Chester Group celebrates its 20th year

This year the Chester Group celebrates its 20^th year as Organisers of Home Entertainment Shows and we have enjoyed every pioneering minute of it. During those 20 years we have seen an explosion of shows worldwide particularly in the High End Audio market, to the point where even we have to agree, that there are simply too many.

High End Audio is and continues to be a niche market in terms of show content and with over 2,500 brands worldwide the continued expansion of events has to be a genuine concern for all established organisers, and more importantly the trade as a whole. We have always said that first and foremost we will work in the best interests of the industry and additionally maintaining communications and working with other organisers.

This year we hear of yet more shows planned for 2017, and of even greater concern is the fact that some have officially declared themselves to be non -profit making, many freely giving rooms away just to fulfil show obligations or compete with other events; we have the inevitable date clashes or overload that is a by-product of too many shows and sadly the pre-occupation with quantity of attendance rather than quality.

It’s for all these reasons that at least for 2017 CG will concentrate on delivering great commercial events for Australia, the UK and New York.

Yes we did have and do have a raft of options that we are now postponing until 2018, and they will only be pursued ‘if’ the market wants a new show, ‘if’ we can enjoy similar great Partnerships with those events, and ‘if’ there is no direct competition. Finally they will all be on new and more forward thinking terms, which will include ‘doing business’

At the end of the day we are also a business, and businesses that survive also have to think ahead and plan for change for all concerned. By doing this we think we are helping the trade, which we will continue to do.