AUTUMN FAIR 2026 LAUNCHES NEW COUNTER TALKS STAGE AS FIRST SPEAKERS REVEALED

 

- New content programme responds directly to the biggest challenges and opportunities facing independent retailers today -

 Autumn Fair, the UK’s leading retail marketplace for home, gift, fashion and lifestyle, has unveiled the first details of its 2026 content programme, including the launch of its brand-new Counter Talks Stage, a dedicated platform designed to tackle the issues, trends and commercial realities shaping modern independent retail.

Taking place at the NEC Birmingham from 6–9 September 2026, Autumn Fair’s new content offering has been built in response to the findings of the recently launched Voices of Retail 2026 report by Spring & Autumn Fair and Faire, which surveyed 650 independent retailers and more than 2,000 UK consumers to uncover what is really driving growth on Britain’s high streets.

The report highlighted some of the biggest challenges currently facing retailers, including rising retail crime, changing consumer behaviour, the growing importance of experience-led retail, the pressure on margins, and the increasing need for stronger storytelling, community-building and digital engagement.

 

Designed to reflect these conversations, the Counter Talks Stage will bring together leading voices from across retail, social media, visual merchandising, technology, business strategy and licensing for a series of free-to-attend talks and workshops focused on practical, actionable insight retailers can take straight back to their businesses. 

Speakers announced so far include:

John Abbate, Economic Growth Lead for High Streets, Westminster City Council and Online Visual Merchandising Tutor, SDEA - With more than two decades of experience shaping retail environments for brands including Ralph Lauren, Levi’s and Alfred Dunhill, John will explore how visual merchandising and store design can strengthen emotional connection, customer engagement and in-store experience at a time when physical retail must work harder than ever to stand out.

Alison Battisby, Founder, Avocado Social - A leading social media strategist with more than 15 years’ experience helping brands including John Lewis, Tesco, Etsy and Estée Lauder grow through digital channels. Alison’s sessions will focus on how independent retailers can turn social media into a genuine driver of footfall and sales at a time when organic reach is increasingly difficult and every marketing investment needs to work harder.

Andrew Goodacre, CEO of the British Independent Retailers Association (BIRA), and Superintendent Lisa Maslen, National Business Crime Centre, City of London Police – Taking to the stage together for a session on one of the biggest challenges facing retailers across the country today, Andrew and Lisa will address the growing impact of retail crime. Andrew is a leading advocate for independent retailers and a regular commentator on retail policy and crime, while Lisa draws on more than 20 years of policing experience and her national role tackling organised retail crime. Together, they will provide practical guidance on tackling shoplifting and abuse against retail staff, sharing retailers can adopt to better protect their stores, teams and profitability.

 

Steve Manners, UK Managing Director, Licensing International - With extensive experience helping retailers and brands unlock growth and reach new audiences, Steve will demystify one of retail's most effective ways to tap into consumer demand. Drawing on real-world examples and current market trends, he will explain how licensing works, why it remains such a valuable tool for retailers, and how businesses of all sizes can get involved. 

Elyse McAvoy, Industry & Trends Expert at Faire reveals the latest consumer insights, buying behaviours and product trends set to shape the season ahead in The Independent Signal: Growth Strategies & Trends Shaping the Season Ahead. Drawing on the Voices of Retail report, produced in partnership with Spring & Autumn Fair, and Faire's wholesale platform data, this session maps what independent retailers are doing to grow: what they're stocking, what consumers say they want, and where the biggest opportunities lie.

The programme will also feature sessions exploring the latest retail and consumer trends, AI, live shopping, retail data and brand storytelling, with contributions from industry leaders and Google-led workshops focused on helping retailers make better use of some of the most important digital tools now freely available to businesses of all sizes.

 

Wednesday welcomes a takeover by Retail Huddle’s founder Ami Rabheru hosting two sessions with a community of founders, retailers and industry experts coming together for honest discussions, shared experiences and real practical takeaways. 

Autumn Fair’s popular Pitch Live competition will also return for 2026 with a new morning timeslot, giving shortlisted brands and winners greater visibility and more time to capitalise on buyer interest throughout the day. Taking place across the first three mornings of the show, Pitch Live will spotlight emerging brands across Home & Gift; Fashion, Accessories & Jewellery; and Kids, Toy, Play & Clothing, offering exhibitors the opportunity to pitch their products directly to a live audience of buyers and retail experts. By moving the competition earlier in the day, Autumn Fair aims to maximise commercial opportunity for participating brands, enabling buyers to discover winning products earlier and continue conversations, place orders and visit stands throughout the rest of the show.

Matthew Mein, Event Director at Autumn Fair & Glee said, 

 

“The conversations happening across retail right now are changing quickly, and independent retailers are under pressure to adapt across everything from consumer expectations and digital marketing to operational costs and retail crime."

 

He continues "What we wanted to create with the Counter Talks Stage was something genuinely practical and commercially useful, a space where retailers can hear directly from experts tackling the challenges they’re facing every day and leave with ideas they can immediately apply to their business. The Voices of Retail report made it clear that the retailers succeeding today are those investing in experience, storytelling, community and adaptability. This year’s content programme has been built around exactly those themes.”

 

Alongside Autumn Fair, co-located show Glee, the UK’s leading garden and outdoor living trade show, will also launch an expanded content programme for 2026 focused on the future of garden retail, hospitality and operational growth.

 

Glee’s content offering will include the return of Centre Stage, featuring keynote sessions and industry discussions exploring topics including garden retail performance, operational productivity, sustainability, talent challenges and the role of data in modern retail. A new Feed Your Business Stage will focus specifically on food, beverage and hospitality innovation, helping garden retailers unlock new revenue opportunities through evolving customer expectations and experience-led retail. The programme will feature sessions with leading industry names including David Robinson, Chief Executive of Dobbies Garden Centres, George Hillier, Chairman of Hillier Nurseries, and Sam Dickson, Managing Director of Squires Garden Centres.

 

Both Autumn Fair and Glee will also introduce The Clubhouse, new retreat spaces designed to give buyers a dedicated environment to meet, recharge and network away from the show floor.

 

Autumn Fair 2026 takes place 6–9 September 2026 at the NEC Birmingham.

Glee 2026 takes place 8–10 September 2026 at the NEC Birmingham.