Diversified Communications’ UK division has acquired Northern Restaurant & Bar (NR&B), the North’s leading trade show for the hospitality sector.
NR&B will join Diversified’s food and hospitality portfolio which also includes lunch!, Casual Dining, Commercial Kitchen, and Natural & Organic Products Europe.
NR&B is usually held at Manchester Central in March, and the 2022 event was the most successful to date, with 8,416 visitors, 296 exhibitors, and 60 speakers. The event has previously been led by Thom Hetherington, CEO of Holden Media, and Andy Clayfield, event director, NR&B.
Hetherington will be leaving to focus on his non-executive roles and hospitality and cultural consultancy, while Clayfield will remain with the show and join Diversified Communications UK as commercial director.
Hetherington said: “I am so proud of what we have achieved since acquiring NR&B almost 20 years ago. We had a very clear vision for the event, which was to make Northern hospitality feel proud of it and part of it. Whilst I have enjoyed every single minute of the past 20 years, the time has come to hand over the baton. I am therefore delighted that we have been able to find a new long-term home for NR&B in a company that shares our values and philosophy and has a very similar culture and work ethos to our own. Diversified Communications will give NR&B the support required to drive the show forward, unlocking the considerable potential for the event, its exhibitors, and of course, visitors.”
The 22nd edition of NR&B, will be held at Manchester Central on March14-15, 2023.
