The next Offshore Europe oil show in Aberdeen, in 2011, is being cut short to avoid a clash with a big golf tournament.
OE usually starts on a Tuesday morning and concludes at lunchtime on the Friday. However, the show in two years at Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre will end in late afternoon on Thursday, September 8.
The early finish is because the Walker Cup golf event – in which leading amateur golfers from Britain and Ireland take on the finest players from the US – will be held at nearby Royal Aberdeen Golf Club that weekend.
Tens of thousands of visitors will be in the north-east for the oil show and golf event, potentially leading to a shortage of hotel beds.
OE exhibitors have now received letters from the show organisers notifying them of the date change and also informing them that their stand costs will be the same for 2011 as 2009, despite the show losing half a day.
The move has received a mixed response from exhibitors.
Jim Milne, chairman and managing director of Balmoral Group, said: “I am unhappy about this. Business should take priority over the golf. I am also not pleased at being charged the same price for my stand at a shorter show; in real terms, it’s an increase of 15% in costs.”
A spokeswoman for Abu Dhabi national energy company TAQA said this year’s show had been very successful and, although the 2011 event would be shorter, she expected it would still be another good opportunity to showcase the company.
A spokesman for the Offshore Europe Partnership said: “The decision was made to help the city and shire cope with the likely excessive demand for hotels and other accommodation, plus the associated pressure on local infrastructure.”
He said that Friday, September 9, was a practice day for the Walker Cup, adding: “We remain committed to the continued future success of the OE event in Aberdeen, and trust that the decision to run over three days in 2011 will not have any material effect on the success of the show for any participants.”
He said nothing in the usual OE format would be dropped in 2011, and added that the show would return to four days in 2013.
Aberdeen City Council enterprise, planning and infrastructure director Gordon McIntosh, said: “We are already working with the organisers of both events to ensure their successful delivery and we look forward to welcoming delegates and visitors to the city. We will be seeking to maximise the economic impact of both events by actively promoting extended stays in the area.”