Space only means no walls, no carpet, and no electricity, just a marked-out area on the floor.
All space only exhibitors are responsible for their own stand design and construction, and for ensuring that they, or their contractor, has received a written ‘Permission to Build’ before arriving on-site.
All work must be carried out in conformity with the Rules and Regulations of the venue and the Local Authority. The AEO eGuide provides guidance on achieving common regulative standards for events. We recommend that exhibitors use a Member of the Event Suppliers & Services Association (ESSA) to build their stands, which will provide the security of knowing their contactor is backed by the association's Code of Conduct, Quality Charter, and Bond.
Please click here for a list of contractors recommended by Montgomery Group.
Make sure your contractor checks the location and orientation of your stand in relation to an up-to-date floorplan, and that they build within the given parameters. The thickness of walls must be calculated inside the outer dimensions of the stand. The Organisers will not be liable for any costs incurred to rectify mistakes or adjust on-site. Below are some considerations when planning your stand.
- How many walls will be required? An exhibitor’s Contract to Exhibit will indicate ‘one’, ‘two’, ‘three’ or ‘four’ open sides. Three open sides indicate the need for one back wall, two open sides indicate the need for two walls etc.
- Space only exhibitors may not make use of walls provided by neighbouring stands that are built from the Organisers shell scheme.
- What are the other requirements or issues that need to be taken into consideration, e.g., store area, reception desk, and kitchen or sink requirements, disposal of waste from sampling etc.
- If services such as water and waste are being used, exhibitors should consider the use of a platform to avoid unsightly pipes and connections (which could also cause a trip hazard) from the service ducts.
- What floor covering should you have? If you have a kitchen area, carpet is not a suitable floor covering – the floor here should be washable.
- How much lighting do you need? Use spotlights to highlight particular products or graphics.
- You may supply your own electrical fittings, provided that all pre-wiring is carried out before you arrive onsite. Whoever has done the wiring then needs to sign a certificate to the effect that the work has been done by qualified personnel and in accordance with all rules and regulations governing electrical installations. This certificate needs to be handed to the electrical contractor before power to the stand is made live.
- When appointing a contractor, exhibitors should obtain guarantees that the stand will be finished and all litter and stand construction materials removed from the exhibition halls by 1800hrs on Sunday 10th September. After this time should be interior dressing only.
When creating stand plan proposals, please ensure that you take the exhibition timetable into consideration and ensure that stands can be built and taken down in the given timeframe.