Hifi Pig chats with Kris Sawicki, the man behind the highly popular North West Audio Show which takes place Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st June at De Vere Cranage Hall Estate in Holmes chapel in Cheshire, England.

HP: Where did the idea for North West Audio Show come from and why did you choose the North West of England?

KS: My aim was to make the largest audio show in the U.K. and the North West seemed the logical choice of location given it is perhaps the most accessible place for audiophiles from all over Great Britain. We have visitors from Scotland, Wales and the South of England coming to the show and the transport network makes getting to the show easy wherever you are. Even flying to the show from elsewhere in the UK or abroad is easy thanks to a great train connections and nearby airports. This year we are organising a shuttle bus from Holmes Chapel train station to make it even easier for visitors and so there will be no excuses for not coming to the show.

HP: The venue of Cranage Hall Estate is certainly impressive, how important do you think the beautiful surroundings are to the event?

KS: Yes, without the De Vere Cranage Estate and their fantastic staff, The North West Audio Show wouldn’t be so popular I don’t believe. Once you’re there you immediately feel relaxed and well looked after and ready to enjoy what the show and its exhibitors have to offer. Add to this beautiful landscape and great music and you could be in audio-heaven.

HP: The North West Audio Show bucks the general trend of other audio shows in that you do not charge visitors an entrance fee and you offer free parking to the event, what is the thinking behind that?

KS: It’s a consumer show more then the trade. Why should people pay to listen to the stuff they’re going to buy in the future? The aim all along was “Affordable for exhibitors and free for visitors”.

HP: One of the things we have noticed when we have attended the show is that there are always families and couples attending, why do you think the North West Audio Show is able to attract these where others fail to do so?

KS: This is down to the very relaxed atmosphere during the show and our advertising strategy. This year we have prepared something special for families with young children. Watch this space!!!

HP: The show seems to have grown organically and is widely regarded as being one of the key events on the audiophile calendar in the UK, how do you plan to grow the show in coming years?

KS: True. Every year I see new faces, people who have never attended a HiFi Show before. This is my indicator of growth. It’s a mission for me to make Hifi, music, audio, and of course the show, as inclusive and accessible as possible for everyone.

HP: Hifi Pig is tremendously proud to be associated with the North West Show as the exclusive media partner, what do you think are the advantages of having such a partnership?

KS: There is no North West Audio Show without Cranage Hall and there is no North West Audio Show without HiFi Pig. Stuart Smith – the editor – is honest, trustworthy and has a great passion for the music and if you’re in partnership with someone who has the same principles as you, work is a pleasure.

HP: Given the success of the North West Audio Show, have you any plans to expand the operation into other areas?

KS: No. There are too many shows in the U.K. I want to grow North West Audio Show to be the largest Hifi event in the U.K.

HP: Do you think there will come a time when the show will outgrow the current venue?

KS: I can’t see a better place in the U.K. than Cranage in all honesty. If we use all the available space we will sleep in tents! Seriously, I think there is a room for everyone from the HiFi industry at the Cranage venue and I look forward to welcoming them in the coming years.