The Board of the Kitchen Bathroom & Bedroom Specialists Association has announced that this year's AGM will be held at the Barcelo Billesley Manor Hotel, Alcester, Warwickshire B49 6NF, on Tuesday 4th October 2011 .at 16.00.

The plan is to hold the meeting in the late afternoon - so if you're a retailer you won't have to leave your showrooms too early! After the AGM there will be a networking dinner, with after dinner speaker, at the same venue, where there is plenty of accommodation for those who wish to stay overnight and perhaps continue the networking into the early hours.

The 2011 KBBR Kitchen Conference is the following day, October 5th, at The Heritage Motor Museum in Gaydon, Warwickshire, which is around 30 minutes away from Alcester - so it offers an ideal opportunity to take in both events.

The cost for KBSA retailers is £160 (including VAT) - which will include the dinner, overnight accommodation and also free entry to this year's Kitchen Conference at Gaydon. Obviously, attendance at the AGM only is also free.

The KBSA has asked us to ask members planning to attend some or all of the events to let the team there know your intentions as soon as possible. If you wish to reserve places for yourself and/or any colleagues, please contact the KBSA with the names of the delegates, which of the events you're/they're attending and whether you/they require overnight accommodation at the hotel.

As someone who's organised exhibitions and conferences in the past, I know what a nightmare it can be - particularly when it comes to matching delegates to hotel rooms (block book too many and you have to pay for them whether they're used or not... reserve too few and you have to find another nearby hotel and organise transport for everyone that can't be accommodated at the original hotel - which never goes down well with those who feel they've been ousted!) so please make things easy and don't leave your bookings until the last minute.

Dawn ([email protected]) is awaiting your instructions...