THE BRITISH INDUSTRIES FAIR [To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
SIR,—In view of reports current in the Press regarding the withdrawal of the £25,000 Government publicity grant to the British Industries Fair, perhaps a brief statement. of the present situation will reassure any who may have been fearing that the shutters were about to be put up on the Empire's biggest " shop window."
On the contrary, next February's display p-omises to be larger than ever. Already 344,290 square feet of space have been applied for at Olympia' and at the Court of Honour at the White 'City (where the furniture section will be housed), an increase of more than 85,000 feet on last year ; and the textiles display at the White .City will also be larger than at the last Fair. At Birmingham the available space hat; actually been booked up without the usual organized approach to intending exhibitors. So strong indeed is the belief of manufacturers in the Fair that they have of their own accord written in such numbers asking for space that the Fair buildings at Castle Bromwich are already full up and literally overflowing into sections now being organized outside the main buildings there.
It is, in short, a matter not of opinion but of plain figures that next year's British Industries Fair will have a bigger display than ever of goods to offer to buyers from the Empire and beyond. Nobody disputes that fact. What certain exhibitors do dispute is whether it be true economy to lop off the grant of £25,000 for making the Fair known abroad, and whether the expedient suggested for replacing at least part of this £25,000 be a wise one.
On the latter point I understand that an official announce- ment is shortly to be made ; but meanwhile it ought to be remembered that, while advertising has of necessity been " cut," the business of telling buyers about the Fair has not ceased by any manner of means. Scores of thousands of them have already been asked to the Fair ; they have been told of its scope ; and there is no doubt at all that next February will find them flocking us heretofore to Olympia, the White City and Castle Bromwich.—I am, Sir, &e..
(Secretary to the Department of Overseas Trade, 1929-1931).
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