I actually first posted this in two groups on Facebook, Fountain Pens UK and Fountain Pens are Inkredible, but have also decided to post this piece here to widen the audience of my views, especially as many of you who are regular readers (or were until I hit a creative wall near the start of the year) are from outside the UK.

An updated version of the piece I wrote is as follows:

Here are my thoughts on the Pelikan Hub situation.

Since Pelikan was bought in 2023 a few of us have been expecting price rises and for either the annual hubs to stop or to become a video event. In the past when everyone was getting a bottle of the new ink, for around 5,000 attendees it was probably costing the company a good €60,000+ for the event. Fine if the market is strong, but when Hamelin bought the company the financials were not that great (and it was the same for Sailor when they were bought around the same time). From a google I found the follow:

2014 (Inaugural Year): ~900 to 981 participants across 69 cities.
2015: ~1,400 participants across 72 Hubs.
2016: 2,600 registered participants across 109 Hubs in 37 countries.
2017: 3,600 registered participants across 145 Hubs in 43 countries.
2018: 4,896 registered participants across 181 Hubs in 44 countries.
2019: 5,738 registered participants across 199 Hubs.
2023: 6,120 registered participants across at least 220 Hubs in 47 countries.
2024: 8,702 registered participants across 254 cities in 47 countries.
2025: 10,850 registered participants across 295 cities (a historic high).

My first year was 2016, which was also the first year that bottles of ink were given out, the previous year it was just a box of cartridges and that was a surprise for the participants. You will notice the sudden large jump in numbers. Certainly, at the 2017 London event people would turn up, collect their bottle, then leave again. It would not surprise me if many applicants still attend for the free ink.

So going forwards, well the same group of us who expected price rises (which did not happen) have also been expecting first an end to the free ink, then an end to the hubs with them being replaced by some large online event. Last year many hubs did not get the ink of the year but instead an alternative, either an old ink of the year else a regular bottle (the latter being the case at our local hub).

Going forwards I would not be surprised if Hamelin were to cut back on the Pelikan ranges. The inks will remain (as that is their core business) but I would not be surprised to see the all bar the entry level and Souverain pens being dropped. I believe the starter pens are still a big market in Germany (where I believe fountain pens are still mandatory at some level of schooling), but the mid-range items are in a very competitive market and you still see the high-end luxury pens (such as the Maki-e models) for sale years after they came out as limited editions. It must be remembered Pelikan is, above all, an ink company.

Now what I did not mention above is that for a second time in three years I will be the Hub Master for Fleet, Hampshire. We have held a hub there for about 7 years now (certainly since before lockdown) with Penultimate Dave being the original Hub Master plus for last year when I had a clash. The meet location has spawned out of the UK South Fountain Pen Club Meet Up Facebook group, which Dave started and runs with many of the attendees being the same. Our attendee numbers have not really changed though we have gained a few members to the club through the hubs.

I am not aware of any embargo from Pelikan however they have already let the Hub Masters know what the gifts are so once they are public in a way that can not be reversed I will post here. Let us just suggest at present not everyone will be that happy.

Still if you received a rejection email from Pelikan then post in your regional Facebook group as you may still be able to attend, if it is taking place (a lot of expected hubs are not this year, partly due to a lack of volunteer Hub Masters), or there may be an alternative event being organised as an excuse for a fountain pen get together (I believe there might be one of those in Manchester as there are no Hubs this year in the north of England).

As to Hub Masters, if your local hub is not happening this year it might be due to a lack of suitable volunteers. Remember they are not paid and Pelikan will not cover any expenses (try finding a suitable location that does not require paying for). Sure there are some ‘gifts’, but they stopped giving a complete regular set of Edelstein inks back in 2022 or 2023, certainly in 2024 all I got was a branded tin mug.