In another corner of the main exhibition hall are 10 stands, each representing a region of England or a nation of the UK.

They are indicative of the growth and professionalising Reform is attempting at lightning speed – setting up the local branch network and army of volunteers a successful national political party requires.

It’s the unglamorous side of politics, a long way from the whizzy pyrotechnics of Nigel Farage’s conference speech, but arguably more important.

A couple from Suffolk stop for a chat.

They have never been to a party conference before and had never been in a political party until they joined Reform recently.

Another couple from Glasgow tell a similar story.

There are plenty of sharp-suited young men about too.

Two blokes having lunch together call me over. One recently worked for a Labour MP, the other had been a lifelong Conservative voter.

Those with a former political affiliation are disproportionately disgruntled Conservatives, but not exclusively.

All around us flutter the party’s banner and the conference’s slogan: “The Next Step.”

And those three words get to the essence of this: the story of Reform’s momentum has been the stand out political development of the last year.

But can they keep growing – and, ultimately, can they win the next general election?

“Can’t stop, won’t stop” is the mantra of the party’s senior figures privately, as their membership numbers tick towards a quarter of a million.

And as an indicator of their seriousness of purpose, what did Nigel Farage plead for in his closing address from his activists?

Was he tub thumping and cracking gags?

Not a bit of it.

“Discipline” is what he wants.

Activists who disagree in private, not in public. Activists willing to stand as council candidates.

Nigel Farage has a focus and sense of purpose I haven’t seen in the best part of two decades of reporting on him.

He sees an opportunity the like of which he has never seen before.