BCSC chief executive Michael Green sums up the importance of the showcase to the industry: "Showcase is an integral part of this major industry event and the record number of exhibitors - including many new first-time exhibitors - is testament to that," he says. "This exhibition creates the industry's major business hub. Those who have attended conferences in the past already know there will be unparalleled opportunities to network and do business during showcase."

This year the showcase returns to Manchester's GMEX centre, fresh from hosting the Labour conference last month. The imposing Victorian railway architecture provides lofty exhibition space with plenty of natural light and, importantly, plenty of circulation space.

This was important to conference chairman Charlie Parker. "The sheer size of GMEX allows us to put in break-out areas, so people can sit and talk," he says. "And at the heart of the exhibition area will be a town square, which will highlight what BCSC has to offer in the ongoing debate over public realm."

This year's showcase sold out more quickly than ever before, and more than 100 companies have signed up for stand space. BCSC's three sponsors - Westfield, Grosvenor and Multi Development - will all have anchor stands.

Says Parker: "We are delighted to see more retailers and more new exhibitors including a number of local authority-driven projects wanting to be a part of showcase. The exhibitors realise that this event is the best way to put projects in the path of the widest possible number of potential partners in the shortest time."

One of the most attractive facets of the showcase in the past has been the retailer stands, where expansion-minded brands have been able to show off their latest shopfits to landlords and to publicise their requirement lists. It's a sign of the times that the number of retailers exhibiting is now smaller than in the past - nowadays retailers find that landlords are beating a path to their door bearing inducements. But there are still some significant players on show including Asda, Sainsbury's, Tesco, TK Maxx and Hutchison 3G.

From the catering sector there will be no shortage of free coffee and nibbles on offer with Esquires Coffee, Krispy Kreme doughnuts, McDonalds, O'Briens sandwich bars and Subway all exhibiting.

Tesco will be promoting itself not just as a potential occupier of shopping centre and high street space, but as a developer in its own right. One of the major schemes it will be showcasing on its stand is an innovative proposal for a 9.5 acre brownfield site, formerly owned by the Ministry of Defence, in Tolworth, south-west London.

Tesco's mixed-use regeneration scheme includes a 60,000 sq ft Tesco store, 835 residential units, some of which will be above the store, and 7,800 sq ft of shops and community space. The scheme includes major public transport improvements including a 'green bridge' over the A3 Kingston bypass. For the first time this will provide a convenient and accessible link between the railway station and the town centre via a new pedestrian walkway.

Katherine Edwards, Tesco's public affairs manager, says: "This is the largest housing site in the borough and a key part of our proposal is to integrate affordable housing, new homes for key workers and private homes in a really exciting scheme."

Last year's BCSC conference and showcase took place in Belfast, and Irish agents and developers took a major slice of the exhibition space for the first time. It's significant that they have decided to repeat the exercise, even though the event is now on the other side of the Irish Sea. Among the centres taking stands are Athlone Town centre, Dublin Central, Dundrum, Charlestown, City Mart in Kilkenny, Junction One in Antrim, Blanchardstown and the Pavilions, Swords.

The latter has just been bought by Dundrum developer Joe O'Reilly for E575m in Ireland's biggest-ever single-asset property deal. The original phase, developed by the Eircom Superannuation Fund, provided 65 shops including Dunnes Stores, Superquinn and TK Maxx. The E40m second phase, which opens this month, includes 20 more shops and an 11-screen multiplex.

However, many observers of the Irish property scene believe the biggest attraction for O'Reilly was the 2ha of land adjoining the centre, which could accommodate further phases providing as much as a million sq ft of retail, office and residential space.

The giants of the UK development industry are all represented, with Hammerson, Land Securities, Grosvenor, Lend Lease, Westfield, ING, Multi Development and The Mall all showing off their latest projects. Hammerson and Land Securities will be coming together on a joint stand to promote Bristol's Merchant Quarter, their redevelopment and extension to the Broadmead shopping district.

The 1.1 million sq ft Broadmead project aims to lift the city from the bottom half of the UK's retail premier league into the top five. House of Fraser is taking the four-level anchor store, and the scheme will feature another 16 major stores and a further 104 smaller retail units, 240 city-centre apartments, a continental-style square and a 2,616-space car park.

Peter Courtney, director at letting agent Lunson Mitchenall, will be using the showcase to target potential occupiers, but he's seen a recent surge in letting activity. "In addition to Zara, H&M and Virgin, we've got a dozen deals that have either just signed or are about to sign," he says.

In addition to the main mall, Broadmead will have its own fashion district at Quakers Friars, anchored by Harvey Nichols. In the latest deal, celebrity chef Raymond Blanc has agreed to take over the historic Quakers Friars building with an operation called Brasserie Blanc.

Retail exhibitors

Asda, BskyB, Clearhill, Coronation Promotions, Esquires Coffee Houses, HSBC Bank, Hutchison 3g, Krispy Kreme UK, McDonalds Restaurants, Northern Leisure Group, O'Briens Irish Sandwich Bars, Out of Town Group, Photo-Me International, Ride On! Entertainment UK, Sainsbury's, ShopeCentre, Subway, The Natural Retail Company, Tesco, TK Maxx, Treasure Island.

Owner and developer exhibitors

Agora Shopping Centres, Alburn, Athlone Town Centre, Bristol Alliance, British Land, Dublin Central, Dundrum Town Centre, Dunloe Ewart, Capital Shopping Centres, Charlestown, City Mart Kilkenny, Dransfield Properties, Grosvenor, Hammerson, Henderson Global Investors, Howard Holdings, ING Real Estate, Invest Lisburn, ISG InteriorExeterior, Junction One, Kendal Riverside, Land Securities, Lend Lease Retail, Lowry Outlet Mall, Modus, Multi Development, Multiplex Developments, Northwich, Scarborough Development Group, Silverburn, The Blanchardstown Centre, The Mall, The Pavilions Swords, Westfield, Wilson Bowden Developments

Consultant, adviser and agent exhibitors

Arqiva, Barlows, BASF Construction Chemicals, Brandspace, Brightwire Media, BTWShiells, CACI, CaseGlobal, CB Richard Ellis, Child Graddon Lewis Architects & Designers, Churston Heard, C-Interactive, Colliers CRE, Compact & Bale, Cushman & Wakefield, CWM, Douglas Newman Good Commercial, Dynamax Technologies Ltd, DTZ Debenham Tie Leung, EFM Asset Management, ESD Escalator Aesthetics, Euro Car Parks, Experian Footfall, Flex-e-vouchers, Futur, G1, GVA Grimley, iO Agency, Jones Lang LaSalle, Manguard, MapInfo, Plowman Craven, Retail Trust, Savills, ShopperTrak RCT, Sir Robert McAlpine, STAK Design, St James Security, TL Horton Design, Tushingham Moore, USL StructureCare, VFM Retail Radio

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