Upper Street Events is a specialist producer of unmissable consumer experiences, producing over 15 events a year at the heart of the UK’s thriving art & design, craft, cycling, dance and specialist travel scene, says Immediate Media.
The acquisition of Upper Street strengthens Immediate’s strategic audience development capabilities. The alignment of the special interest events, such as craft, with Immediate’s existing portfolio of market leading brands creates future growth opportunities.
Immediate claims to reach over 22 million affluent and engaged UK consumers monthly across a range of special interest sectors, including Food, Cycling, Parenting, Weddings and Craft. In the Craft sector alone, Immediate reaches over four million crafters every month across its current content platforms.
Established in 1987, Upper Street Events received investment from Livingbridge and the Baronsmead Venture Trusts in 2014. Upper Street’s current portfolio of events include; the Cycle Show, the Knitting and Stitching shows, Festival of Quilts, Country Living Fairs, London Art Fair, New Designers, MOVE IT, Adventure Travel Show and The London Cruise Show. These events are attended by over 250,000 individuals and supported by 3,700 exhibitors and 150 major sponsors.
Immediate Media CEO Tom Bureau says: “The acquisition of Upper Street Events is a further step in Immediate’s multiplatform transformation complementing our strategy of focusing on special interest content and communities. We see significant opportunities for growth and development in the events space, both in the markets Upper Street already operate in and with our portfolio of market-leading brands.
This deal enhances our ability to offer our consumers world class content, products, services and experiences, across print, digital and live events. I look forward to welcoming the talented Upper Street team to Immediate.”
Upper Street CEO Julie Harris, says: “I genuinely can’t think of a more perfect home for Upper Street’s market leading, consumer events. We deliver premium experiences in passion-led markets which complement many of Immediate’s core special interest brands, and will allow us to accelerate our growth, and benefit from Immediate’s extensive experience in delivering multi-platform content. After a terrific 2018, this heralds a new and exciting next phase for the business, and I wish Immediate and the brilliant Upper Street team, the very best of luck.”
Upper Street will relocate to Immediate’s London office, with Paul Byrom, former Chairman of the Association of Event Organisers and Managing Director of Upper Street until 2017, taking up the role of Live Events Managing Director, reporting to Immediate Group Managing Director, Andy Marshall.
