THE ORGANIZERS OF THE FRANKFURT BOOK FAIR ADMITTED DEFEAT FRIDAY IN A COMPETITION TO HOST A BOOK EXPO NEXT APRIL IN LONDON, BUT SAID THEY WOULD SEEK WAYS TO SUE THE EARLS COURT EXHIBITION GROUND, DPA REPORTED. ON MAY 5, THE GERMANS SHOCKED THE BOOK PUBLISHING WORLD BY ANNOUNCING THEY PLANNED TO HOLD A 2007 SPRING BOOK FAIR IN CENTRAL LONDON, IN A DIRECT CHALLENGE TO THE LONDON BOOK FAIR SET TO TAKE PLACE IN SPRING IN A REMOTE PART OF LONDON, THE DOCKLANDS. ON THURSDAY, IT WAS THE GERMANS' TURN FOR A SHOCK WHEN THEY WERE DESERTED BY THEIR LONDON FAIRGROUND OPERATOR EC&O VENUES, WHICH LEASED THE SPACE AND THE APRIL 16-18 SLOT TO A RIVAL COMPANY, REED EXHIBITIONS, TO HOLD THE LONDON BOOK FAIR. THE BOERSENVEREIN BOOKSELLERS AND PUBLISHERS FEDERATION OF GERMANY HAD HOPED TO CONTROL BOTH THE FRANKFURT AND LONDON FAIRS THROUGH ITS FAIR-ORGANIZING ARM. --More
