Visitors to PATS Sandown in March will experience the biggest show in the event’s six-year history, with a record number of exhibitors, new products and features sure to make it a memorable and profitable day out.

Thousands of products are being showcased by more than 160 companies on a total of 143 stands at PATS Sandown, and there are 27 exhibitors appearing at the event for the first time.

All stand space sold out months before the show, and visitors to Sandown Park Exhibition Centre in Esher, Surrey, on Tuesday, March 18, and Wednesday, March 19, can expect a warm welcome from exhibitors eager to showcase their products to retailers and overseas distributors.

Organiser Annie Dyke said a lot of time and effort has gone in to making sure the visitor experience is better than ever this year.

“We’re always listening to exhibitors, retailers and buyers to find out how we can make PATS even better, and visitors this year will notice a few changes to the show.

“For instance, we have extended the amount of seating areas to include the Sandown View visitors’ lounge with a magnificent view across the racecourse and to London in the distance – we’ve done this so that people can relax in comfort or have a meeting.

“There will also be a wider range of food available from all the various outlets as well as a free cup of tea or coffee, and a breakfast voucher worth £3.50 for those arriving before 10am.

“These subtle changes have been made so that visitors can concentrate fully on the main business of the day – seeing top-class products from the biggest range of suppliers and manufacturers…all under one roof.”

As well as meeting up with a long list of PATS regulars, visitors will be greeted by a host of new faces and new products. A growing number of companies are choosing to exhibit for the first time as they see PATS as the perfect opportunity to announce their plans for the year ahead.

The New Product Showcase is a great way for visitors to see and touch the new products they will be stocking. In previous years more than 200 new items have been entered into the Showcase so it is the best place to view potential bestsellers. All items entered by manufacturers will be put forward for the New Product Awards judged by a panel of pet retailers.

The PATS Grooming Workshops will feature state-of-the-art grooming demonstrations in association with Groom Team England, and will be located in the Horsewalk Bar in the Surrey Hall.

And a free-to-attend series of seminars will cover topics including the long and the short of small furries, how pet stores can thrive in the internet age, getting more online visitors, pay offs and penalties in the dog-human relationship, and understanding your shoppers. There is also a chance to earn Continuing Professional Development (CPD) points for those people attending a special seminar by animal healthcare specialists Merial. The CPD points will go towards the ongoing development of Suitably Qualified People (SQP) working in the pet industry. Places for the Merial seminar need to be booked in advance - click here to book - and are on a first-come-first-served basis, while visitors can simply turn up for all the other talks.

Other PATS features aimed include free entry, free catalogue and free parking, and visitors are now being urged to register online at www.patshow.co.uk.

A full and up-to-date list of exhibitors is available on the website together with information on how to reach both venues, hotels in each area and regularly updated show news. The PATS hotline is +44 (0)1892 862848.

Exhibitors at PATS Sandown include: Accapi, Arden Grange, Barking and Meowing Heads, Beaphar, Bern Pet Foods, Bestpets, Burns Pet Nutrition, Connolly’s Red Mills, Danish Design, Dorwest Herbs, Eurostitch, Flexi, Gor Pets, Group 55 (Animology), Hemmo and Co, Hills Pet Nutrition, HG Gladwell, KONG, Mars Petcare, Mr Johnson’s, Natures Menu, Pedigree Wholesale, Pooch and Mutt, Trixie, Vitakraft Burton Dene, Vital Pet Products and Wagg Foods.

PATS Sandown newcomers include: Happy Pet, Ferplast, Veggie Pooch, Forthglade, PMS International, Pet Dream House and Scholtus.

Opening times

• Tuesday 18th March: 9.00am-5.00pm
• Wednesday 19th March: 9.00am-4.00pm