"To make it work sensibly we needed three or four of the big guys to say yes, and unfortunately that didn’t happen," said IIR managing director Nicky Mason.

Mason admitted that Northprint's relatively poor showing may have also had an impact on bookings for TPE.

"I think because we held people to contracts [for Northprint], they have been relatively slow to book for TPE," she said.

IIR was about to begin investing in visitor promotion for TPE and to confirm its October booking of Earl's Court 2, but according to Mason: "We couldn't do that if we weren't sure if we had a show."

The organiser is planning to relaunch the show next year, but is asking for industry feedback on the event's format, content and frequency.

"Nothing is cast in stone. The event needs to look quite different to the old Digital Print World (DPW) and not necessarily what we did with TPE last year, which I don't know was necessarily the right thing. So we need to start again and find out what the exhibitors and visitors want."

However, Mason added that the show would still need to fit IIR's "commercial criteria", which meant that it was unlikely to be a conference.

"We need to get the audience right and focus on what's new and what people are trying to do with their businesses."

To send suggestions on the format of the show, email: nmason@iirx.co.uk

For industry reaction, see this Friday's PrintWeek

Read associate editor Jo Francis's blog on TPE's cancellation