BIRMINGHAM — PerformX Live, a business conference and exhibition for the fitness and wellbeing industry, and BoatLife, the U.K.’s largest indoor boat show, are the first two ventures of the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) Group’s new entity, Pendigo Events.
The NEC, owned by Blackstone, is the U.K.’s largest exhibition venue. There are 18 exhibition halls, 32 conference suites, and a host of outdoor spaces.
Pendigo Events, created in April, is run by Managing Director Anthony Mitchell.
“BoatLife is the first exhibition in the portfolio of Pendigo Events,” Mitchell said. “We are proud to be the new owners of the U.K.’s biggest indoor boat event.”
The show will be held Feb. 6-9, 2025, and highlights include a Mediterranean-themed VIP deck overlooking the purpose-built marina, an indoor beach and an activity pool where attendees can don a wet sit and sample a wide array of water activities.
PerformX Live Focuses on Fitness
PerformX Live, formerly part of Opus Origin, is moving from London’s Tobacco Dock to the Birmingham NEC. It is slated to take place Feb. 26-27, 2025. The show will include education for fitness educators, a boardroom for roundtable debates, and a ‘gym of the future,’ showcasing products and new fitness technology.
“At PerformX, we are relentless in our pursuit to lead the global business landscape of the fitness sector. With significant new investment and collaboration with top thought leaders, we are crafting an experience that will be nothing short of spectacular, an event that the UK fitness industry can be proud of,” Event Director Mark Hartnett-Morgan said.
Over 6,000 fitness industry professionals and enthusiasts attend PerformX Live including more than 500 industry decision-makers, more than 1,000 gym owners and managers, and more than 4,500 physical therapists, coaches and practitioners.
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Critics Speak Out
Not all are thrilled by this new venture. “Effectively, you now have your landlord as a potential competitor,” Doug Emslie, Chairman of Raccoon Media Group, said. “From an organizer’s perspective, this news causes unhappiness. Plus, there was no consultation with customers. They just launched it.”
He added that Pendigo Events is reminiscent of the German model. “In other places in the world, you rent the facility and run your show. Germans own the exhibition halls, the shows and the service contractors,” said Emslie.
He also raises concerns about data protection. “NEC potentially has access to your data. You are using their Wi-Fi service providers, and this new arrangement opens doors you didn’t have to open when it comes to protecting your intellectual property,” Emslie added.
According to Emslie, this new deal will be debated by the industry long into the future.
Reach Doug Emslie at demslie@cuilbaycapital.com
