Last week saw the Manchester Furniture Show (MFS) reopen its doors after a 5-year hiatus, to a ‘wonderful reception’.
Exceeding expectations, MFS welcomed thousands of visitors over the two days and has already rebooked two-thirds of the 2025 edition. The show floor buzzed with a vibrant energy as prominent buyers from across the UK and beyond flocked to Manchester Central. Notably, over a third of these buyers extended their visits beyond a single day, showcasing their commitment to exploring the show and taking advantage of the many networking opportunities.
The positive response to the show’s return cemented its place in the industry’s calendar as a must-attend for any furniture professional. With 2 days of selling, sourcing and networking, MFS saw an increase of +133% in Architectural Practice visitors, +36% in Distributors and +5% in Hospitality visitors compared to the last show in 2019.
With as much of an emphasis on networking as selling, MFS provided ample opportunities for networking and fostering connections between buyers, designers, architects, manufacturers, and distributors at The Spritz Bar, sponsored by Claimlane, The Networking Hub, Women in Furniture Networking Brunch, Food Court and the Summer Solstice Show Party.
With an impressive 65% conversion rate for VIP visitors, exhibitors gained access to some of the industry’s top buyers including DFS, Amazon, Benson for Beds, Wayfair, Arighi Bianchi, River Island, Dreams, Fishpools, Oak Furnitureland, Stollers, Harvey Norman, Sterling, Connollys of Moy, Cookes Furniture, Fabb Furniture, Joules, Housing Units, Sofology, Sainsburys, Argos, Dreams, Dunelm, Highgrove beds, Frasers, Silentnight, Trendbible, Royal Oak Furnishers, B&Q, Gillies and Stokers. With over 70% of total VIP attendees having over £1 million buying budget, boasting a combined buying power exceeding £40m+ it was great to see orders being made and taken at the show.
MFS made networking easy by perfectly blending business and pleasure, as emphasised by Ashleigh, Director of Upholstery & Furniture from ScS, who said that ‘MFS is a great opportunity to see our suppliers and catch up with our network.’
Similar sentiments came from Leanne Coleman, Buying Manager from The Very Group who said ‘It was my first show and it turned out to be a great success. We were here to look for new opportunities and there has been a wonderful range of products across the brands, as well as booking appointments with existing partners. Overall, it’s been great to see people all in one place and it has been really positive and a great show to look for newness and trendy products!’
The success and ease of the show was reiterated by Paul, Director of Hafren Furnishers, who was ‘glad to have the show back, as I have missed it. I love the ease of the venue and its location, the social side which allows you to renew your contacts and discover new business, whilst giving you an opportunity to fill in the gaps in your warehouse.’
The Manchester Furniture Show welcomed international buyers who visited from 23 countries, including Bulgaria, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Lithuania, Italy, Morocco, Netherlands, Nigeria, Poland, Portugal, Sierra Leone, Slovenia, South Africa, Turkey and more. The first evening hosted a fun-filled Summer Solstice Show Party to celebrate MFS’ triumphant return.
Clarion Retail’s Portfolio Director, Zoë Bonser, said: “It was wonderful to see the show have such a successful return and to celebrate with a brilliant party! There was no better way to mingle with the industry and make the most of our time together in the vibrant city of Manchester.
“The team did a great job to curate a fantastic collection of brands and give visitors the best opportunity to source the latest products in a fun and relaxing environment. We can’t wait to bring the show back next year, even bigger and better!”
Thursday morning saw the Women in Furniture Network host a Leadership-themed Brunch with its biggest turn out yet. With a wonderful keynote from La-Z-Boy Incorporated’s CEO and President Melinda Whittington who inspired guests with her authentic talk about her career journey and top tips for any woman and business in the furniture industry.
Visitors and exhibitors networked over a delicious brunch and made long lasting connections. Nandani Bansal, Head of Partnerships at Polygon Studios, said that Melinda’s Keynote ‘was one of the highlights of MFS as she shared her inspiring journey and invaluable advice for women in the furniture industry’.
MFS’ return has been an incredible success and The Furniture Show’s team can’t wait for the 2025 edition. Mark your calendars now for MFS 2025 taking place on the 6-7 July 2025, but in the meantime the team are busy preparing for an even bigger January Furniture Show. With Hall 1 already sold out and exciting new brands confirmed, roll on 2025!
