What about Futuresouce?

So I can now report on my first day at Futuresource - the new exhibition at London's Excel which replaces the CIWM exhibition whch was previously in Paignton, Torbay.

I think I did 16 consequtive years at the Paignton show. What I hated about it was the fact that it took so long to get there and that once you were there very few decent restaurants meant little choice and the good ones were packed out.

It actually took me longer to get to Excel than it would have to get to Paignton - but in fairness this was due to the truck strike. My visitor from Antwerp got there faster than I was able to travel from Leeds. There seems to be little choice as to places to go in the immedaite vicinity. In fairness it is not a great venue.

The prospect of Futuresource as a waste / water / energy show has not happened. It seems to be waste and recycling only and it seems to be much the same as September's RWM show at the NEC, Birmingham.

One of the criticisms of the move from Torbay was the lack of networking opportunities, but this sees to be unfounded. The networking is happening - just not in the pub.

I was not sorry to see the Paignton show consigned to history. But what we have how, although much more professional, seems to be the same waste and recycling show happening twice a year, once at Excel and once at the NEC. Everyone is too scared to miss one or the other - so we will no doubt all renew for next time. I don't think the industry can really afford this.

I really wish the CIWM and EMAP could get their respective acts together and have one major showcase exhibition a year. This really would be better for everyone.