Reserve the date in your diaries – it seems the UK has finally come up with a     retail-focused trade show that can fill the gaping hole left by the ‘old’ E3’s demise.

GamePlan aims to bring together UK publishing and retail over two days on 29th– 30th May 2008 at The Pennyhill Park Hotel in Bagshot, Surrey.

Event organisers Tandem and Barrington Harvey say that with no UK trade show, no E3 and a tough schedule of individual sales conferences across Europe to attend, the call is for a sales event at which retail can meet with all its leading customers in one place.

Key individuals from retail will attend for formal sales meetings and presentations from the 15 leading games companies expected to attend.

“Retail has told us that the number of sales conferences they have to attend has become too time consuming,” said event organiser Andy Lane, managing director at Tandem Events.

“They need a place where they can meet their leading suppliers under one roof, do business and enjoy some valuable networking time over a two-day period. They need to see key product side by side, and get a real feel for the range of titles they are looking at from their partners, as it helps them with their business,” added Lane.

“The wider non-specialist retailers have also welcomed the idea.”