OUTPUT

Most Londoners would agree that the three changes required to get from Brixton to Custom House, the DLR stop for the Excel centre, is a bit of a pain. We at Output do have one advantage: we're already London-based and our extortionate rent rates mean that we don't have to fork out for other accommodation. For our industry compadres in the rest of the UK, and indeed around the world, this presents a different conundrum – and Output is already hearing grumbles about the hotel rates on offer around FESPA 2013 and Ipex 2014.

It might seem premature, but the hotels and brokers have done what their contemporaries in any exhibition city might do and hiked their prices. One company has revealed to me that, to house their 20 staff for nine nights for FESPA, they've been quoted £290 per room, per night. The Ritz, perhaps? No, my friend – the Novotel.

For many businesses in our sector – from smaller outputters to large wide-format houses – dropping a bag of sand (Cockney rhyming slang for 'a grand', or £1,000), even for a valuable exhibition experience, may simply not be possible. They could save money by staying further out of London, but perhaps having to take more of a hit on transport, or choosing an unpopular area – Lewisham and Bow aren't known for their luxury hotels, but they might be more affordable than Tower Hill or Soho. Various new-builds popping up before the Olympics could, also, provide a cheaper opportunity. And one shouldn't overlook an apartment or house rental, which also reduces food overheads and can provide more of a peaceful atmosphere, especially in the morning.

British companies have the option to do the return journey in one day, of course, but crossing London from Paddington can take at least an hour, while taxi firm Addison Lee quotes the cab fares from Victoria, Euston and Paddington respectively as £28, £31 and £36.80. Our European readers may find that flying in to London City Airport is a cost effective way to do the show in a day, and is only a few stops away on the DLR. But those from further afield who have to negotiate Heathrow, Gatwick or Stansted might find the expense of the city off-putting, and this could limit the number of people conducting their trade show business over several days.

I am not, per se, criticising the choice of city for these two big print events: it's about time that FESPA came to the Big Smoke and capitalised on the rich graphic design heritage that exists here, while Ipex could benefit from a change of scene, helping it differentiate itself from other industry events. Each represents a massive marketing opportunity for suppliers and manufacturers in our industry and thus justifies the cost. My concern is the expense for visitors and the effect this could have on footfall and repeat visits for both events – especially for Ipex, which is in definite need of a strong showing this time around.