A NEW annual trade show in Llandudno has been postponed by a month due to current Welsh Government COVID-19 restrictions.

The Llandudno Gift Fair will now be held at the four-star St George’s Hotel in Llandudno from February 13-15, and will be open for traders to visit between 9am-5.30pm (9am-4pm on Feb 15).

Initially, it was set to take place from January 16-18, but a maximum of 30 people being allowed to attend indoor events in Wales has caused the rescheduling.

A statement on Llandudno Gift Fair’s website read: “Due to the current Welsh Government COVID-19 restrictions limiting the number of people attending indoor events to a maximum of 30 people, we have taken the decision to revise the dates of the show from the original dates in January to new dates in February.

“We are hopeful that this slight rescheduling of the show will allow enough time for the Welsh Government to ease the current restrictions, allowing the show to continue as planned.”

The event has been organised by Steve Valentine, who founded Gwynedd Confectioners, Wales’ largest independent chocolate manufacturer, more than 30 years ago, and his son, Paul, who also works for the company.

The show hopes to attract owners and buyers from all sorts of businesses, including gift shops, garden centres, zoos, and convenience stores, and is already a sell-out event in terms of the number of exhibitors registered to attend.

In September, Paul told the Pioneer: “We just thought that the industry would benefit from having a new show, hopefully giving it a shot in the arm to help get things going again after COVID.

“There has always been a trade show in Llandudno, at the Venue Cymru, but with it being a vaccine centre, there was question marks about where it was going to go ahead.

“The companies that exhibit there rely on it, so we thought we could set something going to make sure it goes ahead.”

Earlier this week, First Minister Mark Drakeford said ministers will look at easing restrictions in Wales during a review set to take place next week.

For more information, go to: www.llandudnogiftfair.co.uk.