Show all

 1) How it works

 2) About the books

 3) Ciana History

 4) About the Fairs  5) Registration
 6) Catalogue

 7) Contact us

 8) Copyright





How the Fairs work
 
  Tens of thousands of remainders, bargain books, discount CDs, DVDs and stationery items are on display. The majority of exhibitors are British with a strong US presence. Both Fairs (January and September) are a mixture of shell scheme and table-top display, and are Trade Only.

Run on a Sunday and Monday, the CIANA Remainder & Promotional Book Fairs are of a size that allows buyers enough time to see the latest acquisitions from their existing suppliers as well as to explore new companies, all under one roof. They are designed primarily for placing and taking orders and provide a relaxed atmosphere in which to do business.

Both Fairs now take place in London, at different venues. There are over 40% more remainder companies exhibiting at a CIANA Fair than at the London Book Fair in April.

The January Fair is timed so that UK buyers can restock in one visit after the Christmas and New Year sales, and overseas buyers can purchase for the extended period until the spring book fairs in April and May.

The September Fair which is the larger of the two provides UK retailers the opportunity to restock after the summer months and overseas buyers to order in their Christmas range.

  Exhibitors
  There are between 70 and 100 exhibitors showing their products, with over 100,000 remainder and overstock books, promotional reprints, discounted CDs, DVDs and stationery items on display.

The wholesalers are mainly from the UK, with a strong US representation, and vary in size from single traders to divisions of large companies. The majority cover a broad range of subjects reflecting the size and variety of the publishers they buy from. Some specialise in particular areas such as art, children’s or scholarly books.

Companies buy in especially for the Fairs as it is their best opportunity to reach the UK and international buyers immediately. New titles that appear at a Fair are often sold out by the end.

  Top of Page
  Visitors
  Visitors come from the UK and all over the world with budgets running from hundreds of pounds to million of dollars. There are no restrictions on the quantity of a title that can be ordered – you can buy one copy or a hundred. Most wholesalers have a minimum order value and it is normal to be asked for trade references if you are a new customer.

Buyers come from single shops and multiple retailers, mail order and online companies, wholesalers, secondhand and antiquarian bookshops and traditionally non-book outlets.

Exhibitors are more than happy to talk to you if you have a title to offer for remaindering.

  Transport Company
  Our nominated shipping company WES Logistics - (WES) - is on site to provide quotes, and advice to visitors with limited experience of shipping. WES supplies a welcome service to exhibitors, delivering samples direct to their stands, collecting, and forwarding to subsequent fairs. For information please contact Andrew Fleet at andrew@wes-group.com
  Party
  Held on the Sunday after the Fair closes as a thank you to visitors and exhibitors for their support  (free wine and beer) - sponsored by CIANA and WES.
  Top of Page
About the books
  Remainders
  A title may reach the end of its useful life with a publisher for a whole variety of reasons – new edition due, warehouse space restrictions, over-estimate of the print run, the publisher is retiring or the company bought. In all these cases the books are offered to the bargain market. Quantities can run from single figures to many thousands. The books are in mint condition and are revived by being introduced into a new market at a new price.
  Overstocks
  These are titles where the publishing house wishes to reduce its stock, but retain a quantity for itself. Again the books are in mint condition and can be recent publications.
  Promotional Reprints
  If a remainder book proves to be particularly successful in the bargain market, it becomes a candidate for reprinting. The reprint house negotiates with the publishers and reintroduces it at around the same price at which it was remaindered. Many promotional books are also specifically for the bargain market, relying on large print runs to keep the price low.
  Returns
  Bookshops have the right to return some titles that have not sold. At the popular end of the market, this can amount to a sizeable number of copies of a title, and they can be very recently issued. These books are offered by publishers to wholesalers as non-mint.
  The books are offered either at a retail price less discount, or a nett price, depending on the exhibitor.

All these types of discount books are sold in both specifically bargain bookshops and the ‘full price’ trade. With the deep discounting on new titles that has become a permanent part of bookselling, the retailers of all descriptions are using bargains because margins are higher on remainder books and they draw customers in.

 
  Top of Page
CIANA History
  CIANA LTD is an independent company owned and run by Robert Collie and Sarah Weedon. The word CIANA (pronounced sea-anna) is not an acronym. The company was set up in the early 90s in response to the remarkable annual increase in publishers’ output at that time, and the resulting expansion of the bargain book trade.

The original idea of creating a trade fair specifically for the bargain and remainder book market came from Brad Jonas of Powells Bookstore, who with Marshall Smith, started CIROBE (Chicago International Remainder & Overstock Book Exposition) in October 1992.

The first CIANA Fair was held at the Russell Hotel in London in September 1993 and was an instant success. It has moved to larger locations three times since to accommodate the growing number of visitors and exhibitors.

First held in January 1994 in Leeds, and after 9 very successful years at the Barbican in the City of London, the January Fair has moved west to the spacious, purpose-built ILEC Conference Centre, within 100 yards of the old Earl’s Court Exhibition Halls, and opposite the iconic Empress State Building. This is the place to find the best wholesalers offering the best books at the keenest prices.

The locations of the fairs have been chosen to make travel convenient, and to allow those who have free time to take advantage of the enormous range of attractions and entertainment London has to offer.
  Top of Page
About the Fairs
 
 The 2021 September Remainder & Promotional Book Fair
    
 Sunday12 September 202110am - 6pm
 Monday13 September 20219am - 5pm
 
The Business Design Centre, Islington Green, London, N1 0QH
 
Current Exhibitor List
 
 The 2022 January Remainder & Promotional Book Fair
 2022 dates to be confirmed
 
 
 

About the Fairs - January
 
 
The 2022 January Remainder & Promotional Book Fair
dates to be confirmed  
 

 

The January Catalogue 

  Our catalogues contain full contact details of participating exhibitors with brief descriptions of their specialisations. As they are produced only a few days before each Fair, the only versions we can offer are from previous Fairs.
   
  View/download the January 2020 Fair Catalogue here
 
Current January 2020 Accommodation List here

ILEC Centre, Hotel Ibis Earls's Court Special CIANA Room Rates (Please book in advance to avoid disappointment)
 

View current Exhibitor List for the next January Fair here
   
 
The January Fair
 

First held in January 1994 in Leeds, and after 9 very successful years at the Barbican in the City of London, the January Fair has moved west to the spacious, purpose-built ILEC Conference Centre, within 100 yards of the old Earl’s Court Exhibition Halls, and opposite the iconic Empress State Building. This is the place to find the best wholesalers offering the best books at the keenest prices.

Thousands of remainders, bargain books, discount CDs, DVDs and stationery items are on display at the Fair which is timed so that UK buyers can restock in one visit after the Christmas and New Year sales, and overseas buyers can purchase for the extended period until the spring book fairs in April and May.

Admission is free if you pre-register, or £10 at the door. Our nominated shipping company WES Logistics - (WES) - is on site to provide quotes, as well as advice to visitors who may have limited experience of shipping. There is a party on the Sunday, sponsored by CIANA and WES where everyone can relax in an informal atmosphere after the Fair closes.

We very much look forward to welcoming you to West London and the ILEC Centre.

  How to get there  (Print Map & Directions)

  Road Map & Directions for The January Fair at The ILEC Conference Centre
 

View on Google Street View
Click here  to print map and directions for the January Fair.
Click here  to view a location map of The ILEC Conference Centre.
   
  Further travel details can be found on The ILEC Conference Centre’s website: www.ilecconferencecentre.co.uk/. Click on LOCATION & SIGHTS in the top bar to see location and travel.

By car:

The A4 leading straight to the M4 is less than an quarter of a mile away from the ILEC Conference Centre.

There is a car park (1.72m – 5ft 8in) underneath the ILEC Centre/Ibis Hotel. Cost to Ibis Hotel residents £17 for 24 hours (£24 for non-residents). Street parking is limited Monday to Saturday - more available on Sunday.

By underground:

Nearest station is West Brompton on the District Line – 3 minutes’ walk to the ILEC. West Brompton is 5 stops to Victoria and the Gatwick Express; it’s about 40 minutes (change to the Piccadilly Line) to Heathrow.

Earl’s Court Underground is 12-15 minutes’ walk (District and Piccadilly Lines).

By rail:

The nearest overground rail station is also at West Brompton – two stations from Clapham Junction.
  History of Earl’s Court
 

From the 12th century and for the next 500 years the estate was owned by the De Vere family, although it is doubtful any member of the family ever visited it. Ownership then passed through various families, and by the early 18th century, when the Edwardes family acquired it, it had become famous for its market gardens and nurseries. William Edwardes was created first Lord Kensington in 1776.

The success of the railways in the 1830s helped transform the area within three decades into an easily accessible suburb. From the 1860s a new infrastructure of schools, hospitals and shops was developed, and in 1889 Earl’s Court officially became part of the county of London.

With the construction in 1886 of Olympia (the largest roofed arena in England at the time), followed by the Earl’s Court Exhibition Halls to accommodate the ever more extravagant shows, as well as The Gigantic Wheel which at 300 feet was almost as large as the current London Eye, the area became a global cultural showcase and entertainment mecca for the capital.

Over time ‘Earl’s Court’ and ‘bedsit’ became synonymous, with overseas visitors, particularly Poles immediately after World War Two, and Australians and New Zealanders in the 1960s to 80s, moving in in large numbers.

The Exhibition Halls were rescued from decay in 1937 and became the renowned hosts for the Motor Show and The Ideal Home Exhibition among many others. However Earl’s Court and bedsit became synonymous, with overseas visitors, particularly Poles immediately after World War Two and Australians in the latter part of the century, moving in in large numbers.

In addition, after the decimation of the whole area during the Second World War, local councils progressed the pre-war social housing building programmes on a large scale, the result being that Earl’s Court has not acquired the wealth and exclusivity of its neighbours Kensington and Chelsea.

With new building plans already well under way, including the demolition of the Exhibition Halls, much of the social housing is due to be swept away to allow more lucrative residential complexes to be built, in spite of a great deal of vociferous local opposition. Once the massive redevelopment of the neighbourhood into residential property has been completed, Earl’s Court is set to become one of the most fashionable areas of London.

Famous residents some of whom have Blue Plaques on the buildings they occupied include, in no particular order, Elgar, Beatrix Potter, Ellen Terry, Ghandi, Hitchcock, Benjamin Britten, Gielgud, Princess Diana, William Orpen, and Howard Carter.

  Accommodation

Click here for details of nearby hotels.
Top of Page
 
  The September Fair
 
 
 
The 2021 September Remainder & Promotional Book Fair
Sunday 12 September 2021 10am - 6pm 
Monday 13 September 2021 9am - 5pm  

The Business Design Centre, Islington Green, London, N1 0QH




The September Catalogue 

  Our catalogues contain full contact details of participating exhibitors with brief descriptions of their specialisations. As they are produced only a few days before each Fair, the only versions we can offer are from previous Fairs.
   
  View/download the September 2019 Catalogue here
   
  Current September 2019 Accommodation List here
   
  View Current Exhibitor List for the next September Fair here
 

The September Fair 

  Since the first event at the Hotel Russell in 1993, this trade only Fair has grown considerably in stature and now attracts both UK and international visitors with budgets which can run from hundreds of pounds to millions of dollars.

The Fair provides both UK and overseas buyers with the opportunity to view over 100,000 remainder and promotional books, CDs, DVDs and social stationery on display and to purchase their complete Christmas range. The majority of exhibitors are British with a strong US presence.

Admission is free if you pre-register, or £10 at the door. Our nominated shipping company WES Logistics - (WES) - is on site to provide quotes, and advice to visitors who may have limited experience of shipping. There is a party on the Sunday, sponsored by CIANA and WES where everyone can relax in an informal atmosphere after the Fair closes.

Islington has a wide variety of restaurants and is a particularly lively part of London during the weekend. Only a few stops on the Underground to the West End.

We look forward to welcoming you at the Business Design Centre.

  How to get there  (Print Map & Directions)

  Road map for the The September Fair at The Business Design Centre
 
View Google Street Map

Click here
 to print map and directions for the September Fair.
Click here  for an online map.
 
By underground:

Northern Line (city branch) to Angel. Through the exit barriers continue forward on Upper Street and cross at the second set of pedestrian traffic lights. The Business Design Centre is a few paces further up set back on Upper Street on your left.

By road:

There is an NCP car park beneath The Business Design Centre (height 1.9m). To bookspaces in the carpark please click here
https://www.businessdesigncentre.co.uk/parking
There is another on Parkfield Street (see roadmap) but there is no facility for booking in advance.

By rail:

Kings Cross, St Pancras and Euston stations are all within a short taxi ride.

The area is also well served by bus routes.
     
  The location
 
 

The Business Design Centre was originally called The Agricultural Hall.
       
  On 16 November 1861, The Illustrated London News carried the following article: ‘On Tuesday week Lord Berners laid the foundation stone of The Agricultural Hall, which in future is to take the place of the Baker Street Bazaar for the Christmas edition of the Smithfield Cattle Club’.

At the cost of £50,000 the architect Frederick Peck created an imposingly large enclosed space, the clear span of which was greater than both its contemporaries at Crystal Palace and Alexandra Palace. The building took a year to construct.

In 1885, following years of royal patronage, the name was changed to The Royal Agricultural Hall. Once the hall had opened, there began a programme of events which, until the outbreak of World War II, included almost every conceivable type of exhibition, including brewing, motor, Crufts, circuses and the World’s Fair.

  Accommodation
  Click here for details of nearby hotels.
 
 
 
   
 
   
 
 
Top of Page
  Registration
  Admission fee & advance registration

  Admission is FREE if you register in advance, or £10 at the door.

You can pre-register:

  • Online (recommended)
  • By post or fax
  • By email
  • By phone (not recommended as the office is not manned fulltime)

    See How to register

    		•
    How to register
      Online
     
  • Login with your email address and password
  • Select a Fair
  • Confirm your badge details
  • Choose the email updates you require
  • Confirm registration. You will then be emailed your Pre-Registration Document
  • Done – bring a print out of the Pre-Registration Document with you to the Fair.

    When you pre-register online, you will be emailed with a Pre-registration Document as an attachment for you to print out, containing badge and Fair details, and a barcode.

    Bring the Document with you to the Fair where it will be scanned at Registration and your entry badge printed. The Pre-registration Document will allow your Fair badge to be printed, but is not a valid badge in itself.

    Online registration closes at 12 Midnight (GMT) on the Friday before a Fair.

    Please note that if you have pre-registered but you do not have your online printout with you when you arrive at the Fair, your badge can be issued on the day and the entry charge will not apply. Bringing the printout with you however will speed your entry into the Fair.

    •   Email
      Email your name and full company address to , and a registration form with Fair details will be mailed to you.

    Once you have registered for, or attended, any CIANA Fair, you will automatically be notified of future events organised by CIANA.

    Please note that if you have registered but you do not have your online printout with you when you arrive at the Fair, your badge can be issued on the day and the entry charge will not apply. Bringing the printout with you however will speed your entry into the Fair.
       
    Top of Page
     

    How to log in

    		To login for CIANA registration, the following are required:

    1. Email address

    your own unique email address
    2. Password
    issued by CIANA for first time website user, but can be changed by you at any time
     Returning website user – login here
    Forgotten password – click here

    New website user – we will issue you with a CIANA password, which you can change at any time click here.

     
    Top of Page
     
    Log in
     
     Returning website user

     Log in using your existing account

     Email address
     

     Password
        Forgot Password?

     
          		   First time website user

     Create online account

     

      First time website user  
     
    Please select the applicable option below and press "Next".     		 

     
    1. I have visited or registered for a CIANA Fair before
      OR  
      2. I have NOT visited nor registered for a CIANA Fair before
     

     
    Top of Page
    Registration Document
      When you register online, you will be emailed with a registration Document as an attachment for you to print out, containing badge and Fair details, and a barcode.

    Bring the Document with you to the Fair where it will be scanned at Registration and your entry badge printed. The registration Document will allow your Fair badge to be printed, but is not a valid badge in itself.

    Click here to see a sample.

    Please note that if you have registered but you do not have your online printout with you when you arrive at the Fair, your badge can be issued on the day and the entry charge will not apply. Bringing the printout with you however will speed your entry into the Fair.

      Top of Page
     
    Email updates
     
    On the final page when you are registering online, there are options of how many times you wish to be emailed by CIANA with reminders of the Fair you are registering for (minimum one update per Fair).

    All options are checked as reminders. You can uncheck those you do not wish to receive.

    Email updates from CIANA before the Fair:
    1 week *
    4 weeks *
    8 weeks *
    Top of Page
    Security / Privacy
      To login for registration on the CIANA website, the following are required:

  • a unique email address
  • password (issued by CIANA but can be changed by you at any time)


    • We are committed to protecting your privacy. We collect information about you for two reasons: firstly, to process your request to attend a CIANA trade Fair and second to provide you with the best possible service. We will only use information that we collect about you lawfully and further:

  • We will not email you in the future unless you have given us your consent.
  • We will give you the option to refuse any marketing mail / email from us in the future.
  • You can check the information that we hold about you by emailing us. If you find any inaccuracy we will delete or correct it promptly.


    		•
    Trade status
      All the CIANA Fairs are trade only. In order to verify your trade status, please supply the following information on your headed paper by fax to +44 (0)1626 897107 or by scanned attachment to for the attention of Sarah Weedon:

  • Company / Business trading name
  • Full business address
  • Contact name
  • E-mail address
  • Two trade references (preferably UK companies):

    Company name
    Contact
    Address
    Telephone
    Fax
    Email

  • Website

    • Top of Page
     
    Catalogue

    Click here for information about the January catalogue

    Click here for information about the September catalogue
    Top of Page
    Copyright

    		Permission is granted to electronically copy and print in hard copy portions of this website for the sole purpose of visiting or exhibiting at a CIANA LTD trade fair. Any other use of the materials on this website without the prior written permission of CIANA LTD is strictly prohibited. All website design, graphics, images and text, and all software, individually and as a compilation, is Copyright CIANA Ltd 2003-2021.
    Top of Page



    © Ciana Ltd 2003-2021