The UK Events Industry: A Small World with Big Opportunities

The UK Events Industry: A Small World with Big Opportunities

If you spend any time in the UK events industry, you soon realise it feels a bit… well, incestuous. The same suppliers keep crossing paths, the same crews pop up from one project to the next, and people move between companies like it’s musical chairs.

But that isn’t a bad thing.

This tight-knit world shows just how much work is out there. Competitors one week often work side by side the next. It proves that collaboration matters just as much as competition. The industry contributes about £61.6 billion annually to the UK economy, illustrating its scale and resilience.

Clients don’t care whose logo sits on the cases. They care about reliable kit, smooth delivery, and crews they can trust. The overlap between suppliers proves the industry is thriving and that trust runs deep. Bodies like the Event Supplier and Services Association (ESSA) highlight how important this network has become.

There is, however, a darker side. Some companies rack up huge debts, leave suppliers and freelancers unpaid, and then reappear under a shiny new name. Considering we are one big family connected by the same struggles, that behaviour does real harm. It damages trust and tears at the community that makes our industry strong. The UK Government Insolvency Service must act to stop directors and companies rising from the ashes while dumping unpaid bills.

Our network of suppliers creates strength. It brings flexibility, resilience, and opportunity for everyone to grow. But that strength relies on honesty and fair play.

The UK events industry might feel like a small world, but it is a world that delivers big results when we all pull in the same direction.