And each of the independent businesses you’ll see at BBEx will be ready and able to do business before the Easter rush hits you.

We’ve made a couple of changes for this year’s show, the most important of which is to bring the entire exhibition downstairs to the Solent and the Windsor Halls. It's so much easier to see when it’s all on the one floor.

The next change is to bring the FREE Wednesday night party back into the BIC. For this we'll be using the Bayview Lounge upstairs. The party starts at 17.30 prompt and will include the BBEx/MTA awards presentations.

The party is FREE to all registered visitors and exhibitors. You can register online at the BBEx website bbex.co.uk And this isn’t the only celebration at this year’s BBEx because 2008 is the Boating Business 25th Anniversary.

So you’ll find a coupon on page 30 of the February issue of BB that will get you a FREE drink – courtesy of Bainbridge - on the Boating Business stand – 97 in the Windsor Hall.

We’ll be having the BB 25^th Anniversary party at Seawork in June, but please come and have a drink with us to help get our Silver Anniversary celebrations off to a good start.

Who's exhibiting?
A glance at the exhibitor list shows you the big names are at BBEx. The full list of exhibitors will be in the show catalogue in the February issue of Boating Business, or you can check out the full list of confirmed exhibitors on the BBEx website at bbex.co.uk

Here’s a taster: Cooney Marine, Marathon Leisure Harken UK, McMurdo, C-Quip, David Lewin Consulting, Southern Cross Marine, IMP, Lalizas Marine, Johnson Outdoors, Seatriever International (Waterbuoy), Timage (GB), Seafresh Desalinators, Marlow Ropes, Proboat, C A Clase (UK) Yacht Kit, Sonic Marine, S M Group - and lots more.

Innovations Showcase
In its usual position to the left of Registration as you enter the BIC, this year’s Innovations Showcase has some excellent products – including the Waterbuoy, which featured heavily in the Dragons' Den television programme. Inventor/developer James Halliburton is due to also be at the show.

And the Innovations Showcase now has its own, very smart hall that displays each of the 40 products superbly.

Pre-season deals
And once you’re into BBEX ’08 itself, you’ll find there will be lots of exhibitor offers to bump-start the season - so you’ll get the chance to hammer out the best pre-season deals with the early Easter start to the season just around the corner.

Workshops and Seminars
All the BBEx ’08 Workshops and seminars run in the Bayview Lounge up the escalators from the entrance hall. And here’s the programme:

Wednesday 13 February
10.30 - 11.30 Successful Trading in a Challenging Market
Presented by Tim Reynolds of Dyer Burdett & Co and Nigel John of the British Marine Federation, this session covers credit given and received, financial security & consumers money

12.00 - 12.30 Pinching the E-commerce Clothes
Presented by Jonno Barratt, Kudos Software
The growth in e-retailing has some surprising drivers: it’s not all about price. So what can web traders teach the traditional business about what our customers really want in terms of service, and how can retailers and service businesses steal their best ideas for a change? The fight back starts here.

14.00 - 14.45 Health & Safety Briefing for Boat Builders: Paint Spraying and GRP in Boatyards - learn the facts and be prepared for an HSE inspection campaign in 2008
If you are a manager, supervisor or contractor involved in paint spraying or GRP laying up, attendance at this FREE session is imperative. The briefing will be given by HSE Inspectors involved in an inspection campaign looking at health issues, fire and explosion, hand/arm vibration, noise and falls from height associated with paint spraying and GRP operations.

Thursday 14 February
10.30 - 11.15 Health & Safety Briefing for Boat Builders: Paint Spraying and GRP in Boatyards - learn the facts and be prepared for an HSE inspection campaign in 2008
If you are a manager, supervisor or contractor involved in paint spraying or GRP laying up, attendance at this FREE session is imperative. The briefing will be given by HSE Inspectors involved in an inspection campaign looking at health issues, fire and explosion, hand/arm vibration, noise and falls from height associated with paint spraying and GRP operations.

12.00 - 1.00 Successful Trading in a Challenging Market
Presented by Tim Reynolds of Dyer Burdett & Co and Nigel John of the British Marine Federation, this session covers credit given and received, financial security & consumers money

14.00 - 14.30 Environment Management within the Marine Industry
We are all under pressure to be more environmentally aware. Brian Clark of the British Marine Federation covers Green issues and the NEW Boating Business Environmental Award.

15.00 - 15.30 Train to Gain
Presented by Mandy Swadel, Brokerage Team Manager, Dorset Train to Gain
Find out how and where to get money for training your workforce

Prime location
Our major reason for choosing the BIC in the first place was because it’s a prime location in easy reach of 80% of the UK leisure marine industry. It offers a purpose-built, air-conditioned exhibition space with the show being on a single level, making access as easy as possible.

BIC has just undergone a £20m redevelopment and offers car parking with access direct into the show entrance hall.

Motorway and dual carriageways link Bournemouth directly with the north, east and west and services from Bournemouth Station connect directly to London Waterloo, the Midlands, the north and Scotland.

There are daily low-cost flights from Belfast, Dublin, Northern Ireland and Glasgow to Bournemouth. Nearby Southampton Airport has extensive internal flights from other major UK centres.

The Bournemouth area offers the highest number of bed spaces of any events town outside London. There are over 30,000 beds available, ranging from low cost guest houses to four star hotels. And you’ll find superb VAP (Visitor And Partner) deals in all grades of accommodation – busy successful business days followed by (it says here) romance in Britain’s leading south coast resort.

Make your booking through the Bournemouth International Conference Bureau, which is the FREE venue and accommodation finder in Bournemouth.

The BIC is in the centre of this vibrant and cosmopolitan resort and it’s only a short walk to an excellent variety of shopping, dining and nightlife choices.

If you need any more information about BBEx, check out the website at bbex.co.ukAnd make sure you say hello to the BB staff. Editor Peter Nash and advertisement manager Lorraine Curtis will be there the whole time.