CS Gathering at Frem Group

A big thanks to all for coming to CS Gathering at Frem Group.

It was great to see familiar as well as new faces at this Gathering. As usual we discussed past events as well as future plans - and for this year we have big ambitions.

Officially, CS will start 2023 with a plan to:

- Celebrate London events with CS Open running for the full week

- Start with CS Open for Surface Design in February 6 - 10

- Test CS WattsApp Group over Feb for showroom security

- Populate the calendar with CS Gatherings throughout 2023

- Liaise with Shoreditch Triangle for co-promotional ideas

- Utilise Old Sessions House as Clerkenwell's local events facility

Thanks again to Dave for hosting, Greg for Pizza and Frem tour support - and also Joe for VPS overview.

Finally, to Liz and Urva the CS Generals for ideas and high spirits.

CS Gathering at Milliken

Clerkenwell Showrooms was well represented during CDW22 with many CS window stickers and flags seen across the district!

Each CS Gathering is held in a different showroom location after a trade event and in this case at the lovely Milliken showroom after the CDW22 event. The idea for the CS Gathering is to provide an opportunity for CS members to discuss what has been learned from past events, and also to share new ideas and initiatives that are put forward.

On this occasion, there was much debate on the various ways CS can make Clerkenwell safer, more efficient, and as can be seen from the photos more social!

A great CS Gathering at Milliken with the sentiment best summed up by our host:

"You all showed so much enthusiasm and passion for the Clerkenwell community, and our industry.
I can safely say, we are all looking for support, ideas/suggestions, and willingness to drive business through our showrooms. Our collective voices can make a huge difference, with a bit of effort from us all!" - Urva Soni

From this meeting, Clerkenwell Showrooms discussed new initiatives for 22/23 including:

1. CS Alert
Much needed by showrooms that have single-person staffing. A WhatsApp group to enable showroom participants to quickly communicate to nearby members on security or logistic matters.

2. CS Calendar
A central calendar for events and other CS activities.

3. CS Friends
Friends of the CS Community (local clubs, bars, hotels, and restaurants) will be listed and featured in CS literature.

4. CS Exchange
A matching service for showrooms to request or place products and materials within the district for cross-promotion purposes.

5. CS Student Tours
A plan to provide annual student tours of the showrooms with the longer-term ambition that the students will remember and learn from their experiences and support the district in the future.

So with so much on the ‘To Do’ list, we now need to bring in volunteers to help see through plans and projects. In addition, a steering group will be formed to manage priorities and budgets. Anyone who wishes to participate, please make yourself known.

Quite apart from the significant work in progress, it was evident that for all who share a passion for Clerkenwell, the social component was as important which makes for an enjoyable meet up.

The next CS Gathering will be held at Billi showroom in October date TBC.

CS Gathering at Orangebox

Well, Clerkenwell Showrooms (CS) is finally off to the races…as the evening gathering at Orangebox was well attended in spite of a sudden surge in Omicron cases.

Jeremy greets an enthusiastic crowd at Orangebox

There has been several attempts to start a community in the Clerkenwell District, and for various reasons they have not continued. Jeremy was unsure as to whether an appetite to start one now exists, until that is, the launch at Orangebox took place.

Liz Walker, Orangebox showroom manager provided generous support for the first CS meeting with the fabulous presentation facilities and her lovely staff on hand.

Urva Soni, Milliken showroom manager said it best ‘I thought it was a really good turnout, with so much positivity. It was nice to meet and connect with other showroom owners/managers and put some faces to names.”

Clerkenwell Showrooms - lets talk design by Matthew at Rivington Bye

Matthew, Design Director at Rivington Bye led the charge that at CS we get out what we put in - and in terms of design that can range from very simple to high-end collectibles. Ideas for consideration included, pocket maps, coasters, planners, and calendars - all serving as CS branded keepsakes that help trade visitors remember their trip and better navigate the ancient district.

Liz at Orangebox touched on the idea of mentoring for newcomers to the area.

In short, we possibly gathered too many ideas for the start of the CS community, but it is hard to resist when met with such a positive crowd. It points to the very real need we all feel after years of isolation, to get back to work and start collaborating face-to-face again.

A few CS Member initiatives were set out:
- CS A5 window stickers to signal official Member / Friend status
- CS Flag to signal participation of CS Open during all trade events
- Giveaway Map to assist with showroom wayfinding

The next CS Gathering will be held in mid June after CDW at Milliken
For all showrooms that attended, a big thank you for setting in motion the CS community.

Next Steps…

For those that were unable to attend please ensure you are on our mailing list by sending your details to: info@clerkenwellshowrooms.com or lookout for the next CS Event or email invitation.

Photography Credits: Marcos Bevilacqua

Not all ideas suggested were taken seriously…