals and Manchester with almost 200 – travelling to and from the event will be far easier.

PATS Telford is taking place on Sunday, September 27, and Monday, September 28, 2015, and UK pet suppliers are already getting excited about the chance to showcase their products and services to a growing number of overseas distributors.

“We hope the show continues to grow,” says Lisa Osborne, of Marriages Specialist Foods. “We want PATS to draw more people from around the world and put the British pet care market in the global spotlight. People are often nervous of change but I believe it is a step in the right direction.

“Having done several shows at Telford International Centre I have found it to be well organised and clean, and it has great facilities. It will remove all the loading and unloading frustrations, and time wasted in queues.”

And Katie Goldsmith, of Collarways, also believes Telford will help to attract an increasing number of international visitors. “Good transport links will help our customers, particularly those from abroad,” she says. “Another added attraction is the fact that all exhibitors will be in one hall and that will make the show easier to navigate for visitors. We are looking forward to the move to a modern building that is more readily equipped to deal with both exhibitor and visitor needs.”

PATS believes that the British pet industry should be staging international exhibitions in the UK. Organiser Gordon Thomas says: “The UK pet market is the second largest in Europe and we need a venue that reflects the scale of the trade. Telford International Centre fits the bill perfectly.”

The decision to move venues was made after extensive external research revealed there were a number of issues concerning Harrogate as PATS continues to grow in size and stature.

The show organisers believe the move to Telford International Centre is the best and most exciting option for many reasons. The venue is a purpose-built exhibition centre, with a light airy feel, ideally situated on the edge of the town. It has superb exhibitor access for build-up and breakdown and free parking for 1,300 vehicles right by the venue.

There is a wide range of accommodation to suit all budgets in and around the venue with three hotels on site offering 338 bedrooms. A further 325 bedrooms are available within a five-minute walk and 1,000 just a 15-minute drive away.

Dominic Ebery, marketing director of Fish4Dogs, feels the move to Telford will make the build-up and breakdown of stands a lot easier. “The UK pet industry needs a successful show like PATS so any decision to improve the event should be welcomed.”

Dates for next year’s PATS

PATS Sandown: March 17-18, 2015

PATS Telford: September 27-28, 2015