There is a sense of change in the air, and also a sense of deja vue. The London Book Fair has announced that it will move to Excel in Docklands in east London in 2027, some 20 years after it made a controversial move to the same location in 2006.
The LBF said that “after careful and extensive consultation with the industry, the LBF Advisory Board felt the need to look for a new venue for the fair, to ensure a more inclusive and accessible event, world-class facilities, better internet connectivity, and a tangible, long-term commitment to sustainability”.
LBF director Emma Lowe said: “The London Book Fair is moving in 2027 because we’ve found a place and a partner to deliver our vision for a truly improved show experience. At Excel we want to set the new standard for what a global publishing show should be – to lead. And to lead, we need to be better.”
Lowe has led a number of delegations to the new location, just as the then LBF director Jacks Thomas did in 2006. Lowe added: “Excel has been purpose-built for scale and ambition; not just for its size, but the quality of experience across every touchpoint – from seating and catering, to Wi-Fi, meeting space and transport links. It offers the guaranteed improvements around all four key areas of basic need. In addition to all this, I’m delighted to say that we are freezing prices for existing exhibitors for the 2027 edition of the fair, which we hope be gladly received by the industry. In 2026, we’ll bid a fond farewell to Olympia and look forward to the new chapter at Excel in 2027.”
Meanwhile, the sense of change is further underlined by the announcement that Joachim Kaufmann, CEO of Carlsen Verlag, a subsidiary of the Swedish Bonnier Group, will become president and CEO of Frankfurter Buchmesse in autumn 2026, succeeding Juergen Boos, who has led the organisation for more than 20 years. Boos will retire following the conclusion of this year’s Frankfurter Buchmesse in October.
