HEN Feb 2021

With a grand opening scheduled for spring 2021, we are delighted to introduce you to the brand-new Hilton Garden Inn Snowdonia and Wave Garden Spa.

• 106 bedrooms

• Luxurious indoor / outdoor spa

• Flexible conference, meeting and event spaces for up to 300 guests

• Lagoon-side dining at Zephyr’s Bar & Grill

The Hilton Garden Inn and Wave Garden Spa join the worldclass facilities at Adventure Parc Snowdonia, including inland surfing on a 300-metre freshwater lagoon, and award-winning indoor and outdoor adventures.

• Surfing for all ages and abilities

• Fresh water swimming and paddle boarding

• Mountain biking

• Indoor ninja assault course

NEW FOR 2021

You’ll find us on the edge of the Snowdonia National Park. Surrounded by the fresh air and big landscapes of North Wales, we're just a short distance from the

medieval walled town of Conwy, and Snowdonia’s prettiest mountain village, Betws y Coed.

A Warm Welcome

FEB 2021

As the industry fights on, and the lights at the tunnel end get brighter, we are seeing amazing, creative strides from our venues and suppliers to give us hope. Strides in costeffective technology, flexible use of space, and new ideas never dreamt of, as iconic hotel, The Grand, York, proves. Of course, with many people losing jobs and businesses, the fallout has been huge and will never be forgotten.

Our latest collection of news, views and features will keep our many planners up to date and ready for the restart. We look at the

Publisher

Elliot Landy

Features Editor

James Wilson

ESSA

HBAA

ABPCO

mia

Jonny Ross

Contents

suppliers and AV trends pushing the boundaries, see how venues can get event-safe and some temporary structure solutions that could well open up opportunities for a summer of events. With team building more important than ever, we offer the chance to win a rather unusual day outdoors.

Stay safe.

Design

Stacey Hanson-Rothery

Senior Account Manager

Contributors

The Events Industry Forum

Sterling Event Group

Ewe-nique Team Building

Yorkshire Teambuilding gives away a pair of baarilliant experiences to bring teams together.

Caboose and Co

Gazeboshop

DRPG

Event Tech Live

Occupyd

Trident Hospitality Consultants

Robertson Cooper

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North In Brief

AYRE Brings Virtual Charitable Events to Life

With fundraising ventures impacted, charities have had to innovate when it comes to engaging with their target audiences to enhance their revenues. During 2020, AV supplier AYRE supported a number of virtual events in the sector.

One such event was The Kirkwood’s Light Up a Life event which takes place around the festive period to commemorate the lives of loved ones. With the event open to all, not just families cared for by The Kirkwood, it was even more poignant to ensure the event went ahead in 2020.

Ensuring the streamed event would be engaging, AYRE created pre-recorded content at its bespoke broadcasting studio that would sit between live recordings, provided lighting for the live filming which replicated the essence of candles and created DVDs for those without access to the stream.

Commenting on the support provided to The Kirkwood, event organiser, Kathryn Box adds: “Working with AYRE Events, we were able to stream the event live into people’s homes so they could still take part. The comments from our supporters have been wonderful, and we had over 425 devices watching the event, making it our bestattended Light up a Life event yet.”

Ayre.events

HBAA Partners with Brightspace Events to Provide COVID-secure Training

HBAA has teamed up with Brightspace Events to offer a training programme to prepare the meeting and events industry for the resumption of live events and to support hybrid and virtual business.

The training is designed for the staff of both agencies and venues, particularly for sales and operations teams to drive customer confidence through increased knowledge and guidance. The content will cover current scientific knowledge, risk assessments and mental health and will include case studies, practical activities and assignments.

Participants can register now, and the dates for the live sessions and practical assignments will be confirmed to match availability as soon as each group of learners are ready. HBAA members will receive a 30% discount.

Brightspace Events founder Sarah Threlfall, who will assume the role of course trainer, says: “It’s very exciting to be working with HBAA which is playing such a vital role in the recovery of our wonderful industry. Together we want to spark confident conversations around live meetings and events so that, as soon as restrictions change, the industry makes a fast start.”

Virtual Pottery Painting

Pottery painting is not the first activity that springs to mind when thinking about virtual team building sessions. Just imagine the logistics of posting pottery not just once, but three times – coaching and leadership training company Vibrant Thinking is doing just that.

this year, but we think it is vital to physically bring everyone together in person too, so we are planning to make 2021’s International Confex the most powerful yet.”

Its unique offering means that kits get sent directly to individuals within teams. During the session itself, simple but effective techniques are demonstrated before the teams are let loose to create their own works of art.

Everything that is needed for painting is provided in the kits including underglazes, stencils and protective packaging to send the pottery back to Vibrant Thinking for firing.

Lorna Watkinson, Director of Vibrant Thinking, says: “It’s amazing how similar the experience is for participants compared to the face-to-face ones. Participants describe the sessions as fun, relaxing and mindful and report that they were much more productive after the session. The sessions can also be used to facilitate creativity, something many companies have struggled with when everyone is working virtually.”

Vibrant-thinking.com

Twin Take-off for ETL Start-up Competitions

With the launch of Event Tech Live US and Canada, the exhibition has unveiled two versions of its start-up competition on each side of the Atlantic.

Entrants must submit a one-minute video detailing the idea behind their new tech product. A public vote delivers the top three which a panel of industry experts will rank Gold, Silver and Bronze. Open to new tech companies in any location, prizes include a £5,000 marketing spend and discounted exhibitor packages.

Booth Guru’s hybrid matchmaking solution took Gold at the virtual Event Tech Live 2020 awards; the system’s ability to highlight applicable visitors to exhibitors alongside real-time recommendations for relevant sessions and booths based on interests and behaviour on the show floor securing the win.

Adam Parry, Event Tech Live Founder, comments: “Big companies have the best resources, but the best ideas can come from anywhere. The ETL start-up competition has helped to push some incredible people and ideas into the spotlight.”

Entry deadlines are 30th April for Event Tech Live USA & Canada and 30th September for Event Tech Live UK & Europe.

International Confex Confirms Live June Date

Mash Media has confirmed International Confex will take place from 22nd to 23rd June 2021 at ExCeL London. Event Director Duncan Custerson underscores the importance of the event returning to a live setting: “The industry has come together

Prior to the outbreak, the corporate events sector contributed £32 billion to the UK economy annually, while the exhibitions market was worth £11 billion. Duncan hopes the event will play a role in restoring the industry to its former status: “It’s been an appalling 12 months for the industry, and there is no doubt we have suffered business casualties. But as an industry I genuinely believe we have been galvanised. We have made tremendous progress in getting recognition from government and have worked hard to illustrate just how vital an economic component we are.”

The event will be COVID-secure, with Mash Media and ExCeL London mandated to follow the government-backed All Secure Standard guidance, as laid out by the Association of Event Organisers.

International-confex.com

Award-winning Luxury

Events Company Launches The Qube Decor Group

Debbie Marks and her team have been executing exceptional bespoke weddings and creative corporate events and parties in Greater Manchester and beyond for over a decade, working with some of the UK’s largest companies.

The Qube Decor Group strives to make the planning of any event or decor project easy and stress-free for its clients. Throughout the past year Debbie made the decision to expand the company to embrace these ever-changing circumstances: “We’ve become renowned for our creative designs so it just made perfect sense to put the word ‘Decor’ in our name,” said Debbie. “We’ve since launched two new arms to our business. “The group now consists of Qube Events, Qube Event Hire, Qube Luxe & The Decor Qube.

"Qube Luxe is our new interior division of the business specialising in residential and commercial Christmas installations, as well as our creative floral and foliage permanent installations for homes, offices, restaurants and hotels. This sits nicely alongside our online luxury decor shop.”

The Decor Qube is an exciting new brand, creating luxury styled decor delivered in a beautiful box for customers to style in their own homes. Perfect for hosting a special occasion or dinner party, customers can now bring the look and feel of a largestyled event to their dining rooms with décor that can be used again and again.”

AYRE lights up The Kirkwood's festive event.

On a Grand Scale

Discover how historic hotel, The Grand, York is futureproofing corporate meetings with exciting investments in virtual events and bringing teams together with its new online cookery classes.

Award-winning five-star hotel, The Grand, York, has launched a range of new virtual and hybrid events to bring delegates together throughout and beyond the ongoing pandemic. With its impressive architecture and fantastic central location, The Grand has been the perfect destination to hold meetings and conferences. Now, utilising state of the art equipment, its hybrid and virtual packages bring together the physical and virtual audience in one collaborative experience.

A remote-control camera captures presenters and feeds the broadcast to remote delegates so they can experience the event as if in the same room. Each event will have full technical support to ensure seamless connection around the globe.

Simon Mahon, General Manager at The Grand, York says: “We understand the importance of bringing people together and during a time when it’s not possible to all be in the same room, we want to create a platform for businesses to continue to communicate and share successes with their team. The virtual and hybrid events are a safe and cost-effective way for businesses to host important meetings, celebrate

successes and plan together in an immersive way.”

When travel resumes, the hybrid meeting is the perfect alternative to a fully remote event where The Grand will take care of the technology while attendees can focus on the event itself: “Safety is of huge importance at this time.” Simon continues. “Which is why our hybrid and virtual packages ensure social distancing and COVID safety practices are adhered to throughout.”

The veteran corporate events and team building venue has also launched a series of new virtual cookery classes giving participants the chance to learn from a qualified head chef tutor and grow their culinary skills. The immersive and interactive classes will be led by Head Tutor, Andrew Dixon, who has overseen the Cookery School at The Grand, York since its launch in 2019.

Each class is around two hours in length and will include a guided cook-along where Andrew will be on-hand to facilitate the activity, answer questions and provide expertise on how to craft the perfect dish: “We’re excited to launch our new virtual

offering by bringing the Cookery School into people’s homes.” Andrew comments. “The classes are extremely fun, and we have some great meals planned where teams can put their skills to the test or simply have a laugh together.”

Participants will be given a recipe pack which includes a step-by-step guide on how to create the meal, as well as a full list of ingredients and equipment required. “The Cookery School has been a firm favourite for businesses who want to bring employees together,” continues Simon. “And we’re keen to continue to support those wanting to build their cooking skills and team spirit remotely throughout lockdowns.”

To find out more, email events@thegrandyork.co.uk, call 01904 380 038 or visit Thegrandyork.co.uk for further details.

Safety First

As venues are poised to welcome back visitors, H&E North discovers how the Meetings Industry Association’s AIM Secure certification scheme is instilling confidence across the industry.

With confidence among buyers reaching an all-time low due to the uncertainty of when business meetings and events can resume, the Meetings Industry Association (mia) says venues are committed to demonstrating that they can operate safely once government restrictions ease.

Through its ongoing research, the trade association estimates that venues have, on average, invested £7,500 in enhanced measures that go beyond the government’s minimum requirements, to help reassure event buyers that when the sector is given the green light, it will be operating in a secure way.

To aid the process, in late June the mia unveiled its new enhanced national quality accreditation, AIM Secure, as part of its ongoing package of support to assist the sector with their reopening preparations.

Featuring vital infection and control protocols, nearly 300 venues have already achieved the rigorous annual accreditation standard to date, with many more currently working their way towards obtaining the new national quality mark.

Jane Longhurst, Chief Executive of the mia, says: “We all have a role to play. It is imperative that we, as an industry, meticulously plan and play our part in actively demonstrating the high standards of compliance and hygiene in which we operate to rebuild consumer confidence.”

The respected quality standard is used by many booking agents, like Calder Conferences, as one of their key criteria for

selecting potential venues for future events on behalf of its central government and the wider public sector clients.

In the initial stages, AIM Secure is a selfassessment process. To attain the standard, venues need to achieve at least 60% of the criteria including a questionnaire featuring some mandatory elements. They are then asked to compile their own portfolio of evidence – which the mia provides guidance on.

“If we are to rebuild buyer confidence, it’s imperative that standards are maintained,” Jane continues. “That’s why AIM Secure is renewable annually and, as part of the process, venues have to agree that during any time they could be asked to allow an independent assessor to visit and review their venue’s procedures and their portfolio of evidence.

“Planners rely upon and put their faith in our accreditation, so we needed to ensure that when they choose an AIM Secure venue as part of their selection, they can trust that their meeting or event will be delivered in a COVID-secure way.”

There is a small fee to pay, but the most costeffective way to achieve the accreditation is by becoming a mia member, as it is included within the membership fee. Once achieved, venues can use the AIM Secure brand in all their promotional materials to showcase their commitment to offering a first-class service safely and responsibly for the health of staff and customers.

For more information about becoming AIM Secure, or to see the current list of accredited COVID-secure venues, head to Mia-uk.org/AIM.

Here are some of the venues that already achieved AIM Secure accreditation.

Alton Towers Resort

Carden Park Hotel

Derbyshire County Cricket Club

Imago Venues LTD

Imperial War Museum North

Keele University Events & Conferencing Lancaster Conferences

RICOH Arena

Royal Armouries

The Grand Hotel

The Belfry Hotel and Resort

The ICC Birmingham

The Vox Conference Centre

Tigers Events KCOM Stadium

Wetherby Racecourse & Conference Centre

Wyboston Lakes Conference and Training Centre

In 2018, Callum McPherson moved away from a successful career in fintech to establish his first sharing economy business, Moto Stable, in an effort to tackle the blight of motorcycle theft in his home city of Edinburgh.

The premise was akin to that of a co-working space; people would pay a membership fee to store their motorbikes in an unused warehouse in the city. But as Callum tried to expand the business, he struggled to find space: “I was driving around industrial estates meeting landlords and tenants and I came across a joiner specialising in set design – he had a big unit he would have struggled to afford by himself. So he had a printer, instrument maker and a carpenter in there each paying monthly on flexible terms. And then I saw the same thing in a production kitchen, where the caterers were sharing space with a couple of other baking businesses.”

That’s when the idea for Occupyd hit him: “It was an obvious solution to an obvious problem. If you’re starting a hospitality or catering business, you don't want to shell out £50,000 on fitting out a new kitchen. People like myself can work anywhere – we just need a laptop. But there are a lot of businesses out there who need specialist equipment and spaces, so that's where Occupyd sits.”

A two-sided marketplace, Occupyd is to commercial property what Airbnb is to residential. The online platform invites businesses to list their underutilised space in return for extra income: “That could be anything from a café which closes at 3pm, all the way to a spa renting their unused treatment rooms to small beauty businesses. We’ve recently been in conversation with the National Trust, who have wonderful buildings and facilities that are just sitting there not being used to their full extent – they would be perfect for events and could use the extra income. And then on the other side of the coin, you have businesses starting or expanding and need quick access to facilities without taking a long lease and doing the fit-out.”

Occupyd is one of many businesses experiencing rapid growth off the back of COVID-accelerated shifts towards hybrid working and home delivery: “Threat of recession fast-forwards trends that were already on their way. Food delivery was

Making Space

Discover how 29 year-old Callum McPherson has successfully helped hospitality businesses maximise the value of their unused spaces through his breakthrough online marketplace platform Occupyd.

growing by 10% year-on-year before it just exploded in 2020. There's a lot of difficulty in the short term with restaurants being forced to close their doors, but in the medium-tolong term I think there's going to be a lot of changes in the way hospitality operates.

“You have really big players now that are set up to take advantage of the situation, and a really interesting example is ‘dark kitchens’ which are built specifically for food delivery providers. Instead of having a restaurant, you just have a small kitchen in an out-of-town warehouse. That's a trend currently coming out of London making its way north and we're just seeing it come to Scotland as well.”

Occupyd similarly began life in London and has since expanded to match users with a broad range of properties in major cities across the UK: “You often find these interesting use cases that are an unexpectedly perfect fit. We’ve had orchestras practising in office blocks for instance. Where better to perform than a huge, deserted office with no residential property around?

Something Callum is keen to push is the element of discoverability, as event planners are looking for increasingly weird and wonderful spaces to host their event: “The best conference I’ve attended was hosted at Edinburgh Zoo – it was hosted by Salesforce, but anything that's a bit different can really bring a brand alive. When someone is looking for an event space, they may not know where to look – we try and show the blank canvas aspect, such as a photography studio which could be used for virtual events, or a restaurant for pizza making classes, where clients can use not only the kitchen, but front of house as well.”

The sharing economy is is disrupting a growing number of industries as it crosses generational

divides to win market shares from traditional models: “The movement was originally driven by a younger demographic, but now we’ve seeing it creep up on the older generation and big business. We’re currently speaking to one of the biggest landlords in the UK. In 2018, flexible leases were at 15% of their portfolio, surging to 25% in 2019 and rising still – proving bigger institutions are now realising the value of the sharing economy.”

At a time where hotels, restaurants and event spaces are being forced to think outside the box to keep their businesses alive, many are choosing to maximise the value of their assets by finding new revenue streams: “I know a lot of hotels have turned into studios to cater for the rise of virtual events and are looking at opportunities to make their space available for hotdesking on a flexible basis. We’re in conversation with several major football clubs which have multiple kitchens that even prepandemic are being used once every couple of weeks. Now more than ever, companies are really having to sweat their assets.”

As well as increasing his reach across the UK, Callum has his sights set on the US East Coast to facilitate the wave of recovering and startup hospitality businesses filling the gaps left by the pandemic: “Cities like New York which were dependent on their services sector were particularly hard-hit. I think we've got a really good opportunity to step in and help companies that have been displaced and are looking to start new ventures.

“Marketplaces have what's called ‘network effects’ – if we add another kitchen, there's probably going to be another person looking for a kitchen which makes it more attractive for others to add more spaces, and it just goes around in circles.”

Occupyd.com

IndustryOpinion

Recognising Excellence

ABPCO Association Director, Heather Lishman reviews the 2020 Excellence Awards.

December saw more than 130 people join the virtual ABPCO Excellence Awards, one of our best ever attended events. The annual awards, which reward excellence and professionalism in the world of association events have become a regular feature of the PCO calendar, attracting high quality entries from a wide range of events.

The winner in the Best Conference by an In-house Organiser category was The Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed, for their National Freelancers Day 2020 conference. The Best Conference by an Agency Organiser award was presented to Haymarket for The CIPD Festival of Work.

In a break from the norm, we also rewarded Lockdown Heroes for their positive work and support of others during the initial months of the global COVID pandemic. These went to: Fiona McDonald and the team at Millbrook Medical Conferences; Nicole Leida and the team at National Cancer Research Institute and Samantha Salisbury from Jonsam Events. In line with these new awards, Martin Fullard from Mash Media received the annual Chairmen’s Award for his ongoing commitment to supporting the industry.

The annual partner recognition awards were nominated by PCO members this year. The recipients were Meet Cambridge, Hiscox, SEC, ACC Liverpool and P&J Live.

In a remarkable year we expected innovative entries and our membership truly delivered. ABPCO members demonstrated creativity, flexibility and tenacity as they

organised events under very different circumstances compared to anything they have done in the past. Thank you to all our members for submitting their entries and well done to our worthy winners, who were chosen through a mixture of audience voting and judges’ marks. Through the addition of the Lockdown Hero awards we were also able to recognise a new breed of member, those who stepped out of their comfort zone and did something different for their clients, peers and audiences.

The event would not have been possible without the support of our platform provider EventsAIR and we are extremely grateful to MCI UK for logistical support and Nexus Collections for their provision of the delegate gifts.

The ABPCO AGM will take place on 24th June 2021, for details visit Abpco.org.

Restoring Resilience

HBAA board member Leigh Cowlishaw reveals how the organisation is seeking to ameliorate the effects of the pandemic on the industry’s mental health.

There is no denying that our mental health will be impacted from the COVID-19 crisis and the relentless challenges it has brought. Personally, and professionally, we are affected. Mental health has been a key HBAA board initiative for over two years and now is the time to broaden our support, increase our access to further expertise and shout even louder.

This is why in 2021 we have chosen to support two charitable enterprises, EventWell and Buses4Homeless, both tightly linked to the cause. These charities also align with two of our strategy’s four pillars: resilience and ethics.

EventWell is a vital organisation dedicated to cultivating better mental health and wellbeing, supporting and serving professional and business members and the industry community with the knowledge and tools they need to stay well. Founded by Helen Moon, its focus is centred around three core values: empathy, culture and selfcare.

It strives to encourage better understanding and empathy in the industry; to inspire positive leadership; and to change attitudes to self care.

Our second charity is Buses4Homesless, which we will be supporting for the third year running. Set up by Dan Atkins just a few years ago, this is a charity that provides a low-cost holistic solution to homelessness by refurbishing decommissioned buses into spaces for eating, sleeping, wellbeing and learning to re-integrate homeless people back into the community.

Buses4Homeless started by setting up buses in North Acton in London and its inaugural programme for eight guests couldn’t have gone any better. The majority of them are now in full time employment and in their own homes, which is a fantastic result in the midst of the pandemic.

HBAA members have not only raised thousands of pounds for Buses4Homeless

in 2019 and 2020 but given their time to help refit buses and to source valuable equipment. By choosing these charities for 2021, our association has committed to improving mental health, raising further funds, getting involved, making a difference and providing toolkits to help and guide when and where it is needed. With the major reform of the Mental Health Act recently announced, it really is the time for us to focus and align.

We are continuing to provide members with Mental Health First Aid training courses and will be offering additional training to support wellbeing in the coming weeks. Now more than ever, as the industry looks towards recovery, we must provide the help and assistance needed to safeguard the resilience of our people.

To find out more, visit Hbaa.org.uk.

If event planning for venues wasn’t already difficult enough, organisers now have to consider numerous safety measures, ensuring social distancing is in place for the foreseeable future. As new guidance is constantly being released and restrictions are continually changing, knowledge of best practices is vital.

Venues being on the front foot with the new regulations and being ready to reopen at any given moment will play a key role in the recovery of the events industry. H&E North takes a look at what you may need to consider.

Thermal Scanning

As events venues begin to reopen, thermal scanning will become a requirement, providing a much-needed layer of security for those willing to attend the event, giving an indication of whether someone is showing symptoms or not. Those spaces that can provide this service will find themselves ahead of the game in containing the spread.

Sanitation Policy

Hygiene has never been more important. Your duty as the venue is to ensure that the building has safe and effective hygiene standards in place that are rigorously followed. You will need to ensure your venue is regularly cleaned and thoroughly sanitised. If you don’t have a sanitation policy already, now is the best time to make one!

Keep Your Distance

With the UK vaccination programme in full swing, many venues are preparing their spaces for the return of live events.

Feeling Refreshed

One of the things many people enjoy about events is tucking into the buffet table and enjoying a glass of bubbly while mingling with the other guests. However, considerable sanitation and food-handling measures will have to be in place for this to happen and this could cause additional costs.

Another option to consider is having prepacked meals that attendees can simply collect on their arrival. Pre-packed meals significantly reduce the handling of food and spreading of germs.

Why not get creative? Space out tables, provide an open-air environment, stagger servings to reduce the number of people in once space, keep rooms well ventilated and it can work.

Track and Trace

Show your venue is taking extra steps to ensure everyone feels safer and properly cared for. The NHS Track and Trace app can help the health and safety of both staff and delegates.

This tool allows you to get in touch with people who attended your event and afterward began exhibiting symptoms. And the best thing about it is that the app does all the work; contacting those who need to isolate and providing next steps for attendees who might have been at risk.

Less is More

The bigger the space the more flexible you can be. Consider the regulations where you are before making any final calls on the social distancing measures you are putting in place, but just ensure your numbers are low enough with plenty of wiggle space.

Networking Strategies

Set up socially distanced networking tables where delegates can be two metres apart while still being able to chat together, with open-air break out spaces that give people the freedom to move around and connect without the worry of being too cooped up inside. You can create a relaxed environment so that people can enjoy themselves safely without feeling limited by the restrictions.

Nudge it

Get signage such as arrows or instructions to help to control the flow of people moving around a space. A nudge might be arrows pointing in one direction or lines on the pavement to mark social distancing. Making use of nudges to help implement an effective one-way system in your venue is a no-brainer. You can even add queuing belt barriers to make the signage more obvious.

Unlocking an Industry

In the wake of the toughest year they have ever faced, H&E North discovers how a group of venues are vying for clarity from government while standing by their communities in the hope of better times ahead.

With over 50 years’ experience in the events and meetings industry, Kevan Holland and Martin Dempster established the awardwinning Trident Hospitality Consultancy a decade ago to help independent venues gain their fair share of agency-generated business. H&E North dropped in for Tea with Trident, an informal online networking event for partner venues to share stories, support each other and catch up on the latest guidance.

When the pandemic broke out, not one of the venues believed they would be in this position a year on. Vicky Webb from Millennium Point, Birmingham represents just one of the venues locked in a cycle of postponements: “From the middle of March, our business fell off a cliff, and since then we’ve been spending our time either cancelling or postponing events for the third, fourth or even fifth time.”

Rebecca Toner of the OEC, Sheffield was in the unfortunate position of having opened to a Christmas boom in 2019, only to be stopped in its tracks just weeks later: “I'm finding in this lockdown people are more reluctant to postpone again, we’re just hoping something will change to give people that certainty to book.”

Kevan believes the real challenge is the unknown: “How can sell if you can’t put a date in the diary? The impact has been incredible if you haven't got another income stream.” Helen Slater of Incora County Cricket Ground, Derby was one of those lucky ones, having been saved by a summer of international match play and training camps, yet the decline in enquiries still forced redundancies: “The industry opens up, then shuts down again. And at the moment there's nothing coming through the door.”

Rebecca Barnes of Madingley Hall, Cambridge represents another venue to diversify its revenue streams after striking a contract with its local hospital to provide accommodation and training to keyworkers. By opening its grounds to the public and offering a popular takeaway food service from its café, the conference centre has struck a new relationship with its locality: “Like many venues, we’ve had to change the mindset of how we operate. As a result, we've been discovered by a section of the community we previously didn't extend our services to, and we’re hoping that follows through with private functions.”

By opening their doors to a new demographic of visitors, venue partners have maintained visibility in the hope their efforts will realise future dividends. In helping to transform Millennium Point into a vaccination hub, Vicky’s team are doing their bit to deliver 1,000 jabs a day: “It's been a brilliant good news story. We’ve secured national coverage, people are seeing our spaces, and our events team are being kept in work. In many ways, it’s quite like running a large-scale event, you have to think about your signage, Wi-Fi, flow – events venues are perfectly positioned to support the NHS on logistical and operational issues.”

Like many businesses, Helen has made use of the flexible furlough scheme to protect the jobs that remain and allow her team to be proactive with enquiries: “We've been doing small training events – they don't make money, but our view is that we’re building relationships for the future.”

Vicky is in her office three days a week, keeping in touch with clients, letting them know the venue is “ready to go”: “90% of the meetings and training events we hosted

over the summer were on behalf of new clients. And that came from maintaining that presence. But it’s tough for clients to make commitments when the stop-and-start nature of restrictions left many with their fingers burnt.”

Kevan maintains frustration about the lack of government support is shared not only by his members, but the industry as a whole: “Without question, all of our venues have spent a lot of time, effort and money in making themselves safe for meetings and events. All of that work was carried out on the back of government recommendations – but the industry was suddenly shut back down without question, and we were just forgotten.”

Nicole Parker of Robinson College, Cambridge believes it is the uncertainty not only in hospitality and events, but across industries which makes it nigh on impossible to close a sale: “Clients don't just need to know when we might be able to accommodate them, they need to know when they can get back into their offices.”

Helen speaks for all members when she says she feels her industry is: "bottom of the heap" and vilified as a hotbed of transmission without supported scientific evidence. Kevan points to research conducted by Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, which showed only 4% of cases in Birmingham NHS trusts could be traced back to meetings, events and hospitality and berated the fact the success of the autumn pilot schemes “seemed to count for nothing.”

But while many large corporate venues chose to go dark, Trident members represent the independent spirit, demonstrating a hunger for new business and a desire to do whatever it takes to restart events safely: “Our clients have heaps of confidence in us that we are safe and secure,” says Vicky. “We want them to pick up the phone and tell us what they want and how we can alleviate their fears. All the venues here are really flexible and open to having conversations. When they're ready, we'll be ready.”

For more information about how Trident Hospitality Consultancy can support your venue, visit Tridenthospitality.co.uk.

All Work, All Play

Playfully blending work and play, the brand new INNSiDE Newcastle hotel is ready to provide guests with everything they need to take advantage of their modern hybrid working lifestyles. H&E North speaks to Meliá Hotel’s Cluster Director of Sales in the north Scott Brown to find out more.

Meliá Hotels International, Spain’s largest hotel group, has announced the opening of INNSiDE Newcastle for March 2021, subject to hospitality guidelines. The 161-room hotel, complete with five creative meeting spaces, is located in the heart of the city on the historical Quayside, offering breath-taking views across the River Tyne and an eclectic home-from-home feel for business guests to meet in and explore Newcastle’s city centre.

An ideal setting for the next conference or business trip, the hotel is situated a short distance from Newcastle Railway Station and Newcastle International Airport, as well as walking distance to the SAGE Conference Centre. For those looking to combine business with pleasure, and explore the local culture, the city’s celebrated Eldon Square shopping centre, The Biscuit Factory art gallery and Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art are all a stone’s throw away.

Scott admits it’s difficult timing, but there’s plenty for us to look forward to: “I'm a firm believer there's going to be a serious amount of pent-up demand for people to experience life out and about in cities enjoying the restaurants, concerts and football matches that drive demand for hotels. When that comes back around, we're going to be the newest, shiniest, most exciting city-centre hotel around.”

With events well catered for, INNSiDE Newcastle offers five creative event spaces for up to 170 banqueting, including the Melia brand’s unique Big Ideas Space – a bright, fresh and innovative meeting area; complete with comfy colourful seating, SMART screens and playful items to keep guests engaged and energised. Full of smart ideas, with sustainable touches, the multifunctional rooms are flexible to suit all business needs. The new hotel also features a breakout events space with views from the mezzanine, overlooking the Open Living Lounge below.

Designed to inspire the unconventional, Scott believes the brand is leading the way in creating a new way of doing business: “It’s clear that when the pandemic is behind us, many staff will never return to the office five days a week. When teams do get together, it will be to fulfil that collaborative element which leads to creative solutions. The Big Ideas Space encapsulates the fun and playful side of the corporate experience on offer at INNSiDE. From basketball hoops to dartboards, down to the latest in smart screen technology, we’re looking to inspire teams for those crucial brainstorming sessions that work so well in person.”

The Open Living Lounge will act as the beating heart of the hotel, with the open plan lobby offering the ideal transitional space to allow guests to slip seamlessly from work to play. The

lounge will serve food throughout the day with local DJs providing the perfect soundtrack for visitors to relax and unwind over a post-work cocktail. Each stay will be enriched with music, art and literature curated by the hotel’s local experts.

“Arts and culture runs through the whole guest experience,” says Scott. “10 years ago, a corporate hotel was a corporate hotel, and a luxury hotel was a luxury hotel. Now, with hybrid working and flexible hours, work and leisure have merged. People working away now how have the freedom to experience the city they’re visiting. They may do a few hour’s work on their laptop, then head out to a gallery, for a coffee or to a yoga class. It feels like we’ve been talking about bleisure for years, but the current situation has accelerated that trajectory towards a blended lifestyle and our hotels are here to help people make the most of that.”

Business guests will be able to enjoy an exclusive dining experience on the Tyne, thanks to the restaurant’s floor to ceiling windows and beautiful outdoor terrace overlooking the iconic river. This space will become an exciting destination restaurant for both hotel guests and locals alike.

The hotel will also offer a bespoke ‘Workcation’ package for business travellers looking for convenience, comfort and flexibility. Meliá PRO members can also take advantage of the hotel’s introductory meeting rates, which start from £25 per person for half a day including lunch, and 20% off dynamic stay rates.

Taking architectural inspiration from iconic local landmarks such as the Tyne’s bridges, the hotel’s interior showcases a light, minimal and versatile space, featuring modern and comfortable furnishings. It also plays home to a well-appointed gym, complete with state-of-the-art Technogym equipment available for guest use 24-hours a day.

Demonstrating the brand’s commitment to sustainability, single-use paper and plastic have been eliminated throughout all properties with sustainable amenities available in all rooms, along with 100% eco-friendly bedlinens and towels. And like all its hotels, INNSiDE Newcastle will operate the global Stay Safe With Meliá programme, including measures to prioritise guest and staff safety during COVID-19.

INNSiDE by Meliá has hotels in 28 locations, spread across 10 countries with 13 new properties in the pipeline. With openings for Liverpool in May, Glasgow in 2023 and Leeds in the works, the brand is set for continued growth across the UK’s most exciting cities as we begin to get back to doing what we love.

Innsidebymelia.com

Supply Line

Andrew Harrison, Event

Supplier

and

Services

Association (ESSA) Director reveals how collective efforts can lead to positive change for the event suppliers’ corner of the industry.

We've watched the face of the events industry change forever, and the resurgence of the pandemic has put the industry back in the box, at least until the population has been sufficiently immunised to make organised events possible again.

We’ve had the quietest winter season since records began. Our most recent survey shows around 65% of the member workforce has now been made redundant. 86% of surveyed companies are forecasting yet more redundancies by the end of March and research suggests that more than half of the supply chain businesses face an uncertain future if we do not see our industry gain a new restart date soon.

And our surveys simply didn't reach the forgotten freelance community. Freelancers have found great difficulty accessing even the most basic of support. They embody a colossal amount of expertise and skill across the whole gamut of event industry roles and the danger of losing all this talent to other industries is very real.

Back in 2020, ESSA held a strategy day to define its goals for the coming decade and identify the key areas that provide the greatest benefits for most members. With a smaller secretariat now working at the association due to COVID – and the pressures of the pandemic pushing down on us – the board agreed to take a more active role in planning and delivering on all these key areas: representation, leadership, unity, value delivery, and continuous improvement.

With all the pain that this pandemic brings, ESSA is also committed to ensuring it brings about positive and long-lasting change for its members and the wider industry. Of course,

Creativity and flexibility will be vital as the industry recovers and live events return.

H&E North looks at some of the leading industry suppliers offering a wide range of COVID-secure creative solutions.

none of this is how we wanted to start the new year, but with a strategy in place, and our members’ interests at the fore, we will press on with objectives, namely:

• To represent our members’ interests to the government, the wider industry, and our colleagues, within the organiser and venue communities. This firmly includes ensuring the need for funding and support is demonstrated.

• To lead the way in industry recovery and efficiency, post-COVID and post-Brexit.

• To be stronger together by ensuring our table is big enough for all who wish to sit at it and that our members bring all they can.

• To deliver substantial value for our membership in terms of credibility, positioning, and heaps of benefits for members and their employees.

• To do what we do better and help our member be better, through continuous improvements in both physical and mental safety and health, education, training and by creating a more diverse industry that inspires talented people from a broader perspective.

ESSA and its sister associations, the Association of Event Venues (AEV) and the Association of Event Organisers (AEO) are all working hard to effect changes in government response and increase support for every business affected by the closure of events and exhibitions. Any association is only as strong as its members, and we need all the strength we can get. If you were ever considering an association membership, whether you are an organiser, venue or supplier, now is the time to lend your voice.

Essa.uk.com

Perfect and up to date for any event organiser preparing for clients.

Tell us how you're getting restart ready at

• Friendly and well established family run Yorkshire based catering company

• Corporate and private events with a range of affordable options.

• Working lunch buffets delivered daily to your workplace.

• Formal dinners and canapés, hog roasts, bbq’s, fish & chips, chocolate fountains and more.

• Bespoke catering packages, with our highly experienced team offering consultation on all aspects of your event. Blue Pepper Catering Ltd, Unit 1 York House, 55 Easy Road, Leeds, LS9 8QS T: 01138 715 999 | bluepeppercatering.co.uk E: info@bluepeppercatering.co.uk

For the team at corporate event management specialists In Any Event, the pandemic has opened their eyes to untold possibilities.

As event organisers, we have really missed the simple things: the buzz of a successful conference, interacting with delegates, the stillness of a beautiful banqueting hall moments before guests arrive – the list goes on.

Yet 2020 took us to new levels in the business that after 30 years we didn’t think possible. All our existing events took place over virtual platforms, we adapted, our customers adapted, and successful, interactive conferences still took place connecting brands to global audiences previously out of reach.

Yes, networking looks different, exhibitors found new ways to interact, and breakout rooms didn’t have a boardroom table in sight. When we realised that life as we knew it wasn’t returning for a while, we incorporated virtual team engagement events, ensuring companies could connect with their staff and clients, a driver of success that had been lacking in so many sectors. These were a huge success, especially over Christmas, and great fun to do!

Our immersive gift boxes were subsequently born to run alongside these events and continue to prove popular. We don’t know if these virtual adaptations will stay forever, but what we do know is being flexible and staying positive has been our secret weapon. What has yours been?

We would love to hear your lockdown event stories and share our creative ideas, please do get in touch at events@inanyevent-uk.com.

• Free Venue Finding & Logistics

• Free Accommodation Booking Services

• Event Management

• Association Management

• Conference Organisation

• Delegate Logistics

Virtual & Hybrid Events

Lavin Life

Hi Tracy, tell us about Tracy Lavin Events.

We have arranged amazing events and parties for clients and celebrity guests in venues such as Kensington Palace, medieval castles, stately homes, villas, five-star hotels and country estates, plus the exclusive Soho Farmhouse in the Cotswolds. Destinations abroad were becoming more popular (last year notwithstanding!) and some of the locations we have worked in include Cannes, Monaco, Lake Garda, Lake Como, Florence, Madrid, Ireland and Mauritius.

A lot of our clients are referred direct to us via networking or have attended one of our events already and see how we work. Our corporate clients have included Cisco Systems, Pure Gym, Imperial Brands and United Utilities. They like our style and the way we execute events as we guide our clients the whole way through and work alongside their MD, PA/ EA and communications department to ensure we are carrying through their company ethos,

Tracy Lavin, founder and CEO Tracy Lavin Events has truly made a name for herself as a corporate and luxury events designer in the UK and abroad over the last 18 years. Here she reveals a personal insight into her life and business. Awards

Mornings

values and branding. We can bring all that and more into the theme of the event and make it unique and, of course, bring lots of fun along the way!

What

local projects are you working on this year?

We are working with the University of Bolton for its summer graduations over a week as they were postponed last year. We are now holding them in an open outdoor space at Bolton Wanderers Football Club, which will be safer with social distancing in the current climate. We could have done this online, but a survey suggested the students wanted to wait for the experience of a live event.

How has your business adapted over the last year?

We along with all the hospitality industry have been especially affected by the coronavirus. My sister works in infection control in three major London hospitals, so I knew this was

going to be going on for a while and how serious it was.

We have a good mix of corporate and private clients, so we still had some business on the books but most events had to transfer to the following year. We had to work with venues and suppliers to transfer dates, not cancel where possible. We then moved into some online events, arranged work at home care packages for clients and in December, we offered bespoke Christmas decor for large private residences and also arranged employee gift boxes.

A 45-minute stroll with Lola, my lively two year-old cockapoo, is the perfect way to get some exercise and clear my head ready to start the day afresh. While I walk, I’ll listen to a motivational podcast or Capital Radio on the app, as I love music! After my caffeine fix, I declutter my inbox. I’ll then go through my appointments for the day with staff and events for the week, checking all paperwork and updates on any new government industry guidelines. I'll also go through any issues and contract negotiations we may have and delegate the day’s jobs to my fantastic team.

9 to 5

I start the working day with calls and appointments with clients and venues. This

MY DAY

can include travelling anywhere in the UK as our clients are based all over, and in times of restrictions we have been doing a lot of Zoom calls. If I am in the office, I will eat lunch with my team or we might be at a networking lunch event. Afternoons are checking any new business for that day or getting ready for events.

Evenings

When the working day is done, I’ll take Lola for another walk and more than likely be on the phone to clients or family and friends to see how their day was. In normal times we meet up for a post-work catch up and an espresso martini! When I get home, I will do a final check on emails as we have International clients and then I'll cook dinner and put my feet up in front of Netflix!

2019 Luxury Global Wedding Planner of the Year (UK NORTH) – Global Lux Life Awards

2018 Wedding Planner of the Year (NORTH) –UK Wedding Awards

2018 & 2019 Best Events Company of the Year – Talk of Manchester Business Awards

get in touch with Tracy, call 01625 538 999 or visit www.tracylavinevents.co.uk.

Cleaning Up Your Act

A trusted provider to the industry’s highest profile brands, Eventclean specialises in the cleaning and waste management of outdoor and corporate events large and small.

With over 25 years’ experience, Eventclean has worked hard to keep world class events across the UK safe for staff and attendees alike. With outdoor events such as the Rugby World Cup Fanzone, UEFA Champions League Final and the Volvo Ocean Race under its belt, it has become a dependable name as the pandemic has proved seasoned hygiene specialists indispensable.

In addition to comprehensive waste management services, the South Walesbased cleaning service provides temporary toilet and shower facilities, from single plastic portaloos to luxury trailer units. It can also provide complete wastewater management, removal and disposal solutions. It has introduced waste sorting and recycling services to the National Eisteddfod, the largest music and poetry festival in Europe, and has proudly served as the cleaning contractor to the prestigious RHS Flower Show for many years.

A flexible and positive approach enables the team to deliver a reliable, quality service ensuring the smooth running of the event, liaising with event organisers to find appropriate and workable solutions to any situations that may arise. Working closely alongside Cardiff Council’s Special Events team, the brand has been trusted with the cleaning and waste management of most large outdoor events held in Cardiff including the Wales Velothon, Cardiff Half Marathon and the Cardiff International Food & Drink Festival.

During the past 12 months, it has been involved with several virtual and pilot live events, developing event cleaning systems and protocols going over and above government health and safety guidelines. Over the holidays, it provided COVID-secure cleaning services to Cardiff’s Christmas in the Castle and the Swansea Alpine Village. At both attractions, it used a two-stage cleaning system for all surfaces, comprising an initial clean with 80% alcohol liquid

Over the past few months, during the pandemic, we have been involved with several test and virtual events and have developed covid-safe

followed by a thorough wipe down with anti-virucidal liquid. It has also invested in the latest specialist fogging equipment to ensure anti-virucidal products reach the most inaccessible areas.

Eventclean has even developed a range of sanitiser products for use in the event industry ranging from luxury automatic to virtually indestructible steel post dispensers. It also manufactures a handy range of portable sanitising solutions, including single-use sachets of hand gel, perfect for distributing to your attendees.

Renowned for securing cleaning contracts for the world’s top live entertainment acts, such as Stereophonics at Wrexham Racecourse to Massive Attack at Filton Airfield, Eventclean is ready to help the industry restart safely as events return bigger and better than ever.

For more information on keeping your event safe, visit Eventclean.co.uk.

Virtual Conferencing

Ben Hull, Bright Vision Events Managing Director explores how far virtual conferences have come over the past year and offers key advice for anyone aspiring to deliver their next event virtually.

So Ben, how has live conference streaming changed since the first lockdown?

At Bright Vision Events we have been streaming live conferences for several years and have always had a virtual option available for clients. Uptake was steady as businesses slowly adapted to the platform, but the first lockdown was a game changer and we’ve had to adapt to meet demand.

Historically, we had over three months to plan a conference with a live streaming element. Our lead time is now under four weeks! It is staggering to think that in such a short space of time all the elements needed for a successful virtual conference can be pulled together. Live streaming is now the new normal for us in a world where virtual conference providers must meet clients’ needs for instant answers.

What is the most important question that clients should be asking their production company?

The answer is contingency planning. We aren’t talking about a face-to-face event here. This is not simply about changing to a backup projector or having a spare laptop on-site. The success of the show depends on how you plan to mitigate all the challenges the internet can throw at you. So, always ask the tough questions of your provider. For example: ‘what happens if there is a power cut, or the internet falls over?’ If they cannot give you assurances at this stage, that is an instant red flag.

In our studio we have an uninterruptible power supply to cover any cuts or shortages and two independent gigabit internet lines –so, if one goes down, we can bring the other online instantly. We also have 5G backup routers to call on should the internet be lost totally. This contingency planning means that we could deliver your streamed conference with no power and no internet to our studio. It’s crazy when you put it like that, but if your show depends on these things – and all virtual conferences do – you really do need to have all possibilities covered.

What changes have you noticed in terms of client

expectations?

Back in March, clients were scrambling for any solution to allow their events to continue. Almost overnight conference streaming, which had to some degree been a relatively niche product, suddenly had demand that was so unexpected, the market wasn’t prepared. The volume of our events that had a virtual element went up from under 10% to 100% in a matter of weeks. We were lucky, we already had experience in the field, but it was still a huge period of adaptation.

Initially, the market was flooded with some poor offerings and inexperience among some clients meant that incorrect choices were made when selecting a supplier. My conversations with clients today are vastly different to 10 months ago when I was trying to educate them as to how the virtual thing worked. Now I’m getting straight into the detail of what our Bright Vision Events platform can offer and how it will integrate with their event. Clients are now much more clued up about what is available, and they know what they want.

Take us through some of these changes you faced.

We have always offered live streaming, but this was hosted on external platforms. In March 2020 we took the decision to launch our own in-house streaming platform, Bright Vision Events Live, a dedicated platform for hosting our clients’ events in a secure and bespoke way. To date we have delivered over 100 live shows on the platform and it has been fantastic to see how professional it looks, how well it has been received by clients and the variety and calibre of events delivered.

We decided early on that our reputation had been built on high production standards and we wanted the platform to reflect that. So, unlike some competitors' offerings, we concentrated on delivering the best show content possible.

We are one of the only companies out there that can guarantee:

• HD resolution of show content.

• A dedicated production team.

• Full audience support via VOIP helplines and email support.

• Full presenter support via our dedicated virtual green room.

Our focus remains on the show and its content backed up by market leading virtual delivery and this philosophy is what our client base has been buying in to.

What are your thoughts on the future?

If I knew that I would be a rich man! We are seeing more events go from purely remote webinars where everyone is at home, to more of a studio-style solution where we get all key presenters to one studio location – socially distanced of course – with the audience at home. That massively improves the production values and quality of experience, because we can use our own equipment from 4K cameras, studio lighting and digital sound solutions. We don’t have to rely on the presenter’s laptop camera and microphone, which simply aren’t good enough.

We know the future of events will be hybrid, because people like face-to-face. Business travel will never be the same again, as there will be an expectation for clients to offer attendees a hybrid option. I can see the core teams attending the face-to-face event, with the remainder watching the stream live online. Production companies who cannot offer both I think will suffer. I am just so pleased we pivoted when we did.

To discover how Ben and the team can support your next virtual or hybrid event, visit Brightvisionevents.co.uk.

Top of the Tree

Discover how Event Trees produced a magical transformation of The Savoy hotel for the festive period.

For the second year running, Event Trees was asked to provide an enchanting installation for The Savoy’s much-acclaimed festive experience. With over 25 years in the business, Rich Moore, Director of the Doncaster-based artificial tree hire specialist, has worked with a staggering list of brands from Virgin to Hilton to create magical large-scale outdoor environments: “We’ve designed and activated some incredible projects over the years,” claims Rich. “We were riding high from our recent 40m x 8m immersive installation for the Macallan whisky distillery, transforming a marquee into an enchanted forest, and are set to festoon Wagamama restaurants in cherry blossom for the third consecutive year to celebrate the Hanami Festival.”

On spotting the team’s work on Instagram, The Savoy, one of London’s best known five-star hotels, approached Event Trees for a Christmas installation. The design featured a bespoke foliage tunnel over the staircase leading from the foyer area and treatments to The Savoy Tea Shop and the stunning glass-domed atrium of Thames Foyer.

The installation had to be completed in a tight timeframe of eight hours to minimise hotel disruption. To achieve this, Event Trees created a bespoke self-supporting framework to fit over the staircase and installed a working platform over the stairs to ensure a swift and safe installation within the Grade II-listed structure.

“You can erect the best installation in the world, but if you mess up on disassembly, the consequences can be costly,” warns Rich. “With The Savoy being such a prestigious building, we were conscious to leave no trace, avoiding any fixtures which may have damaged the illustrious architectural features. In this business, you’re only as good as your last mistake.”

Sponsorship of The Savoy Tea Shop was by NYE Timber Champagne, which in turn commissioned Event Trees to provide a festive treatment of the area. An installation of gold branches, baubles, hand-decorated pinecones and an abundance of fairy lights were used to frame the inside and outside of the shop frontage.

For Rich, the challenge was in the detail: “The branches were specially treated in our workshops with the gold leaves painstakingly attached by hand. We don’t buy in cheap factory-made materials, everything is designed and constructed in-house.”

In his experience, Rich has found that much of the artificial foliage found in wholesalers designed to be used in retail environments is flammable – a fact he finds “staggering”: “Over the years, venues have become increasingly conscious of the impact this has on risk assessments and the safety of their visitors, so we’ve always been ahead of that curve. All the foliage we produce is fire retardant – and to put venues’ minds at rest,

we bring a lighter to our design meetings to demonstrate how safe our materials really are!”

Working closely with The Savoy’s in-house interior design team, headed by renowned Chief Florist Belinda Bowles, Event Trees delivered another warmly received bespoke installation that met the five-star hotel’s rigorous standards: “Belinda has worked with The Savoy for over a decade and is incredibly passionate about maintaining the hotel’s trademark aesthetic. As you can imagine, she was heavily involved with the festive install, so it was integral to work alongside her on the design to ensure the project was consistent with the hotel’s prestigious brand.”

Event-trees.com

Fast Facts

Event: Christmas at The Savoy

Clients: Savoy Hotel NYE Timber

Supplier: Event Trees

Date: December 2020

Duration: Four weeks

Attendance: Hotel guests

Surprising stat: ½ kilometre of fairy lights were strung throughout the installation!

Offices, receptions and boardrooms

Windows

Cleaning office equipment

Cleaning workstations

Cleaning furniture

Carpet and floor cleaning

Staff communal areas

Washrooms

Toilets and urinals

Supplying and restocking

washroom consumables

We recognise that the presentation and standard of cleanliness of your premises have a significant impact on the perception of your business.

We work to ensure that an exceptional first impression is made each time a potential client walks through the door.

07957 878 544 matt@citofacilities.co.uk www.citofacilities.co.uk

There’s increasing scientific, research-based proof of the effect on green spaces on general well-being and good mental health. So don’t think of us just for your events; we can transform permanent spaces too!

We are well-known for our tree rental, but we offer hire of a variety of solutions, from living walls and foliage products to enchanted forests and foliage tunnels. Our bespoke projects team can design and create full installations following specific briefs.

Matt Bond, Director of leading cleaning and facilities management service Cito Facilities on keeping your business COVID-secure.

What can Cito Facilities offer event spaces?

We look after your building and let you concentrate on your job Our trusted network of staff ensure your premises are safe, clean and in full working order – and you only pay us for the work that we do. If any repairs need undertaking, we give you three separate quotes and let you decide.

How have you reacted to the pandemic as a business?

There are plenty of chancers playing off industry fears, advertising expensive technological solutions. We don't advocate germicidal fogging machines at inflated prices. Proper cleaning routines are never going to change, but when the pandemic broke out, we employed a cross-infection control specialist with NHS experience to stay ahead of the curve. He helped us understand viral transmission and the most effective way to safeguard against it.

How can you help venues safely reopen?

With budgets stretched like never before, many small venues don’t have the money to spend on professional cleaning. To help you reopen safely for less, we offer trusted advice on best hygiene practices to give guests and staff confidence in your brand, from top independently-rated virucidal products, to time-efficient techniques. And when the good times return, we’re here to free you up to do what you do best.

Citofacilities.co.uk

• British made – Supporting UK manufacturing

• Fire retardant – All our trees use inherently FR materials and foliage

• Bespoke build – Our trees can be designed to suit your requirements

• Highly detailed and hyper-realistic

• Wide choice and range of products Our

The Sweet Taste of Normality

Robert Bates, Executive Head Chef at The Belfry offers readers a helping of culinary inspirations and a flavour of how the Warwickshire hotel and resort has risen to the challenge of the past 12 months.

THE BACKGROUND

I’ve been working as Executive Head Chef at the Belfry Hotel & Resort since December 2013, having previously worked in several Michelin starred restaurants and hotels around Europe.

My uncle was a chef and every summer I would visit him, and he would show me around his kitchens; he was a huge influence on why I became a chef. I trained at Hartlepool College while working in hotels on evenings and weekends before moving to Slaley Hall, Northumberland, where Albert Roux was consultant chef. I went onto the Chateau de Montreuil in northern France at Michelin level before moving to Hotel Metropole, Restaurant Joel Robuchon in Monaco, again a multiple Michelin star hotel. After four and a half years I came back to the UK to work closely with Albert Roux & his son Michel Roux Jr at Le Gavroche, which was such an amazing experience. After that, working for Family Roux as a consultant chef was one of the highlights of my career to date.

As chefs we are learning from each other every day and trying new styles of cooking. Spending time in France had a huge influence on my cooking style. My cooking has always been about using fresh and seasonal ingredients to create traditional dishes, but now with the addition of using modern French influenced techniques. How the French utilise and respect every ingredient has really influenced my cooking style however, I would say that their passion shown for the simplest of dishes is what inspires me the most.

ON THE MENU

A great deal of planning goes into catering for each event as it is one of the key reasons why an event is fondly remembered. So, it must be perfect. Every event menu is different; you need to consider your audience and their dietary requirements, the style of event and the timings, and how many are attending.

A good menu must not only be suitable for all event attendees, and of course

taste great, but having a visually bright and vibrant menu always creates a big impression – as they say, we eat with our eyes. Plus, it also proves very popular on social media which is beneficial for most events.

ON TREND

Our diners are increasingly cutting out animal products from their diets and are more health conscious than ever. Last year we launched our new vegan menu which features dishes such as butternut squash risotto with sage and chestnuts; portobello mushroom with cous cous, sweet potato and pak choi; and roast tomato tart with julienne of vegetables and onion crumble. As the first entirely vegan menu I’ve created, this was a new and exciting experience for me.

This has influenced my cooking as I’ve seen the versatility of vegan foods and how creative you can get with the variety of textures, flavours and richness of vegetables, without the need for animal-based products.

Sam's Clubhouse at the 18th Hole.

Executive Chef at The Belfry Robert Bates.

Being dynamic and up to date is key in the hospitality industry. You need the ability to keep up with new food trends to give your venue that competitive edge.

BEST EXPERIENCE

One of the best briefs I have had was the Help for Heroes event in London. We had to prepare a seven-course menu for almost 600 people, pre-pandemic of course, and each dish, from canapés to the main course and petit fours, was created by a different chef from around the country. At the time I was working for Albert Roux and we created the fish course for this event, which was Mousseline de Homard au Champagne et Caviar – a Roux favourite. It was such a great event supporting our service men and women, and from a personal experience it was fantastic to mix with so many talented and influential chefs.

AT HOME

I love a Sunday roast. After a busy week at The Belfry it’s nice to go back to basics – simple but very tasty. If I have plenty of Yorkshire puddings and roast tatties then I’m a happy man (even better when the mother-in-law cooks, I get a day off!)

THE PANDEMIC

The Belfry has remained open for key workers and essential business travel however, as we haven’t been catering to the usual demand during these periods, we have offered limited menus to reduce food waste.

Most of our produce is sourced locally so we haven’t had too many issues with supplier shortages and international deliveries however, at the end of the day we are chefs and if we aren’t able to get the ingredients we need, then we are able to come up an alternative.

Throughout the pandemic room service has been very busy as many guests enjoy dining in the safety of their own room. We also saw a huge demand for outdoor dining at Sam’s Club House, especially in the summer months with people appreciating the chance to spend time outdoors overlooking our three golf courses.

In the kitchen, we have put various measures in place to mitigate the risk for our teams and guests. We had to consider a variety of areas from how it would work from guests ordering to receiving their plate to ensure there is reduced contact and we’ve had to update our delivery policy to limit contact between supplier and kitchen staff to minimise the number of people coming into the building. We have distancing measures and one-way systems in place in the kitchen and everyone is provided with full PPE and access to COVID stations, so their temperatures can be regularly checked. This has been a challenge because we are used to working so closely together and wearing a face covering can make it hard to hear each other across the kitchen.

MOVING FORWARD

My main focus is to continue to look after my team to ensure everyone’s morale is up

and to keep a positive outlook so that we achieve the best results for our guests. We need to continue to build the trust of our staff and our guests so that everyone feels safe with us and recognises that our cleaning programmes go above and beyond government guidelines. To prove it, we’ve been awarded AIM secure accreditation, the UK’s only recognised quality standard for the meeting industry, and the ‘We’re Good to Go’ industry standard which recognises that they have followed government and industry COVID-19 guidelines.

I will also continue to rebuild our knowledge and refresh training in the kitchen to ensure there is no loss of skill set, especially as we have not been operating at full capacity due to COVID-19 restrictions. It is going to be a challenging few months for everyone but we are feeling positive now vaccinations have begun. We can’t wait to reopen our doors and welcome our guests back.

Sam's Lounge.

The Brabazon Bar.

The Ryder Grill.

Sam's Fire Pit & Terrace.

A Long Road Ahead

The social and economic trauma of the last 12 months has left no business unaffected. Clearly, the event and hospitality industries have suffered some of the worst damage, and we have together with our sister associations been working ceaselessly to provide support and information to our members, to instigate collaborative efforts to plan a return to live events, and to demand targeted economic help from the government.

With the sudden shift to online meeting and working, we noticed a silver lining to the pandemic: a massive increase in membership engagement. Our working groups adapted quickly to videoconferencing, and participation shot up as a result. Our members were talking with us, and perhaps more importantly, with each other more than at any time in our history. The frequency of working group meetings grew, and since March the AEV has convened more than 115 internal and cross-association working group meetings. Our members have been assisting the effort against the virus too, providing important resources for logistics, space for the Nightingale Hospitals, and latterly giving exhibition floors over to mass vaccination centres.

In addition to the huge increase in working group activity, we've provided online resources for home workers, welcomed three new members to the association, and released an important update to our e-Guide. Since the beginning of the pandemic, we've been lobbying the government for financial assistance and developing partnerships to create COVID-safe events. It's been a slow process, and we are making progress. But perhaps the biggest advantage of this, for the future, is that we now have a much better understanding of, and communication with, the government and the DCMS in particular.

We're all excited at the speed of the vaccinations in the UK, and we are looking forward to a gradual and geographical relaxation of restrictions by September this year. But there's a huge amount of work that needs to be done between now and then, rebuilding the confidence in the industry, and waking up the desire to return to face-to-face events again.

The pulse of the event industry is getting stronger and faster, and there are good reasons for optimism, but we do need to acknowledge that there is a lot of damage

that needs repair too. The industry has lost a great deal of talent through unavoidable redundancies, and there has been a huge effect on mental health from isolation and changing working conditions.

Bringing people back into the office needs to be a sympathetic and understanding process, something the industry's HR working group has made clear. The challenges faced by the event industry have a more positive complexion than this time six months ago, and we're determined to rebuild better, stronger and brighter than before.

Britain needs to get back to business soon, and the event industry is going to be an important catalyst of that process. Our members know it, and our allies in the organiser and supplier communities know it, and now, more than ever, the government understands it too.

For information on further support, visit Aev.org.uk.

Win a Ewe-nique Team Building Experience Worth £1,000!

You herd it here first, Yorkshire Teambuilding is giving away a pair of socially distanced team building packages like no other. H&E North finds out more about how chasing sheep is uniting teams across the UK.

Here on Amy Gault’s family farm in the hills of Hebden Bridge, there’s no Wi-Fi and not much in the way of phone signal, but teams have long been coming to drink in the spectacular views of the Upper Calder Valley while taking on their next big challenge.

The more sensible elements of the business, such as the first aid and health and safety training, run out of the classroom, but their wackier teambuilding options – namely sheep herding and ‘chickolympics’ – run in the lush open fields on the fully-working farm.

“Hebden Bridge is famous for all sorts of reasons,” says Amy. “Not only have we been dubbed the lesbian capital of the UK but voted the fourth funkiest town in the world! An influx of hippies really put us on the map in the 70s – and that might be an inspiration for our slightly alternative way of thinking!”

Equipped with a degree in Outdoor and Environmental Education, Amy has been delivering corporate team building events for the past 20 years. But five years ago, it was an experience in the paddocks that gave her the baa-rilliant idea to bring corporate events into the farmyard: “I remember watching the farmhands making hilariously hard work of herding the sheep into their pen. I told them, if they could just communicate and organise themselves properly, there must be an easier way! The thought struck me that this would make a perfect opportunity for teams to look at the way they interact and synergise.”

Within a year, Amy was running trial events, ushering family and friends into the sheep fields and watching the magic unfold: “It was an interesting learning process and we had lots of positive feedback from younger

members, and on the other end of the spectrum my dad was going: ‘well, that was bloody ridiculous – this will never take off!’ But within a year, we established the event as a bespoke corporate package which teams from across the UK have been benefitting from ever since. We have nothing but space, so social distancing is not a problem. We were successfully able to run when restrictions allowed last year, so are taking bookings with confidence again this summer.”

While the concept of running around after a flock of sheep in the name of team building sounds inherently ridiculous; with the right facilitation, Amy believes it can be a valuable learning exercise: “Inevitably every time a group comes in, their first attempt is a shambles! As I pull them back in to reflect, we start to look at things we might do to improve next time. The session gives a surprisingly accurate overview of the team dynamic and there are so many metaphors you can draw across to the workplace to facilitate shared goals.”

While it’s important for teams to have a laugh, especially during such trying times, Amy proves there is no reason teams can’t use fun experiences to develop a roadmap for the future of their workplace: “At the end of each session, we ask participants to pull out a key learning point from the day and write it on a little piece of fabric which gets sewn up into a string of bunting they can hang in their office. It’s a lovely way to bring that learning back into the workplace after the initial excitement has worn off.”

With experience in reaching challenging young adults, Amy is particularly aware of how to gently challenge individuals,

Competition

Yorkshire Teambuilding is offering one lucky winner a half-day for up to 20 team members at the farm including tea, cake and sheepherding worth £1,000! The runnerup will receive a fun one-hour Zoom team building session for 20 – sheep not included. To be in with a chance to win, head to our website and answer the following question…

What do you do to keep your team happy?

Enter online at Hospitalityandeventsnorth. com/competition. Entries must include your personal and company name, address, daytime telephone number and email address. Winners will be randomly selected on the closing date: 6th April 2021.

Terms and conditions apply: Winners must respond within 14 days of email notification to claim. Attendees must be over 18 and travel at own cost. No cash alternative

ensuring more reticent team members are able to participate in a psychologically safe learning environment: “It's my belief that the wallflower has the best ideas but is often overlooked because they're not putting themselves forward. I always want to draw people out to bring out the best in a team."

Yorkshire Teambuilding offers three packages for up to 20 participants, which can double on full days which include rotational events: “The Bronze package is a great taste of what we offer, comprising a half day of activities with tea and cake. Silver is a full day of sessions with a locally sourced meal, usually a Yorkshire burrito (that’s a roast dinner wrapped in a Yorkshire pudding, for those who haven’t been fortunate enough to try one!). While the bespoke Gold package, with more activities and deeper facilitated reflection, centres around developing team cohesion and getting into the grit of some of the issues businesses are facing. Sometimes I’ll uncover particularly sensitive issues I may not have the correct expertise to deal with, so I'll refer them on to a coach or a specialist counsellor who can help.”

The Silver and Gold packages are capped off in the best way Amy knows how: a tutored tasting session with the finest local ales or gins: “We make sure to leave the drinks until the end of the day – I don’t think we’re insured to let you loose with the sheep after a tipple!”

Yorkshire-teambuilding.co.uk

and non-transferable. Prize days must be completed before 6th May 2021. Dates and times subject to availability. Maximum one entry per organisation. When entering the competition online, you have the option to not be entered into H&E North Magazine and Yorkshire Teambuilding’s databases to be contacted about news, promotions and special offers. The organisation’s name may be used in future print and marketing campaigns. Publisher’s decision is final.

Spring into Action

Justin Everley, Commercial

Director at Adventure Parc

Snowdonia gives readers reasons to be cheerful, as we prepare to emerge from the long winter with an appetite for outdoor adventure.

Adventure Parc Snowdonia is a hub of awardwinning indoor and outdoor adventures in North Wales, including world-first inland surfing. The parc will launch the stunning new Hilton Garden Inn Snowdonia and Wave Garden Spa in spring 2021, facilities will include flexible indoor and outdoor event spaces for up to 300+ delegates, and a destination restaurant which will showcase the region’s best food and drink.

Ready for a new adventure

The whole world has been in pandemic mode for just about a year now, and while the last 12 months have been exceptionally hard going, there are plenty of reasons to be cautiously hopeful that we are finally on the road to recovery.

The UK’s vaccination programme is going well, and most public health experts agree that we are now past the peak of infections. The spread of coronavirus is starting to slow, and the possibility of a return to ‘normality’ seems tantalisingly close.

Despite what has been the most dismal year on record, we are confident that we, along with the rest of the hospitality and events industry, will emerge from this crisis with renewed energy and creativity. There’s plenty to look forward to in 2021 and beyond; here’s how we see things shaping up.

The desire to get together again will be strong, but venues will need to adapt

For most of us, this year has brought home the importance of human connection and spending time with real-life human beings, with all their quirks and flaws.

Never has the appeal of office banter been so strong. And yes, while Teams and Zoom have been extremely useful tools, they just can’t compete with a conversation IRL. Nobody will miss the tyranny of the online video conference.

The desire to get together again will be strong, but our industry, quite clearly, will have to adapt. Collaboration to ensure uniform standards around capacity limits and hygiene protocols and will be key. Our events team is working in close partnership with colleagues across our sector – Visit Wales, North Wales Tourism, and public health bodies – to develop a deliverable and scalable blueprint for the way forward.

Getting together is good for us, but we will all need a bit of reassurance

Human beings are sociable animals – we are wired for connection and cooperation to survive. Our social nature means that gathering with our peers, colleagues, and friends to exchange conversation and ideas is good for our mental and physical wellbeing.

Few people would argue with the value of face-to-face live events over virtual conferencing. But comprehensive safety measures will be key. While handwashing, sanitiser, facemasks, and social distancing have become the norm, our sector will need to consider additional safety measures like touch-free registration, one-way systems, rapid testing and additional ventilation systems.

Consumer marks like the ‘We’re Good to Go’ industry standard go a long way to help reassure guests. At the Adventure Parc Snowdonia, Wave Garden Spa and Hilton Garden Inn Snowdonia, we are pioneering additional hygiene measures beyond our industry-leading cleaning standards, via our

Clean Stay and Hilton Event Ready schemes.

While we have every reason to be hopeful that we are past the worst, there may continue to be bumps in the road ahead. Consumers are understandably looking for extra reassurance, and venues need to build in added flexibility with their refund and reimbursement policies.

The trend towards wellness is here to stay

Perhaps one of the positives of our collective COVID-19 experience is that it has made us more mindful of our own health and wellbeing. Rather than something to be taken for granted, we are undoubtedly more conscious of the fact that it is something to be valued and protected.

The extension of that shift in attitude is the experience-focused wellness trend in the world of events. Companies and individuals are increasingly seeking out experiences, incentives and events that will nourish, nurture and support.

From this point forward, the best business events will be about more than ‘seminar to bar’. As we emerge from the longest winter of our lives, we are all looking to build new connections and experiences. Self-care, escapism, and fresh-air-adventures in nature have never looked so appealing.

Adventureparcsnowdonia.com

Hilton

We’ll Meet Again

Cameron House

The sprawling five-star hotel spa resort on the banks of Loch Lomond rises from the ashes after a fire devasted the listed main building in 2017. Parts of the resort have already reopened, but the main hotel launches in spring, while an extension featuring a 7,345 sq ft loch-facing ballroom and an addition of 68 bedrooms, bringing the total to 208, is expected to be completed in early 2022.

Cameronhouse.co.uk

ibis Edinburgh Airport

Accor has announced the signing of the new 251room ibis hotel located adjacent to Edinburgh Airport. Constructed in partnership with Create Developments and signed under a franchise agreement, the hotel is set to open in the first quarter of 2023. Featuring ibis' new ‘Plaza’ design concept, creating flexible social and working hubs, the development will include a restaurant, bar and 125 car parking spaces.

Ibis.com

100 Princes Street

The Red Carnation Hotel Collection is to open a hotel in Scotland for the first time, with plans for a sympathetic renovation of the Royal Over-Seas League building to an exclusive 30-bedroom retreat on Edinburgh’s most famous street. With an executive lounge boasting uninterrupted views of Edinburgh Castle, it aims to replicate the boutique atmosphere of sister site 41, (TripAdvisor’s London hotel of the decade), upon its September 2021 opening.

Redcarnationhotels.com

The Gleneagles Townhouse

Gleneagles is coming to Edinburgh in autumn 2021. The iconic sporting and country estate is launching its first ever city outpost in the World Heritage Site of St Andrew Square. Located in former Bank of Scotland headquarters, the 33-bedroom hotel will feature an all-day restaurant, two bars and a rooftop terrace.

Gleneagles.com

The Harper

Having postponed its opening until spring 2021, the 32-bedroom independent will offer laid-back luxury in a former glass blowing factory in the village of Langham, a mile in-land from the North Norfolk coast. The industrial boutique hideaway boasts indoor and outdoor dining options, a wellness spa and events venue for 60 equipped with a 120-inch screen.

Theharper.co.uk

Premier Inn

Premier Inn has listed seven locations in Wales it hopes to expand its 800+ hotel portfolio into. Among its target sites are tourism hotspots including Betwsy-Coed in Conwy and The Mumbles near Swansea. In the north, the brand has Broughton in its sights, in mid Wales it hopes to come to Newtown and in the south and west, Carmarthen, Milford Haven and Newport are all on the radar. Derek Griffin, Head of Acquisitions at Premier Inn owner Whitbread, comments: "COVID-19 has impacted the hospitality industry in the short-term. But our long-term strategy remains to grow, to be ambitious about securing the best sites in strategic locations we know there will be demand for our bedrooms."

Premierinn.com

The Harper

100 Princes Street

The Harper

The Albion

Off-the-wall west Wales eco-hotelier Fforest will debut its new 23 en-suite room hotel straddling the River Teifi in Cardigan later this year. Housed in two historic warehouses, the hotel celebrating the town’s maritime heritage, is designed to connect the brand’s two campsites, one overlooking Penbryn Beach, the other a 200-acre farm bordering a nature reserve, described as “a hip hybrid of Welsh farm and Japanese forest retreat.”

Coldatnight.co.uk

Virgin Hotels

Virgin Hotels has outlined plans for five global hotel openings by 2023, including the brand’s first UK property in Edinburgh. Completed in partnership with owner Flemyn and asset managed by Siggis Capital, the space will feature 222 bedrooms and multiple dining and drinking outlets, including the brand’s flagship space, Commons Club. Set to “re-envision” the India Buildings in Edinburgh’s Old Town with a new southern extension, the new lifestyle hotel is earmarked to open in 2022. With four hotels currently under its belt since its first acquisition in 2015, the group is exploring new opportunities internationally, including Philadelphia, Glasgow, Cannes and Ibiza.

Virginhotels.com

Qbic Manchester

Modular budget hotel concept Qbic is opening its Manchester site and second UK hotel next year, having launched in London eight years ago. Due to open on Deansgate in April 2021, the former office block conversion comprises 261 pet-friendly bedrooms, workspaces, a Trib3 boutique fitness studio, and a 180-cover restaurant and lounge with private hire rooms. Developed in Amsterdam, the group’s eco-focused concept centres around prefabricated bedrooms made primarily from recycled materials.

Qbichotels.com

The Queens Hotel

The QHotels Group has announced a £16 million investment in The Queens Hotel, Leeds. Although the 80 year-old hotel reopened for business in March following the outbreak, the full refurbishment will be unveiled in summer 2021. The plans include a renovation of all bedrooms, as well as an addition of 16, bringing the total to 232. Playing to the “new way people are now using city-centre hotel spaces” the plans will create a social hub with a multitude of communal areas, a wine bar, outdoor terrace and central restaurant. Richard Moore, Group Chief Executive of The QHotels Group, which boasts a 21-strong hotel portfolio, says: “We’re very fortunate to have supportive shareholders who, despite the current economic conditions, remain passionate and continue to share our vision for the hotel.”

Thequeensleeds.co.uk

Qbic Manchester

Qbic Manchester

The Albion

The Albion

The Queens Hotel

Queens Hotel

Ahead of the Curve

Futureproof your next event with the latest tech trends set to revolutionise the industry.

Facial Recognition

Facial recognition is something most of the public are already familiar with, thanks to its use as a login method for smartphones.

Facial recognition is an amazingly powerful tool that will streamline all future events by speeding up checkin, improving security, and help businesses collect valuable leads by tracking attendee visits to booths or collect session attendance data.

Kairos.com

Projection Mapping

After a saturation of digital overload during the coronavirus pandemic, when it comes to all things digital, people expect bigger and better. So, why not give projection mapping a go?

Projection mapping is an augmented reality technology. It can transform any space by creating optical illusions on any object, from stages to cars. So, no matter how unimpressive your venue or how bland the decorations, with the help of projection mapping there are no limits to what you can achieve.

Visution.com

Multi-Use Apps

Do you remember the days of carrying around bulky conference maps, scrunching up speaker bios to fit in your pocket during your trip to the loo, or fighting to make sense of complicated printed schedules?

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Well, no more! Multi-use event apps keep everything all in one place – right on your phone. It’s convenience at its best.

The multi-use event app reduces the need to print thousands of flyers that will inevitably end up in the bin. What’s more, it also keeps people engaged and attendance higher than ever with push notifications to help keep everyone informed and on schedule. If you haven’t given multi-use event apps a try, you really should.

Whova.com

3D Diagrams

Event planning is made easy with 3D diagrams. If you are an event planner, you know how important it is to create detailed layouts of floors plans, seating, lighting positions, cabling/trip hazards, and foot traffic. There is so much that needs to be considered!

With the help of 3D diagramming technology, event planning is easier than ever before, providing you with accurate and visual representations of a venue’s size and design so that you can create your best event yet!

Solarwinds.com

Wearable Event Technology

Event technology isn’t just intuitive, it can also be fashionable! Wearable items like smart badges, wristbands and chips allow attendees to access different areas of the event, exchange information easily, receive paperless marketing material, and make cashless purchases!

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Wearable technology also helps to speed up the check-in process, manage foot traffic in busy areas, and monitor attendee behaviour without the need for more staffing.

Klik.co

Curve

Podcasting a Wider Net

Just like how TV services like Netflix, Disney+ and Hulu remember what we have watched and use this data to make relevant suggestions, artificial intelligence technology works in the same way. AI can be used at events to hold information from badge scans, attendees social media profiles, and other data to help match attendees with the people they should meet or seminars they should attend. And AI does all this in real-time!

According to the research firm Markets and Markets, the AI market will grow to a $190 billion industry by 2025. Supercharge your event this year and impress everyone taking part.

Aventri.com

Live Translation

If you are going to extend your events into different languages, you may benefit from live translation technology. Software like Interactio provides users with live translations directly to their smartphones or online platforms. The more attendees that can participate in your event, the wider your reach and influence!

Itransalate.com 6. 7.

Jonny Ross, Founder of Fleek Marketing hosts his own podcast to inspire, educate and help organisations grow through good marketing. Here, he shares his tips to help event professionals make their voices heard.

Have you or your events business considered doing a podcast? Podcast audiences are typically well educated, affluent, and great influencers –so why wouldn’t you?

I've been generating online content for over 12 years now, typically in the form of blogging. It's only recently I decided to take the step into the world of podcasting. Like most things, I'm sorry I didn't do it sooner! With 25 episodes under my belt, I would highly recommend it.

Podcasting gives you a unique way of engaging with your audience as a friendly voice directly in their ear, working with most products or services whether B2B or B2C. So how do you create trust and likeability? Well, one of the ways of doing this is by showing personality. The more they get to know you, the more chance they start liking you.

The biggest thing that put me off podcasting was the time I believed it would take to set up, edit and put together, but there are now so many online tools to make your life easier. The key thing to consider is content: what are you going to talk about and who are you going to interview? Once you have this plan, which should be based very much around your audience’s interests and pain points, you need to take the next step and go for it.

My advice is focus on audio first. Get comfortable talking to a virtual audience. Once you feel a bit more comfortable behind the mic, it is then about stepping up the quality of the audio. The next stage would be to consider doing your podcast for live video. Some of these elements give you much more content to repurpose and really showcase your podcast.

If you're looking for help in getting a podcast going, please do reach out!

To hear Jonny’s podcast, simply search ‘The Jonny Ross Audio Experience’ on your favourite audio platform and to get in touch, visit Fleek.marketing.

Virtual Vision

H&E North asks to what extent the events industry has embraced AV expertise to deliver cost-effective virtual solutions with production values to impress.

After COVID kicked occupancy rates off a cliff, INNSiDE Manchester was among the first hotels to lead the transformation of disused event spaces into production studios. The Meliá hotel partnered with AV supplier Sterling Event Group to install a stage floor ringed with multiple cameras and a professional audio and lighting system, backed by a HD laser projection screen alongside two 65-inch LCDs for branded content, all controlled by a live stream production suite.

“We used to host live conferences with 300 delegates in the space,” says Scott Brown, INNSiDE’s Cluster Director of Sales in the north.

“We can now host that as a virtual event with just 30 people on-site, but another 300 attendees dialling in remotely.

“It wouldn't be practical for us to house tens of thousands of pounds of kit on an ongoing basis. But because of the size of the space, and the fact we don’t foresee hosting largescale events for the next six months, it works for us right now while AV suppliers are sat with unused kit in their warehouses. Meliá already offers a hybrid solution, but the difference with INNSiDE Live is it alleviates a lot of the setup and breakdown expenses, making it a really cost-effective solution for clients.”

A year into the pandemic and organisers are increasingly conscious of broadcast quality. Performing Artistes is one of the many

EXPERT PRODUCT PICK

Weeks before the pandemic broke out, Sterling invested in a new LCD to enhance its live work: the Absen Polaris 2.5 Pro. A high-resolution modular screen, it can be configured to curve and the pixel pitch (the density of pixels) means the image looks particularly crisp on camera.

“It’s proved the backbone of our virtual shows,” Richard claims. “Little did we know when we purchased it, that the only way audiences would be seeing this screen for the foreseeable would be via camera.”

agencies racing to invest in professional studio equipment in response to the mounting dissatisfaction of virtual attendees, fed up with low quality webcam footage:

“It’s about creating the right impression for your audience,” says Director JJ Jackson.

“Having your keynote slumped behind your webcam – with at best a bookshelf and at worst your washing drying in the background – is no longer good enough, especially if clients are paying thousands of pounds. Events agencies have to invest in a decent webcam, lighting and backdrops at the very least, and ideally a multi-camera setup with a little mixer so you can slickly switch between them. We’ve invested in professional lighting and highdefinition cameras in our office – it’s a great halfway house between expensive studio rental and having speakers present at home.”

However, Richard Bowden, MD of Sterling Event Group, argues it's not necessarily the equipment that counts, but the expertise behind it: “There's a place for in-house studio setups, using venue furniture in a nice location with very simple production. But in the live events market, conferences attended by hundreds of delegates would always see the expertise of a professional AV company –and it shouldn’t be any different with virtual events.

“It’s not just about investing in a broadcastquality cameras; there are hundreds of pieces of kit behind the scenes that all work together to deliver a virtual event. Having that equipment infrastructure in a safe, suitable place and a core team who know how to use it allows you to deliver events that look more like a television production and less like a Zoom call.”

The first screen the AV supplier installed when building its Manchester studio proved flexibility is key: “It's important to us that we don’t offer the same setup for every event and the modular aspect of the product helps us quickly change the look and feel of our sets.”

When clients are scrutinising the environmental impacts of events, modular LCD backgrounds offer the perfect alternative to throwaway props: “It gives us a fully branded backdrop that can change for each session in a way that was previously achieved by printing onto backgrounds which would simply be discarded following the event.”

Kevan Holland, Co-founder of Trident Hospitality Consultancy believes one of the biggest challenges in proper AV investment for virtual events is a lack of knowledge across the industry: “Some of the AV companies who are putting the platforms together are coming across with so much jargon that it's hard to sell their product onto clients. Our members who work with AV companies to offer hybrid events solutions report their clients are reluctant to pay thousands of pounds to connect 100 people via a platform, when Zoom is virtually free – they don't actually understand the logistics of how virtual works. It's fine if you're a big association, but for the average small to medium size company, it's hard to swallow some of the costs.”

Trident member Vicky Webb, Venue and Events Manager at Millennium Point, says it has been a priority to ensure her events team are trained to understand the technical aspects of virtual events: “It’s our job to match people with the right solution. I'll be the first to admit, I'm not a techie – that's why I have an AV technician on hand. Clients often don't understand what they want and it's up to us to have the knowledge as a sales team to direct them towards what they need and help them understand the cost implications.”

“Not every client is going to have the budget associated with a primetime TV show,” accepts Richard. “How we think about screen content is different for virtual events. AV teams can remotely manage events and achieve some of those production values digitally, combining webcam feeds with professional graphics and pre-recorded content.”

As to exactly what's possibly right now, Richard is witnessing change on a weekly basis as the pandemic pushes virtual event AV to its limits: “The whole industry is developing so rapidly right now, seeking the advice of a professional production company which can share the pros and cons of using different platforms has never been more valuable. If your platform isn’t right or the interaction doesn't work in the way that you were hoping, it could mean the difference between a successful event and a PR disaster.”

Hi Adam, tell us how the exhibition’s latest format transpired, and how it was received.

Early on in March, we had to make the decision to translate our fully face-to-face exhibition to a hybrid model. We essentially planned two events, the physical and virtual, which we were due to stitch together. But November’s lockdown restrictions meant we had to go fully virtual.

Upon reflection, I'm glad that we had the opportunity to focus purely on an online event, as to do them both simultaneously over the five days would have been a mammoth task. As we move forward, I think we'll see a much more condensed versions of events, as organisers take the strain of hosting virtual and physical elements at the same time.

The event was a success beyond our wildest dreams. I think one of the things that was always good about the expo, is the subject matter is applicable to anybody supplying or producing events anywhere around the world. Physically taking place in London made it predominately a Eurocentric event and in previous years, we've attracted 47 different countries to the event. This year, we doubled that. We had 2,500 unique visitors,

Tech Savvy

Event Tech Live Founder Adam Parry discusses the wins and challenges his expo faced as the pandemic forced its first virtual outing.

returning up to 6,000 times between them, which was fantastic.

The actual time attendees spent watching and engaging with content was way more than we could have actually anticipated from a physical event. In some cases, doing it virtually allowed more people to participate in a session than would have been able to at the event. Our biggest stage allowed for 150 participants seated, but online, our largest session welcomed in excess of 400. Plus, some of the most popular sessions were from speakers in different parts of the world that we only managed to bring on board due to the reduced constraints around travel.

I’m sure there were challenges along the way...

It was a completely new way of working. Virtual events are a different beast, so there was a slight change in roles between the team and a need to quickly upskill. One of the biggest challenges was deciding what to try and what not to try – for example, what formats and session length times might work.

Another was communication with the audience. Even though it's an event industry event, many had yet to engage with a virtual offering at that time, so it was a first for many when it came to navigating

the platform, requesting meetings and engaging with exhibitors. Probably the biggest challenge was clearly and concisely providing our attendees with that information, without swamping them with emails, and similarly keeping exhibitors and sponsors up to date with our plans as new information from the local authority, the venue, our health and safety team, and industry associations came out.

What advice do you have for organisers, and how do you see the future shaping up?

Don't just take your exhibition and put it online for the same amount of time. Try different formats. Do it more than once in a cycle and build it out as a campaign for your exhibitors and sponsors. Use the same technology and platform, but rather than try and do one big event, split it up into smaller bite sized chunks – perhaps do something quarterly, dividing each event into four themes.

From the exhibitor perspective, they still get access to the to the entire event, plus it expands the lifespan, allows you more time to get people into it, and helps you split the load into something much more manageable. From that first event, you can then refine the process for the next, and so on, providing a better experience for everybody all-round.

I think one of the benefits we’ve seen with virtual events is increased accessibility – with content delivered online, there's less of a barrier to entry. Our revenue model had good profit margins too. As long as you manage the cost of marketing, technology and staffing, I can see a lot of pure play event organisers using digital as a way to increase revenue streams within their business. It's a nice way to carve out a smaller niche in your target community and deliver them even more value.

Lots of people want to geo-clone their ideas, taking what works in one region and transposing it to another, because they know there is an audience there. But that can be quite risky and labour intensive, so I think virtual could be a really good way to test the waters in new regions with your event format and brand.

Eventtechlive.com

Event Tech Live founder Adam Parry speaking at the UFI European Conference

The Silent Treatment

Leading wireless audio solution provider Silent Seminars is determined to restore delegate confidence in live events through relentless innovation.

As organisers look towards welcoming delegates back to live events once it is safe to do so, it is vital they ensure every concept of the delegate experience adheres to the highest hygiene standards. Despite the COVID-19 vaccine being rolled out, attendees will have greater awareness of potential transmission and the importance of cleanliness for personal safety. When faceto-face events are up and running again (as we hope to see by the summer), event organisers will need to reassure audiences that their concerns around the risk of infection are being taken seriously.

Silent Seminars is one event supplier for whom health and safety has become the new priority: “Hygiene concerns are something many of our clients have raised,” says Director Duncan Strain. “We have become aware of the need to address the practical requirements for returning visitors during events in 2021 and beyond. Audiences will only return in significant numbers when they trust venues are safe.”

Recent research conducted by management consultancy firm McKinsey revealed that sufficient cleaning routines

are the defining factor visitors have given as to whether or not they are comfortable attending face-to-face events. In particular, its studies of consumer behaviour indicated that individuals are far more comfortable with contactless activities. This is why over recent months, Silent Seminars has worked hard to invest in a bespoke solution to help events adapt to a COVID-secure future. Its new sanitising rails have been designed to instil confidence in shared headsets, which can be disinfected between sessions and hung on rails for delegates to take as they enter the auditorium.

The research goes on to predict the rise of digital technology as a direct result of the pandemic, and reveals venues who adopt this new tech now will not only make it safer for visitors to return, but help them develop long-term trust in the brand. Duncan highlights how his business has responded to these concerns by investing in technological solutions to put hesitant delegates’ minds at rest: “We predict BYOH (Bring Your Own Headsets) will be a key feature of seminars in forthcoming events to reduce the need for attendees to come into physical contact with publicly available equipment. As a result, we have developed an app that delegates can download onto their personal mobile devices allowing them to access the audio content through their own headsets. Not only does this minimise the potential for COVID-19 transmission, but offers the benefits of better quality audio, multiple breakout spaces in the same room and reducing noise levels on the show floor so exhibitors can communicate clearly without generating excessive aerosol particles – a key factor in transmission.”

Delegates can head to both the App Store and Google Play Store to download the app which is tailor-made to each event. Every event has its own tab accessible by a password distributed by organisers, and once inside,

users can access live schedules, panellist information and sponsorship collateral which link directly to a landing page, offering potential for additional revenue. It even offers data capture, allowing you to collect and safely encrypt email addresses, names and numbers.

“As in-person events return, we will initially see visitors naturally distance from one another and feedback from our clients has highlighted the value of the app in allowing delegates to be spaced across a wider area than a traditional PA system would reach,” continues Duncan. “Using the app allows venues to offer more effective social distancing, with delegates able to access content from anywhere on the show floor, and even remotely.”

Event organisers and venues who adopt the new technology available to proactively address the health and safety concerns of audiences will undoubtedly find themselves in a strong position as the events industry is kick-started back to life. Silent Seminars is helping its clients stay ahead of the curve in investing in new technology to ensure that visitors feel comfortable returning to events where hygiene will remain a major concern long after this virus has retreated.

To find out more about how Silent Seminars can support the safety of your next live event, head to Silentseminars.com.

Game On

Katie Perez, Content & Campaign Lead at DRPG shares an insight into how the gamification of virtual events can engage and inspire Zoomfatigued audiences.

“Next slide please!” is a phrase DRPG refuses to condone. With its fifth annual DRPGBIGtalk event destined to go virtual for the first time in 2020, the creative communications group decided to go big. 2019 saw its Hartlebury studios transform into a spacecraft and launching pad, building the group’s reputation for pushing the boat out. So for Katie Perez and her team, the pressure was on when the pandemic forced their immersive brand of events online: “Our DRPGBIGtalk event is designed to share best practice and position us as thought leaders within the communications industry, so we knew it had to showcase how interactive and engaging virtual events can be.”

“Inspired by the roller coaster of a year we’ve had, our creatives came up with the idea of activating a fully immersive and interactive online experience built within a digitally gamified theme park. BIGtalk World offered attendees locked down at home the opportunity for a bit of welcome escapism and countered the death by PowerPoint webinars virtual events have become synonymous with. It was so completely different to what virtual attendees had become quite numb to – people really engaged with it.”

As a creative introduction to its world, the group sent out invitations in the form an interactive park map detailing the educational thrills and spills they would encounter. In the vein of a computer game, attendees could navigate through the open world platform to experience a variety of content formats couched in rides – from prerecorded videos to interactive tasks: “One of the big things we wanted to promote was

on-demand content – so you could ride a Ferris wheel, each pod hosting a different masterclass while you experienced the park from a bird's eye view. Or you could visit the Talk Tents to watch bite sized prerecorded sessions from industry leaders, with different sessions available each day to keep attendees coming back.”

The three-day event also offered live elements concentrated in a virtual theatre, Fusion 360, where keynote sessions were beamed in live from DRPG’s 11 studios across the UK: “We offered lots of Q&A sessions and attendees were able to interact through the portal and address our speakers live. The final day was rounded off with a carnivalesque TV-style broadcast called Step Right Up, hosted by comedy magician Pete Firman, where delegates could participate in quizzes, cook-alongs and challenges in real time to win prizes.”

While the event offered a fine dining networking experience in its Top of the World restaurant, in which attendees could schedule Teams calls, Katie concedes that replicating the face-to-face of live events is always a challenge: “You can't really compare the ‘I was there’ feeling and the quality of networking. But what the event did do was spark a lot of conversations – our sales team had so many inquiries coming in off the back of it asking us how to create something similar.”

Although live will never lose its shine, the desire for virtual elements

that are engaging and interactive is clearly not going away anytime soon: “We're of the belief as an agency that as people are seeing what they can do through virtual and the benefits in terms of the longevity, sustainability and global reach they bring, the future will be hybrid. Event planners will want to combine the two in a seamless experience, bringing live events in regional hubs under the umbrella of one large virtual experience – that's the model that's going to become quite popular to augment the traditional live offering.”

Yet if you’re creating a virtual world, but don't have the valuable content to drive it, Katie believes immersive concepts can quickly turn to gimmicks: “If you approach the event from the right angle which puts content first, then the way that you present it really just becomes background. I think the most important thing for event professionals to consider is to refrain from being distracted by technical capabilities and concentrate on building your event around the valuable content your audience wants. What are their pinch points and how can you use your expertise and that of your speakers to help them?”

For Katie, the true challenge of creating a successful hybrid event is catering to your two distinct audiences without shoehorning live content into an uninspiring virtual medium: “You need to consider how you're putting that content across, making sure it reaches both audiences in the best way possible. You can’t simply stick a camera at the back of a physical event and expect your virtual audience to be engaged. But with a little bit of ingenuity, you can make some really fun and different events, and I think we have a lot to learn from the gaming industry to make that happen.”

Value for Virtual

Exhibitions and conferences have long been considered a fantastic way for sponsors and exhibitors to meet with new and existing customers. Some would argue that conferences, exhibitions, and tradeshows give an independent legitimacy to our marketing. Especially when compared to the now common webinar, which is always seen as an out and out promotion.

Yet, for some time, there has been growing scrutiny of the ROI attributed to the investment of marketing budgets in exhibitions. The current pandemic has accelerated this scrutiny almost as quickly as it has seen the virtual conference industry grow. Exhibitors are beginning to question the effectiveness in terms of value for money and the staff time it costs.

One of the big advantages of virtual events has to some extent worked against its perceived value. Management now has hard data of how many leads were

secured compared to the anecdotal data of traditional face to face exhibitions. Fuzzy feel-good PR justifications simply don’t cut the mustard anymore.

If sales leads are the main measure of success, then it becomes harder to justify the investment compared to other forms of promotion. Sales forces are complaining that they are not talking to delegates. Why is this? Mainly because the conference delegates find it easy to ignore the exhibitors. The medium is part of the problem, seeing it on a screen is much easier to skip over than ignoring a friendly call from someone in a booth. You can’t have the biggest and shiniest booth when you are all on the same laptop screen. Virtual reality booths are great as a gimmick but hard work to look at for long – especially if the speakers are more interesting. Couple this with the reluctance of delegates to engage with salespeople who, they feel, will just pester the hell out of them if there is a sniff of a deal.

In some respects, there is a fundamental mismatch between the reasons delegates and sponsors attend a conference. Delegates are looking for answers and ideas that may turn into projects sometime in the future – suppliers are looking for deals to sign as soon as possible. Their timescales are different.

At TheVirtualConferenceCompany.com we know these problems can be resolved. It just needs exhibitors and those promoting the event to take a different approach. The first change is to stop thinking of a conference or exhibition as a marketing-led point solution to a sales force problem. New sales leads are important, but they are only part of the measures we should be looking at. Think instead of the event as part of a longer, more rounded campaign or even build the campaign around the event.

It is no longer enough to pay for the space, decorate the stand and hope people will stop and talk. Exhibitors need to engage with signed up and prospective delegates long before the event, as well as during and long after. Little, timely and value are the key words. Imagine if you use a conference as the reason for a string of delegates to hold pre-booked 10-minute one-to-one slots with the most expensive consultant in your team who is already going to be speaking at the conference.

That will lead to new enquiries and a long tail of business over the next three to nine months.

To discuss your online conference and exhibition requirements, visit TheVirtualConferenceCompany.com.

Leading Light

The Projection Studio has been producing stunning large-format projections for venues for almost 30 years, having proudly served as creative and design partners for iconic international events including FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games. Providing everything from consultancy through to artwork and audio creation, projection artists and designers Ross Ashton and Karen Monid work with organisers to create visual spectaculars for live and virtual audiences.

One of the team’s favourite projects, which helped them top the AV category at the Event Tech Awards 2019, was an immersive sound and light installation in the prestigious York Minister cathedral: “It began as a fundraiser for the renovation of their stainedglass windows, but we suggested they keep the installation open over the weekend to raise more money. Dinner guests had posted it on social media, so by the next day, visitors were queuing around the block. We returned for more sold out shows in 2019 to over 22,000 people, and we're hoping to be back in York in the near future."

Discover how 3D mapping and projection specialist The Projection Studio helps audiences see venues in a whole new light.

The pair’s passion for research means they always find something about a space to inspire them to create installations with a message, that audiences love: “We want to connect people to the heritage of a venue, whether it’s the work that goes on there or a significant historical event. A building like York Minister has stood there for over 1,000 years and every local resident has a relationship with it, and may walk by every day. Our shows are a celebration of architecture to help them see iconic spaces with a new perspective.”

Responding to Panasonic’s claim that ‘3D projection mapping is fireworks for the 21st century’ Ross, awarded AV Professional of the Year at the AV Awards 2019, believes it’s not the technology, it’s what you do with it that counts: “It’s a spectacular thing to cover entire buildings in imagery, but projection is purely the medium. The audience won’t simply be impressed by the tech, they really care about the effect –that’s why for us, content is key.”

A one-stop-shop for live projection installations, Ross and Karen can design and activate all elements of a show: “From visuals to scripts to soundtracks, we offer a comprehensive solution. It's something we've always done, but we’ve discovered we’re pretty unique in that respect.”

Inspired by France’s son et lumière, where chateaus transform into night-time tourist attractions for seasonal light shows, Ross is actively looking for British venues to collaborate with on similar semi-permanent installations: “As a venue, you can attract an entirely different set of visitors in the evening – it’s a perfect source of extra revenue. The French have been doing this for decades, and I'm looking to bringing the concept here.”

If you represent a venue that would like to collaborate with Ross, visit

An Industry at Breaking Point

The latest research conducted by the Meetings Industry Association (mia) revealed the harrowing impact of COVID-19 on the sector. As the association continues to lobby government for crucial support, its Chief Executive, Jane Longhurst, dissects the findings.

Throughout the course of the pandemic we have closely monitored the business meetings and events sector to provide valuable insight and business intelligence to government and support its work in providing policies and packages that can help sector recovery.

Presenting our latest research report to the All Party Parliamentary Group for Events and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport in January, our most recent research provides bleak but essential reading, suggesting that business meetings and events organisations that haven’t already catastrophically fallen will only be viable for another seven and a half months under the current state of affairs.

For many readers this won’t come as surprising news. With the pandemic creating severe business interruption and removing revenue streams it is obvious that the viability of organisations will be irrevocably challenged. As we approach the 12-month anniversary of the pandemic impacting the UK, businesses will be in desperate need of very targeted support to help them reach

a point where they can reopen and, at minimum, trade at a break-even point.

The majority (87%) of organisations responding to our research have indicated that they are making use of the Job Retention Scheme, while simultaneously propping up their businesses with CIBILS and claiming business rate relief. However, this for many is a drop in the ocean in terms of their fixed costs and lost revenue - lost revenue alone averages at just over £2.5 million across the sector.

So, faced with this they are still forced to make tough decisions, one of the most painful of which is having to make many redundant and this has happened across the whole sector. To put this in context, those responding to our survey have made an average of 38% of employees redundant across their organisation.

While government has supported the continuity of these organisations, they are still facing a cliff edge when CBILS loan repayments start (for many in May 2021) and furlough ends. And, with no end in sight to the

restrictions their chances of survival continue to be in the balance.

Consider the fact that business events are not a switch-off switch-on business, meaning even after the sector is given the go-ahead for a full reopening, it will take many, many months to rebuild business and reach breakeven point.

The mia will continue to make the sector’s voice heard and fight for a tailored recovery package, including a sector-specific extension of furlough until the end of Q3, an extension to business rates holiday, CBILS and Bounce Back schemes as well as a clear path to reopening to enable our sector to play its critical role in the UK's economic recovery plan.

For updates and the latest developments, follow @MIAuk on Twitter.

• Film and edit 3 months’ worth of ready to post content

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If You Build it, They Will Come

Temporary structures will prove vital to a summer of safe events once restrictions are lifted. H&E North speaks to the experts to find out how venues and planners can embrace the great outdoors…

Event organisers are all too familiar with having to move events outside, having been faced with ever-changing COVID restrictions in 2020. The great outdoors saved many events, and it could be another saving grace for the industry this year. With the flexibility offered by temporary structures, organisers could be choosing from a plethora of spaces alongside the traditional indoor venues — a welcome option if restrictions are lifted slower than expected.

Tom Critchley, MD of pop-up accommodation specialists Caboose & Co believes moving events outdoors will have a direct impact on the confidence of bookers and attendees: “People are craving live events, so the demand will be massive. The worry is changing regulations might force an indoor event to be cancelled at the last minute. No event planner wants to fork out significant funds to confirm an event without knowing they will be able to proceed, and many will be worried they won’t shift tickets."

Like many event suppliers, Tom has had plenty of experience over the past year of moving events into an outdoor setting to circumnavigate the limitations imposed on indoor venues: “In four days, we installed a 60-bedroom COVID-secure bubble for a production company making a Channel 4 series in the foothills of the Brecon Beacons. They needed the entire crew onsite for 10 weeks so moved the whole production accommodation block outside into the field next to where they were filming. It was still very tricky

to control but allowed something to be made that otherwise would have been postponed.”

With another summer of staycations on the cards, hospitality venues may well look towards leveraging temporary structures as a COVIDsecure form of outdoor accommodation: “Adding ‘rooms’ to a hotel can create new temporary avenues of revenue during these difficult times,” maintains Tom. “They could even become a permanent addition to a business if they are done right, giving venues more diversity to ride out any future bumps in the road if restrictions tighten once more.”

Luigi Pannozzo, Managing Director at event specialist Gazeboshop suggests consumer confidence will be highest in settings where they believe social distancing measures can be maintained: “In previous lockdowns, if visitors wanted to mix with people from outside their household, they had to sit outside. Therefore, many venues that had outdoor structures in place held a huge advantage over those that didn’t – in particular, outdoor shelters that provided heating for guests on days when the cold and the rain was in full force. An event where guests feel confident can ultimately result in a much more relaxed atmosphere, contributing to its overall success.”

Caboose & Co produced its Maverick glamping pod complete with roof terrace in response to the need for socially distanced bubbles.

Luigi offers advice to those organisers looking to make use of temporary structures to create a safe, comfortable outdoor event to impress: “Choosing a customisable marquee or gazebo that shows off your brand to passers-by gives you an opportunity to fly your corporate colours and logo to keep the event on-brand. While making use of lighting and heaters creates a welcoming ambience, illuminating your space in a way that helps you stand out from the crowd and entice visitors.”

For entertainment events, such as gala dinners or award ceremonies, Tom suggests event professionals could easily recreate the cabaret lounge externally on a grand scale: “Everyone has their own area with a good view of the stage, food and drink is brought to you by friendly and engaging staff (with fun, inventive PPE), and most importantly creating a comfortable atmosphere where guests enjoy being in the bubble as much as the entertainment on offer.”

With local suppliers chomping at the bit to provide creative and flexible ideas to get events moving, there are no shortage of great outdoor solutions on the market.

•

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Framed marquees up to 15m span Full service available: marquees, interior, lighting, furniture, generators, toilets Private & corporate events

With vaccines and rapid testing expected to start having a real impact from the early summer, we are hoping to see a return to outdoor events in 2021, which is important both for the contribution they make to the UK economy and for the business they generate locally.

While some outdoor events are already allowed to take place, the three key factors that are holding many back are the difficulties of getting COVID insurance; the viability of running some types of event (such as festivals) with social distancing; and the reluctance of some local authorities to give them permission due to worries about spreading the virus, despite evidence to the contrary.

The Great Outdoors

Jim Winship, Secretary of The Events Industry Forum explores the unsung economic impact of outdoor events and the steps that must be taken to get them insured and organised for summer 2021.

Because of the fragmented nature of outdoor events, there has been little understanding of the important role they play in our society, both economically and socially, until recently when the Events Industry Forum was set up to draw the industry together.

In 2019, the forum funded research by Bournemouth University which revealed for the first time that in a normal year, outdoor events contribute over £30 billion in gross added value to the UK economy and provide employment for over 500,000 people.

Impact assessments across a number of events undertaken by independent analysts also show that events can give a considerable boost to local businesses. For example, a report from Birmingham City Council estimated the city’s Christmas lights generated £399 million for local businesses in 2016.

Outdoor events are now starting to be recognised by government for the important role they can play in starting to get the country back on its feet and bringing some solace to the hospitality sector which has been equally hard hit by lockdowns in the last year.

With discussions underway with the Treasury about underwriting COVID insurance, which the commercial insurance industry will not support, there is growing optimism that the industry will start to get back on its feet in the summer, bringing a much-needed fillip to local business communities.

We are all keeping our fingers crossed that the vaccines prove effective and that we can at last get a road map that will allow us to start the months of planning and assurances needed to get some of the larger events organised for this summer.

Eventsindustryforum.co.uk

EXTEND YOUR HOSPITALITY

Our SaddleSpan tents provide spacious, flexible and temporary space for live events, dining and drinking, open air cinema and theatre and other activities like demos, teaching and exhibitions.

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FLEXIBLE, TEMPORARY COVER FOR EVENTS AND ADDITIONAL CAPACITY

Relocatable is an award winning brand specialising in the delivery of temporary event marquees and semipermanent structures for both the hire industry and commercial sales.

We can supply and install a diverse range of aluminium, modular clear span structures in widths ranging from 2m to 25m, together with all supporting ancillaries such as suspended floor systems, solid insulated walling, glazing, automated glass doors, luxurious contemporary interiors and so much more.

North In Brief

Fews Reacts to Changing Markets

Fews, formerly Fews Marquees, has re-aligned its offering and branding to meet the challenges and opportunities arising from the pandemic. The Worcestershire-based events supplier has invested in its temporary building offering to compensate for the enforced downturn in the events sector.

New business has included contracts in construction, logistics, NHS support, education, retail, film location support and local authority.

Will 2020 be the Year of the Yurt?

2020 was a year of change; it gave rise to more focus and interest in sustainability and how important communities are – from immediate family to neighbours and even national society. 2021 is hoped to be the year where all the postponed weddings, cancelled festivals, rearranged corporate events and skipped celebrations can finally take place.

Enter the yurt: a versatile space that can travel with ease and is a sustainable option for hosting events. Becca McClure, co-founder of North Sky Yurts in Yorkshire, says: “With traditional events venues fully booked with rearranged bookings, there is a need for event spaces that are flexible. Yurts are a blank canvas that can be used in a multitude of different ways and styled to suit the event taking place.

“With the growing demand for businesses to focus on sustainability, we made sure our yurts were made locally in Yorkshire, we have multi-use flooring (avoiding the single-use that a lot of other providers use) and our business cards are even made out of recycled t-shirts! To help counter the emissions from events, we also plant a tree for every booking in the name of our customer.”

Northskyyurts.co.uk

Butlin's Acquisition a Shot in the Arm for UK Hospitality

US investment management company Blackstone has acquired Bourne Leisure in a deal reported to be worth £3 billion. Bourne Leisure employs more than 16,000 staff, hosting 25,000 holiday-home owners, and attracting 4.5 million guests to 56 sites across the UK every year. Among its portfolio is holiday resort chain Butlin’s, which has recently undergone large-scale investment in its conference and event offering, as well as Haven and Warner Leisure Hotels.

Blackstone has invested heavily in wider hospitality, travel, leisure and events sectors. Alongside investment in Center Parcs and current ownership of Merlin, the private equity group acquired the NEC Group in 2018 for £800 million.

Lionel Assant, European Head of Private Equity at Blackstone, reports the group has confidence in the UK’s domestic market.

CHS Reschedules Leeds and Birmingham Exhibitions

CHS Group has confirmed that the inaugural CHS Birmingham will now take place on 26th October 2021, while CHS Leeds, now in its 11th year, has been moved to Spring 2022. The new diary entries align with the original show dates, after the 2020 exhibitions were cancelled amid event restrictions.

CEO, Emma Cartmell, commented: “Like many other event organisers looking to run live events at the moment, this has been another agonising decision. But, as a business, we’re committed to live events

In future, the company will go to market under a new corporate brand, Fews, and with sector-specific brands such as Fews Event Structures and Fews Temporary Buildings.

The company’s founder, Ian Few comments: “The very unfortunate events of 2020 have forced us to review all aspects of our business. We are strong regional market leaders in the corporate events and wedding sectors, and we expect those sectors to recover over time. However, we needed to react very quickly to protect our employees and the business itself.

“Our decision to offer heavy duty, semi-permanent buildings meant we were able grow in new markets while ensuring the business was also ready for the return of events in the future. We are no longer a 'marquee only' supplier – our structures are varied and in some cases at the cutting edge of technology, and our branding needed to reflect that position.

“Throughout the year we have invested heavily in stock, staff training, IT systems and logistics to meet new challenges, and will continue to do so as we seek to accelerate growth in the medium and long term. As part of this, we needed to refresh our identity but keep our core name which is synonymous with a high level of service and exceptional product quality.

“Working ahead, while we will welcome back the events side of our business with open arms, in future, Fews will also continue to explore other markets and opportunities.”

Fewsmarquees.co.uk

“We are long-term believers in the UK and are delighted to invest meaningful capital, despite recent uncertainty, to support the recovery of a COVID-impacted industry, and wider local economies.”

and the return on investment they give to our exhibitors, as well as the value they give to our visitors. As a group, if we can’t promise this, alongside the basic safety of everyone involved in our events, we will continue to move our shows to a time when we can.

“We know that we are all desperate to come together to meet, to network, to learn and to do business, and we can’t wait to be running live events again soon. As a business, and a team, we are committed to ‘live’, so this means that our time is not now. Our time will come though, and we promise that we will deliver the best event that we can later this year and into next.”

Chsgroupuk.com

Working Hard or Hardly Working?

In the midst of a global recession, organisational psychologist Sir Cary Cooper is on the quest to solve the productivity puzzle by encouraging industry to adopt a more empathetic workplace culture.

What has happened to the UK economy since the 2008 financial crash? We have the longest working hours of any nation in the EU – nowhere more so than in the events industry – yet our productivity per capita (the goods and services produced per hour worked) sees us languishing at the bottom of the G7.

waking hours at work than we do at home. Wellbeing is not beanbags and ping pong tables, it is how you treat human beings in the workplace. This is not airy-fairy stuff, this is a boardroom issue and it really can produce the goods.”

The productivity puzzle has been pondered by economists for the past decade, some argue stifling EU working regulations are to blame, others the lack in investment in skills and technology. However, Professor of Organisational Psychology Sir Cary Cooper, a leading light on workplace wellbeing, believes the answer lies on a human level. Simply, a productive workforce makes for a happy workforce: “We spend more of our

So how do we make people feel valued, trusted, and give them the sense of autonomy and control over their jobs? “The key is to be managed properly, by human beings with compassion and empathy,” says Cary. “It's good for the economy, because if you get the right kind of people in managerial roles, who create the right kind of wellbeing culture, the research evidence demonstrates it will show on the bottom line.”

In 2008, Cary formed the University of Manchester spin-off company Robertson Cooper, helping businesses foster a more mindful workplace culture which puts people at its heart: “Around 2012, companies suddenly twigged: ‘hey, maybe if we had the right kind of culture, we could retain the millennials’, known as the ‘snowflake generation’ because they'll hop from one employer to another if they don't like them.

“Guess what, they're doing the right thing. They’re more confident in themselves and want to work for a good employer, who values and trusts them, allows them to work flexibly and recognises when they do a good job. Talent retention is one of the key drivers for reducing sickness absence and driving productivity.”

However, for Cary, absenteeism isn’t the real problem – in fact, sickness absence has halved in the past two decades. The real issue is presenteeism, a concept he defined 40 years ago, now an official OECD measurement, which sees employees showing up for work ill just to show face time, while unable to add any real value and infecting colleagues. Recent figures from Robertson-Cooper showed that presenteeism costs the UK economy £16 billion, while absenteeism amounts to merely half this figure: “I remember a journalist in the middle of the 1980 recession asked me why sickness absence rates were falling. When jobs are scarce, if you’re ill, would you call in sick, or would you come in out of fear that you’ll be in the next tranche of redundancies?"

In what is only the beginning of a global recession which Goldman Sachs predicts will be four times worse than 2008, Cary believes this insecurity will fuel a culture of workers putting aside mental and physical health problems to attend work to the detriment of themselves and their employers: “There are fewer workers taking on more work because employers are trying to keep their labour costs down. The long hours culture started with Thatcher adopting the American management style: ‘work hard and you’ll better yourself and the economy.’ But there’s no evidence that a long hours culture is a more productive culture. We recently conducted a meta-analysis of all the workplace absence studies in the world for the UK Health and Safety Executive and found that if you consistently work over 45 hours every week, you get ill, it’s as simple as that.

“What we need is better emotionally equipped line managers from shop floor to top floor. Right now, you get promoted on the basis of your technical skill, not your interpersonal skills. But it’s crucial we bridge that parity as we enter the next phase and industry knows it – being successful at your job, but being a lousy line manager, is not what the economy needs.”

One of Cary’s major bugbears is managers sending non-urgent emails after 5pm. While he doesn’t believe we should go as far the French government, which championed the Right to Disconnect law, banning managers from sending emails out of office hours, he feels this is a step in the right direction: “Now, I don't want to see that in a servicebased economy like the UK, because from all the studies I’ve done, people want the

flexibility, trust and autonomy to decide when and where they work. You can't do what Volkswagen do and just shut the server down at 5pm. On the other hand, I like the intent of it, which says: ‘listen, don't screw up your employees' private lives.’ This is the perfect example of a lack of social skills, as is failing to recognise when people have unmanageable workloads or unrealistic deadlines.

“I talk to a lot of senior executives, and they'll say: ‘I do send emails to people on a Friday afternoon, but I always tell them to leave it until Monday morning.’ So I ask them, ‘so why do you send it?’ Think about if you were starting out in your career and you received an email from your boss – you’ll jump to get that work on their desk when you should be spending time with your family.”

Cary is no luddite, but feels technology has led to a shift towards inflexible remote working and data-driven methods to quantify employees’ progress, which ultimately gets in the way of good management: “We don’t want technology to manage people. You should be given objectives, but when, where and how you fulfil them should be left up to you, as long as you deliver.

“Home working is great, but nobody wants to work 100% remotely, because you're not having your social needs met. Plus, how can line managers notice when somebody isn’t coping? In the office, you saw Fred was socially withdrawn at the meeting when he is usually buoyant – a Zoom call is not sufficient to gauge wellbeing.”

For many, back-to-back meeting schedules may be nothing new, yet Zoom has undoubtedly proliferated this ‘catch-up’ culture. Does anything ever actually happen as a result of the endless hours spent in conversation? “With rising job insecurity, people are scheduling in more and more meetings to prove they’re doing something. Many of those are unnecessary and are draining people. Zoom is more tiring than in-person meetings because you're having to be more attentive, but without the cues. When we’re face-to-face, we can look at facial expressions and gestures and determine whether that individual understands or is sympathetic to what we just said. On Zoom, there's no way you can pick up those cues from multiple tiny faces on the screen. People are so exhausted, they just sit there in a daze. You do need a lot of eyeball to eyeball – it's very important for human beings to have effective nonverbal forms of communication. Much of it is very subliminal, but very significant.”

Although the American business model has seemed to follow the US-turned-UK national from his birth nation, Cary hopes this prevailing wisdom will be overturned by a more compassionate approach to working life: “Everybody thinks American business is fantastic and that the command and control style really delivers. But they don't have anything like redundancy or maternity pay – they just fire you with two weeks’ pay even if you've been there for 20 years. Getting fired is a normal part of life for Americans , and it probably makes them more resilient. But it’s a model based on insecurity, a kind of fear culture. We still have a way to go here in the UK, but we can often fail to appreciate what we have here.”

Cary offers his top tips to help you develop mental resilience while working from home…

• When you're working from home, try to have a routine like you’re going to work – wake up at the same time every morning, don't stay in your pyjamas and finish no later than 6pm.

• Ensure you get a break for lunch. Leave your house and take a walk outside to get some full spectrum light. Otherwise you better take your vitamin D – it’s going to be a long winter.

• If you're in a managerial role, check with your direct reports frequently on a one-to-one basis. Don't talk about work, ask them how everything is at home, or if they watched the football last night – anything to find out how they're coping personally.

• Tell your line manager when they’re giving you unrealistic deadlines. Don't keep your mouth shut, and if your boss isn’t a very empathetic person, let HR know and if you have an employee assistance programme, use it.

• Make sure you do adequate daily exercise. At 7am, my wife and I take an hour-long

walk along the Macclesfield canal. We do it every single goddamn morning, no matter the weather. We take a lot of Zoom calls during the day, so we need the energy!

• Minimise the number of meetings you have and if you think it could be done in half an hour, let your colleagues know beforehand and don't let it drag on. Make sure you factor in breaks if you need to go on longer.

• At Robertson Cooper, we’ve developed a free psychometric tool called i-resilience –over 200,000 people have filled it in so far. It gives you a comprehensive understanding of personal resilience and examples of how this could impact on your responses to demanding work situations. Your personal report helps you build on existing areas of strength, and also allows you to manage any potential areas of risk.

Robertsoncooper.com

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