HEN July 2020

THE CORPORATE HOSPITALITY MAGAZINE FOR THE MIDLANDS, NORTH OF ENGLAND, SCOTLAND & NORTH WALES

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ONLINE EVENTS – STOPGAP OR THE WAY FORWARD?

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ISSUE 79 • JULY 2020

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Versatile’s install of the dedicated Covid-19 facility at Oxford University’s Centre for Vaccine Research

EC ED IAL ITI O O NL N IN

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Christmas Cheer Industry Debate On a Budget Outside The Box

HOSPITALITYANDEVENTSNORTH.COM

NEWS, FEATURES, VENUES, IDEAS, TEAM BUILDING, COMPETITIONS & LOTS MORE

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A Warm Welcome

Contents

July 2020

With the situation still hazy for the industry at time of writing, we sit and wait for some clarity for live events. It seems crazy, looking at how other sectors have been able to get going through hard work, creativity and passion, providing safe environments. Over the last few months I’ve been astounded to see how our amazing events family has come together, exploded in to life with so many great ideas, but still with one arm tied. For me, live events and face to face meetings

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will never be replaced for that business relationship and immersing in to a conference or product launch, yet hybrid will be the new way. We keep positive knowing the industry will bounce back and big style, hoping we can still run larger events even later this year and all will be fine, and it will, but we need support to keep businesses, including small independent publishers like us alive. Looking forward to seeing you on the other side.

Elliot Landy.

H&E North front page feature:

Versatile

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HOSPITALITYANDEVENTSNORTH.COM @HOSPITALITYNRTH

Publisher

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Design

Elliot Landy

Ada X m GreX asley

Features Editor

Senior Account Manager

Evangeline Spachis

Adam Freedman

Honesty is Policy

With events still at risk of cancellation or lastminute postponement, H&E North seeks legal advice on behalf of event suppliers.

Editorial Assistant James Wilson

Contributors Lex Butler Jane Longhurst Lynsey Burke Tom Squire Stewart Moss Juliet Price

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On Par VR

Liz Taylor Paul Ashton Harper Gill Victoria Webb Kevin Holland

From Zooming clients to scouting venues from the comfort of your own home, the events industry continues to go virtual.

Copyright JLife Ltd. All contents are copyright, all rights are reserved. No part of the contents can be reproduced without permission from the publisher. No responsibility can be accepted for inaccurate information supplied, & content supplied does not necessarily represent the opinion of the publisher. Editorial policies & magazine layouts are purely at the publisher’s discretion & no debate will be entered in to.

Published by: JLife Ltd. Unit 7, Gemini Business Park, Sheepscar Way, Leeds, LS7 3JB. T: 0845 052 2911 F: 0113 262 5202 E: info@nutsforprint.co.uk W: hospitalityandeventsnorth.com

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Going On

The global pandemic has changed the way we run events. But will it last?

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Christmas Cheer This Year?

The traditional Christmas office bash is due for a big shake-up. H&E North investigates.

AND THE WINNERS ARE…

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A Rolling Stone

Paul Richley from Chorley won bed and breakfast at INNSiDE Manchester, while John Clarke from Edinburgh won dinner and a stay at Mercure Hull Grange Park Hotel!

July 2020

H&E North chats to Stewart Moss of Cedar Court Hotels to see how one of the north’s leading hotel groups has fared in lockdown.

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NEWS

North

In Brief ACC Liverpool Launches A-Z of COVID Commitments

ACC Liverpool has issued new operational guidelines as part of its commitment to get events back up and running as soon as government restrictions are lifted. This follows three months of the venue operating as a food and PPE distribution centre.

Following the government’s announcement that conference and exhibition centres must currently remain closed, ACC Liverpool is stepping up its lobbying efforts alongside partners across the Association of Event Venues (AEV), Association of Event Organisers (AEO) and Event Supplier and Services Association (ESSA) and is proceeding with its planning processes in readiness for the return of events.

The document, entitled Rediscover Events, aims to reassure event organisers and visitors of the measures taken to ensure that the campus offers a safe environment for bringing organised events and large numbers of delegates back together again.

It includes an A-Z of COVID-19 secure operational plans; key steps that The ACC Liverpool Group has already started to put into practice in response to the challenges to the event industry brought about by the pandemic. Measures include providing a COVID secure delegate journey, while working with organisers to tailor solutions to each individual event.

The issuing of the revised operational plans, which includes new space capacities for conferences and exhibitions, follows the announcement made by the government regarding the reduction of social distancing measures from two metres to one metreplus. The plans have been developed following advice from Public Health England, the Local Director of Public Health, Visitor Economy Guidance and the All Secure Standard developed by the AEO, AEV and ESSA. Bob Prattey, Chief Executive of The ACC Liverpool Group, said: “We wanted a way to show our clients just how much work has been going on in the background to make sure we are ready for their return. Our campus has been operational throughout this time, working as a distribution centre for Liverpool City Council, which is still ongoing, therefore all social distancing protocols and management have already become second nature to our teams.

“Rediscover Events is a real statement of intent from us as a business – we are ready to welcome people back and are already working with clients to develop solutions for them in this new event environment.”

CHS Group Commits to Live for CHS Birmingham

The CHS Group has committed itself to ‘going live’ with its first ever CHS Birmingham exhibition, taking place 27th October at the ICC Birmingham.

The new event was launched in the autumn last year, and with many industry events already cancelled or moving to hybrid formats, the group has confirmed that CHS Birmingham will be a live experience first and foremost.

Despite not having a ‘go date’ from government, the organisers confirmed that it is not in their nature to ‘sit around and wait’ for guidance. The group hopes that CHS Birmingham can be a part of a kick-start for the industry, allowing businesses to do business again, and deliver growth opportunities for its visitors and exhibitors. For that reason, it is looking at offering as many opportunities for visitors to meet exhibitors pre, during and post the event.

Emma Cartmell, Chief Executive Officer of CHS Group, commented: “It’s been a really horrible period for the industry, and we’ve seen so many opportunities to do business lost over the last few months. We want to be of service to our visitors and exhibitors, and to create a business environment that is most beneficial to them. To do so, we felt the need to commit to live.”

HBAA launches Diversity and Inclusion Board Bespoke Hotels Racks Up Over £500k in Bookings

Bespoke Hotels has revealed that the group took over £500,000 in future bookings after the government announced that hotels in England could reopen from 4th July.

This equated to almost 4,000 room nights of which 2,075 are in the group’s Scottish properties. The majority of bookings were for two people and the average length of stay in both England and Scotland was the same with an average of two nights.

A total of 15 Bespoke Hotels are preparing to open in July, with the rest of the portfolio due to open later in August and September. Robin Sheppard, Chair of Bespoke Hotels says: “We never planned to put our foot on the proverbial hosepipe, but since the news that permission to start trading again broke, the foot has well and truly come off; and sales have exploded.

Lots of new bookings to make our phones ring again is a very powerful medicine. Long may it last.”

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The Hotel Booking Agents Association’s (HBAA) Next Gen Board has been renamed and re-purposed as the Diversity & Inclusion Board (D&I).

The move is an evolution of the #HBAAfuturefit vision, which aims to ensure the association is robust, relevant and fit for purpose in the future, as well as providing an inclusive platform for the under-represented in the business events, accommodation and meetings sector.

While HBAA states it is an inclusive and diverse association that opposes discrimination, inequality and injustice of any kind, the D&I Board will take the lead in exercising this agenda in light of the recent global protests against racism and discrimination and the rise of the #BlackLivesMatter movement, which the HBAA unequivocally supports.

The D&I Board is led by Ryan Doyle of Park Regis Birmingham, Anthony Kwokori of the Barbican and Olivia Woolley of Hotel and Travel Solutions. A joint statement from the D&I Board said: ‘’We are proud to be the Diversity and Inclusion Board, which will be at the forefront of effecting necessary change and instrumental in taking this diverse industry from strength to strength.’’

www.hospitalityandeventsnorth.com

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DEBATE

Question Time As we begin to recover from the COVID-19 crisis together, H&E North asks key industry personnel their predictions of how the events and hospitality industry will look in a year’s time.

Hybrid The Way Forward The business events, accommodation and meetings sector has had a disastrous few months and also faces a challenging year ahead. In 12 months, the market could contract due to lack of budgets, lack of current guidance and the questionable necessity to travel.

Juliet Price, Consultant Executive Director of HBAA (Hotel Booking Agents Association)

The simple fact that meetings can be held virtually in many cases as has been proved over the last three months in lockdown. Many have also realised the benefits of digital meetings for climate change, food wastage and financial reasons too.

There will be fewer residential meetings, but there will be a trend for smaller, more localised meetings outside of city centres because cars will be the preferred safe way to travel over public transport. As many industries will have had budgets slashed, there will be a lot more training taking place online. The future could be tech-heavy, too, as it will help us to minimise human contact and the transmission of the virus. However, we all acknowledge that virtual will not replace live meetings and events.

Face-to-Face A Must When COVID-19 hit the UK in March, most industry figures hoped that within three months we’d return to some semblance of normality.

Sadly, that’s clearly not the case and we can expect negative repercussions for some time to come. For medium to large conferences and tradeshows, very late Q4 or Q1 2021 is the best guess currently for their return.

Paul Ashton, Venue and Events Consultant

For the hospitality and events sector to operate and perform like it did pre-COVID, the various audiences that are the sector’s lifeblood have to feel completely confident about visiting venues again. Whether they are conference delegates, visitors to trade and consumer exhibitions, corporate guests attending awards, dinners or internal meetings, they all need to feel safe and confident and implicitly trust in the COVID compliant provisions of the event organiser and their venue.

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Overnight guests will make the decision of whether they travel now or indeed stay in a hotel or serviced apartment; multiple night stays may well be reduced or capped.

Our industry will become more robust, but it will not truly get going for some time. Next year, assuming there isn’t a substantial second wave of the pandemic in the spring, we should start seeing the postponed events from 2020 finally taking place. Hybrid events will be more popular in 12 months’ time than they were a year ago as the sector will have learned how to deliver them more seamlessly and effectively.

At the end of the day we are a creative industry and an industry that is not afraid to change. Our people can and have adapted; our people also need to ensure that their wellbeing is considered within everything we do and work towards. Their mental health must be supported today and in the future.

Financial support, assurances, guidelines and consumer confidence as well as education are all part of the mix to ensure that our industry recovers with a sustainable future and clear purpose…we are business events, accommodation and meetings!

We all hope that in 12 months’ time our sector will have recovered to an extent that all parties concerned, contractors, venues, freelancers, exhibitors and visitors will be able to organise and attend events to once again share knowledge and create badly needed economic benefit across the UK. For that to happen, confidence must be restored and that is the responsibility of government, industry associations and every individual involved in the sector. If we can make that happen then we can look forward to a bright future for all elements of our business.

Humans are an innately social tribe; we need face-to-face contact with our peers to learn, do business together, and create shared memories and experiences. The passion to meet is what will drive our industry’s recovery.

www.hospitalityandeventsnorth.com

Victoria Webb, Sales Manager at Millennium Point in Birmingham

Harper Gill, CEO of Vaal & Vaal, a private members club and events space in Wolverhampton

A New Ethos in Client Protection

Business Events Need To Change

Here at Millennium Point we expect social distancing measures to be eased somewhat but the high standards of cleanliness and hygiene will remain and be at the forefront of a client’s checklist.

While we do not expect physical events will be going anywhere, technology and virtual conferencing has become a hot topic and we believe hybrid events embracing live video streaming and virtual elements will become commonplace.

I certainly foresee face-to-face meetings returning as they once were, simply for the fact that as professionals and humans we’ve missed the social interaction. You can ignite a connection online, but real rapport and business trust is built in-person.

When we consider personal moments like birthdays, anniversaries, baby showers and weddings, lockdown has taught us that these moments are made special by sharing it with others. For this reason, celebrations will come back to the fore in 2021.

Clients will likely be looking for more safeguarding and flexibility in their bookings. Local lockdowns and outbreaks may be an ongoing reality and so we expect clients to want more assurance that their money and event are protected.

Despite the long-term impacts or longevity of the virus being unknown, we are hoping that the events and hospitality industry will be back and thriving as before. However, this uncertainty is why it is important for organisations to be adaptable, forward thinking and transparent with clients – this is an unprecedented learning experience which we are all subject to which is why being open and honest helps manage expectations and standards for both venues and clients. For this we have developed a client protection plan which will be part of our ethos, plus a guide that all of our events will follow, and which we will actively communicate to those not only in the industry but to the public as well.

The big change will be what tradeshows will ‘look like’ – they will certainly need to have more of a pull than they did before, be that more high profile speakers, an exciting agenda, or an impressive venue. While some business events – such as workshops and seminars – have proved that they can work just as effectively online, I do think business and tradeshows will remain a physical event. Yes, we can promote a product online, but we trust human interaction even more – people buy from people.

Busy Time Ahead The 4th July saw a milestone in getting back to some kind of business ‘norm’ with the opening of hotels, restaurants and pubs. After the euphoria of this news, it is time to sit back and consider the meetings and events sector. We are waiting with bated breath for some clarity and guidance as to when we can start getting together.

Kevan Holland, Director of Trident Hospitality Consultants

In the short term, I believe we will see some activity with smaller meetings, there currently appears to be a hunger to get away from the computer screen and meet face-to-face. With regards to larger events, many are moving into 2021.

As to the format of these events, venues will need to demonstrate that the meeting environment is safe – not just for visitors but for staff within these establishments. It isn’t just

July 2020

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about the hygene, but GDPR comes into play especially if ‘track and trace’ becomes an element within organising an event.

There may also be a percentage of invitees that will be unwilling to attend or commute to events. This leads to organisers and venues being creative with cost-effective ways of offering hybrid events. We are aware that some of our partners can offer live streaming, not just as an option to get to an audience but it could also prove another way of bolstering revenue for beleaguered venues with delegates paying to access the online services.

With many events now moving from 2020 to next year – we are going to be very busy!

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INDUSTRY UPDATE

Shaping the Future of Our Industry Lex Butler, HBAA Chair, emphasises that the meetings industry must be addressed separately from the wider hospitality sector in order to fully recover.

HBAA has been taking important steps to secure the future of the business events, accommodation and meetings sector, alongside other industry associations, and published a report which was sent to government departments and MPs to push for further support and immediate action.

from the impact of lockdown have been made much more difficult due to having to supply and generate our own data to support our case for financial support.

The government does not recognise the sector as a separate entity in its records, only as part of hospitality, tourism or ‘other’.

Among the key recommendations of ‘Business Events, Accommodation and Meetings – the need for special financial support and a clear identity’ was for the sector to have its own Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code and consistent representation to give it an identity of its own in government data.

It has been clear since March that the business events, accommodation and meetings sector would be decimated by the consequences of lockdown and would be one of last to re-open, potentially not fully until Q2 2021. It was also clear that special ongoing financial government support was essential and needed immediately.

This is because our efforts to argue for special financial support for an industry that will be one of the last to recover

July 2020

Our report also revealed that over 30% of employees working in business events,

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accommodation and meetings agencies are at risk of redundancy or indeed have already been made redundant, which is catastrophic.

Despite all our efforts, a lack of a clear independent identity has left the industry fighting for its life after being ignored and unappreciated by government.

For its future, the business events and accommodation and meetings sector needs its own Standard Industrial Classification code.

For the sake of the many talented and hard-working people in agencies, venues and services, we must protect its future and continue to build its identity.

Hbaa.org.uk

ON A BUDGET

In Any Event It is possible to plan corporate events on a reduced budget, says Tom Squire, Director of City Pantry.

City Pantry is Europe’s largest online platform for B2B food delivery, and prior to the crisis, we delivered over 50,000 meals per week to 600 companies on behalf of hundreds of restaurants and caterers around the UK. But when the full force of the coronavirus pandemic hit the UK in early March, shortly before prime minister’s lockdown announcement on we experienced a 95% drop in orders. However, we quickly learned how to adapt our offering and our working style to fit the ‘new normal’.

Coronavirus has forced us all to rethink the way we work, and for many it has slowed or even stopped the corporate cogs from turning. Never more so than for event planners, and with reduced means for any upcoming events expected, here are some effective ways to keep within your client’s adjusted budget…

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www.hospitalityandeventsnorth.com

Remember, there are always cheaper alternatives for catering

Some venue in-house options can be pricey. Seek out new or local businesses that may not have the money for sponsorships, but are keen to make their name known. Don’t feel as though you have to provide traditional deli sandwiches for lunch, or fancy hors d’oeuvres for black tie events – think outside the box for cheaper, yet suitable options. Buffets will always beat boxed lunches for catering on a budget, for example, as the price per person is lower.

Forget the free bar, too.

Hunt down an affordable venue

A costly venue often leaves the biggest dent in a budget. Take time to look around to find a deal and most fitting venue for the type of event you are planning. Ensure to start looking in advance – at least three to six months before your event – to take advantage of a wider range of availability; some of the more unlikely venues may be offering some interesting opportunities to create revenue. Do not feel afraid to negotiate the price you are given down, but never compromise on what you need from them.

Recruit volunteers to help you

additional costs – encourage them with perks rather than cash rewards. If you are looking for specific skill sets, such as bartending, though, it is best to hire a professional. At City Pantry, we make sure to do this with our own events. We also have a ‘Culture Club’ of colleagues who organise our events and save costs on an events coordinator, and share the workload between us.

Big up on social media

Social media is a great, free marketing weapon. It allows you to directly highlight what services or supplies you need and invite companies you haven’t previously heard of to pitch for your event, likely at a cheaper rate than their competitors.

Most importantly, be flexible

This may be difficult given the current pandemic, but flexibility on dates can allow you to negotiate with venues, entertainment, catering, and more, to achieve cheaper rates. Keep a few different dates in mind when planning, and be open to changing, dependent on the deals you receive. Also be flexible in the products you use – guests are far more likely to remember the overall experience of the event rather than the colour chair they were sitting on, for example.

While recruiting and training volunteers can be difficult, they can add manpower to the event without any

July 2020

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Tom Squire

To find out more about how City Pantry are supporting teams during the pandemic, visit Blog.citypantry.com.

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EXPERT OPINION

Check Your Policy With many companies left wondering what they should be doing if an event they were due to work on has been cancelled or postponed, H&E North seeks expert legal guidance from Lynsey Burke, Senior Associate and Solicitor for Nelsons’ dispute resolution team.

With public gatherings no longer able to take place across the UK as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, thousands of venues and suppliers are losing out on business.

From venues and catering companies to photographers and live bands, all these industries, like so many others, will be reeling not only from the impact of COVID-19, but also the refusal of many insurers to accept claims made under business interruption insurance. As such, the question remains as to what suppliers can do when faced with a slew of cancelled events and requests for postponement or cancellation.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The first step in most cases will be to have a look at the contract – what did you agree?

Is there a clause that dictates what will happen in the event that either party cannot perform their obligations under the contract due to circumstances outside their control (known as force majeure)? Does that clause stipulate what will happen in relation to any money paid or due at the date of the force majeure event?

If there is no such clause, suppliers will need to consider whether the contract has been frustrated by an event that was unforeseen when the contract was entered into. A contract can be frustrated if: 1.

2.

3.

The contract becomes impossible to perform and/ or either party’s obligations become radically different because of that unforeseen event.

The contract does not expressly say what will happen in such circumstances.

The unforeseen event was not caused by either of the parties.

In the case of contracts entered into before any news reports of coronavirus began to emerge, it seems likely that a contract would be considered to be frustrated. Any such contract entered into now and subsequently affected by COVID-19 would be less likely to be considered frustrated in the legal sense, because we are all now painfully aware of the pandemic.

As ever, there will be that trickier middle ground of contracts that were formed when we’d heard of coronavirus but perhaps hadn’t appreciated just how devastating the consequences were going to be.

July 2020

If the doctrine of frustration does apply, the contract is immediately brought to an end, with the parties discharged from any outstanding contractual obligations.

REFUNDS

Under the Law Reform (Frustrated Contracts) Act 1943, any advance payments made before the occurrence of the frustrating event will be entitled to be recovered, subject to the ability of the receiving party to offset any expenses already incurred.

In respect of monies due at the time the contract was discharged, the party that owes the money will not have to pay, unless the receiving party has already incurred expenses, in which case they will be entitled to be reimbursed for those expenses incurred from the prepayment that would otherwise have been due.

If you’re the venue therefore, and you’ve already ordered food and drink for the event and your contract entitles you to receive a pre-payment as at the date the contract is discharged, you’re entitled to be paid for those expenses incurred.

Likewise, if you’re a florist, for example, who has ordered flowers and your contract includes provision for you to be paid in advance, with the date for payment having passed, you would be well within your rights to require that pre-payment be made, up to the cost of those flowers.

If the venue or florist’s contract does not include provision for pre-payment (or the time for that pre-payment has not passed), even if it has incurred expenses prior to the contract being discharged, the venue/ florist will not be able to claim those from the event organiser.

SUPPLY LINE

Again, you’ll need to have a look at your contract to see if it contains terms that would deal with a request to postpone or cancel. Of particular concern for many businesses will be whether or not you can keep deposits paid or require that the event organiser makes payment to you for what would (in the case of a postponement) be a variation to the contract or (in the case of a cancellation) be a termination of the contract.

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In either case, suppliers should bear in mind not only the strict terms of the contract, but also the impact of consumer protection legislation, such as the Consumer Rights Act 2015, which confirms that terms in a consumer contract must be fair (this applies equally to the force majeure point, detailed above).

While this should always be a consideration for businesses when drawing up contracts, the Competition and Markets Authority recently confirmed that it considers exceptions to a full refund of deposits paid to be ‘rare’ if the contract has not been performed as agreed.

RESOLUTION CENTRE

In times like this, it is very easy for businesses to get overly hung up on their legal rights; clearly these are important, but they do risk obscuring the commercial reality of a situation.

It might be the case that your contract will enable you to retain a deposit or require that a prepayment for a cancelled event still be made. In some instances, it may be absolutely critical to the business’ continued existence that those payments are made.

However, if finances allow – particularly bearing in mind the support available to business through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, support grants and business interruption loan scheme – it would be worth bearing in mind if the event organiser wants to rearrange as soon as restrictions are fully lifted and still want to use your services.

Reaching an agreement that secures their business later is best if possible – you may find that such an agreement is more profitable than insisting on payment of what is likely to be a fraction of the amount that would be payable if the event goes ahead later in the year or indeed next year.

For more information or support, visit Nelsonslaw.co.uk/business-disputes or call 0800 024 1976.

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Help Keep Britain Safe

Brilliantly clean, simple and effective hand sanitation solutions for any location Health Go and its partners have been at the forefront of finding solutions to support hand sanitation for visitors and staff at public venues – a simple method to try and help mitigate the spread of Covid-19. From concept to completion in less than a week, the first ‘Don’t Pass it On’ hand sanitiser stations were deployed at Twickenham Stadium during the Six Nations and at the Cheltenham Gold Cup. With hand hygiene considered the single most important method of preventing cross infection, our hand sanitiser stations have since been deployed at venues across the UK, including hospitals, airports, supermarkets and many other public service facilities. Additional investment in the development of our stations enables us to now offer our clients an unmatched range of hand hygiene products; trusted products that will last the test of time and promote good hygiene habits.

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T: 01905 932315 E: sales@hgco.co.uk 17

SHOW UPDATE

We’ll Mee

H&E North has gathered together rejigs to help you stay co With tradeshows, festivals and mass gatherings being cancelled or postponed becoming a daily occurrence during the height of the lockdown, for those who rely on their events calendar to do vital business, the wave of reshuffles and cancellations was hard to fathom.

The resilience of the events and MICE industry has certainly been tested, with patience, compassion and innovation required by everyone in equal measure. From headlinegrabbing international conferences being shelved to business groups and corporate meetings moving to online platforms, there will still be plenty of ways to safely meet in-person again later in the year…

THE MEETINGS SHOW

The Meetings Show, which was due to take place on 24th and 25th June, is being postponed to the autumn.

Regarded as the UK’s leading exhibition for event and meetings professionals, it will now be held on 19th and 20th October at its usual venue of Olympia London.

Over the last few months, The Meetings Show team held extensive talks with key industry representatives, exhibitors, visitors, partners and associations, as well as its host venue, to make an informed decision about this year’s show. Jack Marczewski, Event Director of The Meetings Show, said: “The Meetings Show team has been working tirelessly to find the right solution for all those involved in the show that traditionally features

destinations from over 50 countries across six continents, venues, hotels and key providers of meetings products and services. “…We are determined to try and facilitate and offer a solution in October to enable event and meetings professionals to still meet and help stimulate and support the recovery of our sector…The health and wellbeing of everyone involved in, and visiting the show, has been, and will continue to be, at the heart of any plans being made.”

Taking advantage of the more inclusive opportunities of virtual networking, there are also plans to create a hybrid of online and face-to-face events at the October show, so that those who cannot attend the new dates can also take part.

CHS LEEDS

CHS Leeds, formerly named The Conference & Hospitality Show, was set to have its biggest show yet in April this year. However, after initially postponing the show, it was confirmed that the flagship show’s annual venue, first direct arena, could not host the event in July as planned, and so the decision was made to shelve CHS Leeds until 2021.

Reflecting on the decision to cancel, Emma Cartmell, CEO and Founder of the CHS Group which organises the show, said: “As a group, we’ve never had to cancel a show before. But these are such extraordinary times that, while it’s a massive shame, I am sure it will be seen as the responsible decision by not only our exhibitor community but by the hundreds of visitors who would normally participate in CHS Leeds.”

“This is a really hard thing to do; CHS Leeds was the first event we created as a business, it celebrated its 10th birthday last year, and is much loved by everyone that comes along. We’re a small business ourselves, so can empathise with our sponsors, exhibitors and visitors, who need these events to happen so they can make sales, run events and do business.”

However, plans are surging ahead for the first ever CHS Birmingham, which was first announced back in December 2019.

The first ever CHS outpost invites members of Birmingham and the Midlands’ meetings and events sector to the ICC Birmingham on 27th October to help recreate connections for event planners, agents, venue finders, PAs and executive assistants in the wake of the coronavirus crisis. The yearly CHS Awards will also take place later that evening, offering yet another chance for the industry to finally come together.

All show dates and formats correct at the time of writing. Please be aware that they could be subject to change, so visit show websites for up-to-date details.

CHS Leeds was set to take place this year but will now return in April 2021.

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www.hospitalityandeventsnorth.com

et Again

r all the major date changes and onnected post-COVID-19.

VENUE + EVENTS LIVE

Headed up by Ocean Media Group, Venues + Events Live is one of UK’s biggest events exhibitions, attracting hundreds of venues, restaurants, hotels, bars, blank canvas spaces and event suppliers. Following the success of its London exhibition, welcoming upwards of 5,000 event professionals every year, 2019 saw the launch of Venues + Events Live Manchester.

Due to the impact of the coronavirus outbreak, the decision was made to run the popular shows in a new virtual format in across September (23rd and 24th for London and 29th for Manchester). Details are yet to be announced, so follow its social media channels to get the latest on how its content and networking opportunities for UK event suppliers and buyers will be made available.

ACADEMIC VENUE SHOWCASE

Around 40 academic venues from across the UK, including the Midlands, North East and North West were due to exhibit on 26th March at the University of London’s Senate House, but like many events during the months of March and April, it was forced to put the show on hold. Marcus Wilson, Head of Commercial Marketing at the University of Liverpool told press: “It’s a postponement – we are not cancelling. It’s very disappointing but as matters progressed, we consulted as a board and it became clear that it was not viable to go ahead.

“We are in uncharted territory. But, as a plus, we have had great support from the industry. When we told exhibitors we were going to postpone, they said they were happy to support us and everybody has been really positive.”

In the meantime, Academic Venues Solutions has been busy supporting institutions that are looking to open in the coming weeks and help organise safety measures for staff and delegates, as well as holding regular #AVSConnext meetings via Zoom for members.

EVENTIT

One of the largest Scottish events shows, EVENTIT was due to be back for its annual gathering of meetings and events professionals in Edinburgh this spring. Slated for 19th March, it was eventually cancelled days before. EVENTIT’s Events Director Judith Wilson said: “We know this will come as a huge disappointment. It is not a decision we have taken lightly. Our primary concern is, and always has been, the health and safety of our attendees and staff. We also feel an immense responsibility towards our exhibitors and partners.”

The tradeshow was to be co-located with the bi-annual Business Events Leaders’ Summit at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre with strict procedures planned to ensure the safety of its staff and visitors, but the decision was made to postpone the event for six months. The new date of 25th September will mark the fifth edition of the show, promoting networking and face-to-face interaction between around 800 event profs with 80 exhibitors from across the MICE supply chain.

This year’s International Confex, back in February.

July 2020

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VIRTUAL EVENTS

Virtual Virtuosos From exploring a dream destination to recreating the team building event you missed this year; virtual events are truly a reality.

Virtual Familiarisation Trips are not entirely new. VFam, a sales training platform based on the concept of the traditional fam trip, launched the first virtual fam trip for CzechTourism UK back in February, but with the acceleration of the coronavirus pandemic throughout the world, their prevalence is likely to spike.

In that instance, agents were able to use the virtual fam trip, which was powered by Spinning Globe, to explore lesser known spots outside of Prague, a big promotional initiative of the Czech tourist board. The platform also offers educational virtual tours of Maldives, Jordan, Dominica, and Taiwan and new country content is regularly added as new destinations invest in the opportunity to promote more of their regions to the wider leisure and business travel industries.

Virtual experiences are not just built for recreating the business travel plans that were put on hold due to COVID-19 however.

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Fizzbox, a nationwide events company that can plan everything from cocktail making classes, nude life drawing to traditional team building sessions, has been experimenting with online team building events with clients – developing fun in the form of a virtual murder mystery experience, virtual scavenger hunts, team quizzes and virtual whiskey tastings, all enjoyed, with collegues, from the comfort of your home.

There are still unique technological challenges to overcome however, as anyone who has tried to have an extended family video call will know. Tom Bourlet, Head of Marketing at Fizzbox explains: “With virtual sessions, you can only have one person speak at once, so if you have someone that dominates the conversation, this can lead to some people becoming very quiet and having minimal input.”

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VIRTUAL EVENTS

VisitAberdeenshire’s virtual stand at the transatlantic virtual trade show hosted by VisitBritain.

Come Together

Going ‘Virtual’ has also meant that the much-missed tradeshow floor could be filled once again. Meet in Nottingham, Aberdeen Convention and Events Bureau, Conference Coventry & Warwickshire, Conference Hull, Conference Leeds and venues such as ICC Birmingham, The Grand, York and the University of Leeds virtually ‘came together’ in June to create new business connections with event organisers from North America and Europe.

VisitBritain’s MeetGB Virtual event was a bid to bring potential events and conferences business to the regions, with over 60 leading UK business event destinations and suppliers, including convention bureaus, tourist boards, venues, hotels, events and incentive agencies and destination management companies (DMCs) invited to ‘walk the exhibition floor’ and hold virtual exhibition booths to conduct virtual meetings.

Originally a live event, the decision was made to move to the virtual realm using tried and tested software across two separate dates in June. VisitBritain’s Head of Business Events, Kerrin MacPhie said prior to the event: “As the events industry tackles this difficult period during the COVID-19 pandemic we want to support the industry and help them plan for the future, welcoming their events back to the UK when the time is right. While we can no longer connect in-person, we are excited to provide this digital platform and to continue to educate event professionals on the diverse offer that England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland represents.”

The VR Reality

Jolyon Hennings, Founder of Box Bear Digital Ltd, which helps clients such as GlaxoSmithKline and AstraZeneca with their digital communications argues that

July 2020

technological choices for joining the online trend are still limited: “In truth, there aren’t that many options out there at the moment when it comes to moving an event online. While there are numerous video broadcasting options, such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams, these platforms are ultimately all the same thing, typically offering chat functions for interaction, and video broadcasting.

destinations have been all the rage, with people able to explore the interiors of the Louvre in Paris, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the ruins of Pompeii, as well as the National History Museum, to name but a few. While venues are sadly closed, these tours are an ideal opportunity to let quarantined event bookers to virtually cross the threshold of a potential venue for later in the year or 2021.

“When it comes to organising an event, these limited capabilities can largely restrict how much of an ‘event’ you can actually make it. Live interaction between people is important in any event, whereas most of the current solutions only offer the ability to spectate. Box Bear wanted to solve this, so we have created VR TeamSpace which allows people to create real-life avatars that can meet in the ‘real space’. Through virtual reality, standalone headsets reinvent what a meeting can be, and can be significantly more productive than in reallife, through enhanced capabilities, such as voice memos, type notes, and draw notes to capture detailed information and be easily emailed to the participants for future reference.

ACC Liverpool, ICC Birmingham and Manchester Central have joined countless other venues such as ICC Wales and ExCel London to launch their own virtual tours too, chiefly for future prospective clients to discover the endless possibilities of their facilities. Thanks to investment in drone technology and 3D imaging, you can now walk beneath the impressive 64-metre arched roof of Manchester Central or explore over 15,225 sqm of ACC Liverpool’s event space without ever having to motor down the M62…or indeed change out of your lockdown lounge pants!

“VR TeamSpace and VR Studio from Box Bear gives you the feel and benefits of live interaction but with no need to travel.

Organisers can easily send the headsets out to any geographical area a few days in advance, for people to take part from the comfort of their own home or office.

Within VR TeamSpace, interactions and demonstrations (including showing a mode of action, zooming, changing viewpoint, and so on) can be possible, instead of just static presentations.”

Unconventional Tours

During lockdown, signing up for virtual tours of museums and famous, far-off

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But before we get too excited about never having to change out of our pyjamas ever again, Mark Hayward, CEO of Northern Hive, a PR and marketing agency in Manchester, offers a note of caution: “The pandemic has no doubt accelerated the rise of virtual conferences in recent weeks and it may have served as a good opportunity to showcase their effectiveness. Virtual conferences can very easily lose one of the best benefits of live events: human interaction. Beyond coronavirus, a hybrid approach to conferences may be the answer, but we must continue to embrace our newfound digital credentials for greater accessibility, sustainability and profitability.”

MILLENNIUMPOINT.ORG.UK/LIVE-VIDEO-STREAMING-AT-MILLENNIUM-POINT

LIVE VIDEO STREAMING Maximise the reach and impact of your event at Millennium Point by adding one of our Live Video Streaming bolt-ons to your events package. We offer professional and affordable live streaming services designed to ensure that your delegates can enjoy your event wherever they are. Our experienced technical team will deliver the live stream where delegates can log-in and view via a secure link for events lasting up to 8 hours.

BENEFITS AND FEATURES

DETAILS

This is a special set package price offered subject to availability for events taking place before end of December 2020. The package price quoted is in addition to the relevant room hire / delegate package needed. The live streaming can be hosted from any of our meeting & event spaces. All staff providing this service will adhere to the specific social distancing guidelines in force at the time of the event taking place.

INDUSTRY UPDATE

Don’t Despair, Prepare Jane Longhurst, Chief Executive of the Meetings Industry Association (mia) suggests the business meetings and events sector mitigate its feelings of frustration at the government’s lack of clarity over re-opening, by proactively using this period to prepare for when it can.

The government’s latest announcement brought good news for the hospitality industry, with pubs, restaurants and hotels permitted to open – with restrictions – from 4th July. For the business meetings and events sector, the news wasn’t so positive. While the government’s opening safely guidance has been provided, the critical date for the re-opening of business meetings and events venues has not been announced.

As part of our persistent campaigning, we at the mia – in collaboration with BVEP – are continuing to put pressure on the Government to provide some clarity for our sector and, crucially, a start date, because we are well-aware that venues are already making difficult long-term decisions on their future business models and workforce.

While this lack of clarity is frustrating, it does at least provide the business meetings and events sector with an opportunity to meticulously prepare for its re-opening.

When venues are given the green light, they will need to adhere to new rules and build in certain requirements to help keep staff and clients safe and these will take time to factor in.

July 2020

While the hospitality sector has been given the go-ahead to trade again, it was given less than two weeks’ notice to get back on its feet, which comes with its own pressures.

Having the luxury of more time, and the chance to see how a similar industry reacts before our own, are positives the business meetings and events industry should take from this.

For those unsure of where to start, guidance is available. The mia has developed a package of support to assist venues with their re-opening preparations, including a dedicated roadmap that is signposted as a key resource in both the government’s ‘Visitor Economy Guidance’ and in UK Hospitality’s COVID-Secure advice for the hospitality industry.

The roadmap considers the safety of both an operator’s staff and clients throughout the entire customer journey and guides venue operators through their risk assessment preparations. It is designed to help venues decide on the best course of action for their own operation.

In addition, we have enhanced AIM – the UK’s only national accreditation for venues – with AIM Secure. The new professional standard features vital infection prevention

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and control protocols which AIM accredited venues will need to meet in order to gain the increased quality mark.

By having AIM Secure, venues will be able to demonstrate to event buyers that they are committed to offering a first-class service safely and responsibly for the health of staff and customers.

Elsewhere we’re supporting VisitEngland’s ‘We’re Good to Go’ consumer confidence campaign providing access to the new standard.

The industry has suffered from enforced closure, but I believe that business will return if venues can show that they have done everything possible to re-open in a safe and secure way. By using the time we now have to prepare methodically, we will all stand a better chance of success.

ONLINE EVENTS

We Go On(line) The move to online has confirmed what we already knew.

The technology is here, it was just waiting for us to embrace it.

Like everyone in the events industry, H&E North has been closely monitoring the pandemic and its effect on our community.

The incredible resilience of event planners and showrunners has been wonderful to see. The move to online events, which if you have been reading H&E North for the past few years, has been brewing for a while now, has forced a generation of event profs to explore the possibilities of virtual meet-ups, global hang-outs and widespread webinars to replace face-toface networking for the foreseeable.

It’s obviously devastating that the event you have been organising for months will no longer take place in the format that you originally envisioned. Certain aspects like the catering and the atmosphere of your chosen venue cannot be replicated for your attendees online, but by salvaging your event and understanding its true purpose – usually sharing knowledge and allowing clients to come together to network – it can still be worthwhile taking place in an online capacity.

As anyone in the event industry knows, no amount of planning can predict the weather, a venue or speaker cancellation, or indeed, a global pandemic. When unexpected setbacks derail your event, a

contingency plan will help you decide your next move. The bottom line is, despite your expertise and experience, adaptability is still the most beneficial skill you need as an event professional. And with a variety of digital formatting options available, you can more seamlessly pivot to meet any given challenge.

Manchester’s Mustard Media is a case in point. Marketed as ‘Europe’s leading festivals and events accelerator’, following the outbreak it was tasked with completely reinventing its offering and launched the ‘Business Keeps on Dancing’ webinar series, providing leadership with others for the events sector on how to adapt to the changed environment. Shortly afterwards, it devised a new Virtual Events Lab for its clients and the wider sector. The key was to engage and maintain its customer base, as well as use this new marketing opportunity to maintain its brand recognition.

Things to Remember

Don’t forget, having an event online automatically opens up your guestlist for attendees who might not have been previously able to attend, that includes new potential clients and markets for you to utilise post-virus. It might also suddenly

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mean that your dream speaker who couldn’t make it before can finally log in and represent your brand or initiative.

However, make sure you do not simply try and dump your planned event wholesale into an online format. Demonstrations or certain ice breaker games may not work online, but events based around discussion or a sharing of ideas are ideally suited to a move to livestreaming or online meetings. Supposed to be incorporating a product launch? Why not host an everpopular live ‘unboxing’ experience instead before a real unveiling in person can be rescheduled?

Make sure you still schedule in regular breaks for your attendees too. Though they will be relatively stationary, just as you would with a normal event, you want your attendees to be alert and open to learning, not checking their phone or trying to find an opportune moment to sneak off to the bathroom. Letting your attendees succumb to digital fatigue guarantees that they will be easily distracted by their immediate environment too. Remember a typical TED Talk is often 18 minutes, so try adding a short break every 30 minutes and a longer break every 90 minutes.

www.hospitalityandeventsnorth.com

ONLINE EVENTS

Hannah Martin of Talented Ladies Club

Choosing the Right Platform

effective the platform can be for memorable engagement!

The video-conferencing app has seen a huge rise in downloads since lockdown, and is now being used by millions for work, social gatherings and large-scale events. Zoom lets you connect speakers, sponsors, panellists and attendees, maximising faceto-face interaction…from a distance. Designed for managing audiences, you can quickly promote an attendee to a panellist so they can interact live, with other interactive features including hand raising, Q&As and polling enabling additional engagement, while PayPal integration even allows you to charge a registration fee for attendance.

“Don’t scrimp on trying to find free solutions,” says Hannah Martin, founder of Talented Ladies Club which offers online training sessions for businesswomen. Finding the software to host your event is key. “You get one chance of impressing online, and tech hiccups from trying to patch together a collection of free software solutions won’t give a great impression. It also adds to your stress and can impede your performance.

“For the same reason, if you’re using new technology have a trial run first to get a feel of how it works. This enables you to iron out any potential glitches and means you’ll feel more comfortable and less stressed for the live run.”

And if you feel that you are missing that all important space to network, broadcasting live to your attendees is a perfect opportunity to drive them to your social media channels to continue the conversation elsewhere. Why not even create a unique hashtag just for this?

The popularity of Zoom speaks for itself. If you’ve taken part in a Zoom quiz session in the last few months, then you’ll know how

Here to Stay?

With lockdowns slowly being relaxed and certain businesses, especially in hospitality, allowed to open again, does this mean that the trend for online events will disappear as quickly as it began?

Mark Hayward, CEO of Northern Hive, a PR and marketing agency with experience of event management in the hospitality, technology and B2B space, explains how this move to online has simply accelerated the inevitable: “Even before the coronavirus pandemic hit, the tradition of boarding a plane to a conference, paying for hotel stays and dining out at lavish networking events was already in decline – albeit slowly.

“Concerns around our carbon footprint, reduced budgets, and more flexible working arrangements have been influencing something of a digital transformation over the last decade. More conferences have adopted live streaming of speaker sessions or product launches for example.”

But Dave Ball, the Events Director at FMI, an incentives and events agency warns that

July 2020

2021 will be the real test for event profs: “Restarting the events industry in 2021 is going to require expert planning and a great deal of flexibility, but also faith that people will want to connect once again, when the virus has passed. While an online conference or webinar is cost effective in the present climate, it sometimes doesn’t lead to long-term loyalty and crucial two-way engagement; and that’s what

Mark Heyward of Northern Hive

we need to consider when looking to the future.

“Investing in events for 2021 may seem daunting at the moment, but from my years of experience working in this industry, it’s the only route that will motivate and inspire people once again.”

Dave Ball of FMI Agency

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INTERVIEW

Best Laid Plans Event entrepreneur and TV’s “Millennium Party Planner” Liz Taylor was due to celebrate her company’s 25th year as a high-flying events production company… and then a global pandemic hit.

What a year! How have you been, Liz? Well, that’s a very loaded question! We were all set to celebrate the company’s 25th anniversary, with a year of activities planned, when TLC’s greatest challenge came knocking on the door. I am an optimist by nature, and pragmatic too. So, for me, I have tried to take all the positives that I can from the impact of COVID-19, create opportunity from the madness and ensure the long-term survival of my company. It’s been hard work, with some tough moments, but we are now in a good place thankfully.

Events suddenly cancelling can be devastating…

Overnight, a full order book was reduced to zero. A huge business dilemma, but also an emotional one. I have a small but incredible team, and I was resolute in securing their jobs. Of course, I was worried for the future, but we stuck to the job at hand and worked closely with venue contacts and clients to rebook events, without clients incurring cancellation fees or losing deposits. Once the furlough scheme came into operation for my team, I was left to keep the home fires burning.

Then, the challenge of keeping the business alive. It was at this point that I realised how valuable the relationships I had secured over the years were. Suppliers, colleagues, venues, everyone vulnerable and looking for positive forecasts. So, I did what I always do.

I created a strategy, doubled our efforts on social media and marketing initiatives and reinforced my brand. I took to Zoom like a duck to water and never looked back. The results have been seen in securing business for 2021, amazing feedback from clients and new opportunities to support the wider events and hospitality industries.

Working from home has become your new normal. Will this be the case for event profs generally?

It is entirely possible to work for home much of the time, but the willingness to do that is more about event teams than managers – or should be. For some, home working is a logistical, family and emotional nightmare. They miss team interaction and the separation of home and work life. There is a tendency to also over-work, and the

mental health of your team is vital; especially now. On the flipside, some prefer it. No time spent commuting. Less traffic pollution. Lower travel costs. More flexibility. And some find it easier to focus without office distractions.

I think for employers there are genuine benefits. Small offices needed, so lower overheads, is the key fiscal one of course. And if it makes for a more productive workforce, as research indicates, it could be a winning formula. For me, it might be a blend of home and office working to suit the employee and business needs.

A time of reflection can be valuable…

I took time to look long and hard at the business and work out our value and where our USPs lay. We have focused all our energies and marketing on this. Some companies have opted to pivot, and reinvent as a virtual event company, but for me…. we are what we are. TLC is about delivering a unique live event experience, and no amount of tech and screens can replace that. So, we put our energies behind supporting industry campaigns to relaunch the live events sector. We structured the business so that we can be ready to hit the ground running once live events are back on.

Personally, what has Liz’s Lockdown Life involved?

Busy! From doing Zoom yoga to redesigning my website, and so much more. The lockdown gave me the time to really invest in TLC’s sister business, Liz Taylor Consultancy. We support hospitality businesses with brand development programmes, creative ideas and strategies to maximise revenue. It’s been phenomenal. We secured four clients in as many weeks, and the phone has been red hot. In addition, my two lockdown labours of love have been recording my new weekly podcast, Events that Made Me, and completing my book. A tick in both ‘bucket list’ boxes!

Have you been back to any venues yet?

I have been on reccies myself for events next year, and as long as we all abide by the safety rules, they go well. Venues

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and planners can work hand-in-hand to enable smaller events to take place in the short term, but larger occasions I suspect are a bit further away. Outdoor events are entirely possible, and I am working on one at the moment.

Realistically though, I think that much of the industry will not recover until Q1 or Q2 of 2021. The greater issue will be the psychology of the nation and providing enough reassurances, that people will be content to attend a large corporate gathering. A variety of ‘safe meet/ stay’ schemes have emerged, which help. But corporate responsibility for their employees is a big factor. Who is willing to stage a major conference without a vaccine in place? We are just not quite there yet.

Looking further into the future, another 25 years possibly?

Never say never. I have the structure in place to ensure TLC can ride out the worst effects of coronavirus, and still be leading the way next year. Our order book is filling up with a series of exciting private events in spring/ summer and corporate events in the latter part of next year. As for another 25 years… I have plans!

For those who were banking on a career in events, is it still a growth industry?

I was recently invited to discuss exactly this subject, in a virtual tutorial with students. The answer is – we don’t have an answer yet.

I am passionate that students who have committed three years of studying shouldn’t be left on the shelf. The event industry needs young talent to be nurtured and given opportunity.

We have clicked the pause button, but the event sector will bounce back. For now, graduates should take jobs in retail, hospitality or voluntary work…wherever they can. Use those roles to develop communication skills, teamwork, problem solving, time management. All skills that can later be transferred into the event industry.

Don’t lose hope. Your time will come.

Tlc-ltd.co.uk

www.hospitalityandeventsnorth.com

NEWS

North

In Brief Steph Simmons Photography

Associations Come Together to Make Events Safe Again

The Event Industry Alliance (EIA) – the collective associations of Association of Event Organisers (AEO), Association of Event Venues (AEV) and Event Supplier and Services Association (ESSA) has introduced its latest cross association working group initiative – Project Confidence.

The purpose of the group is to formulate and implement consistent, timely and relevant communications across the events industry to inform and engage stakeholders on the work being done to facilitate the safe resurgence of events, at the earliest opportunity. The project’s objective is also to send a uniform message to audiences which instils a renewed confidence in live events on the other side of the pandemic and prioritises safety.

The group, co-chaired by Louise Day, Assistant Director of Marketing and

Inside the Tipi at Cedar Court Harrogate

Cedar Court Celebrates Record Surge in Bookings

With confirmed bookings at 92% and 66% increase in phone enquiries, Cedar Court Hotel Group “has, all things considered, navigated the stresses of lockdown exceptionally well” reports Wayne Topley Managing Director of the Yorkshire-based hotel group.

Fresh off the back of hosting a series of ‘Singalong Drive In Movie Nights’ at Cedar Court Bradford, the group is moving forward with creating a ‘garden lounge’ in the grounds of its Harrogate venue. Topley continues: “This isn’t just a simple tent on the lawn though… no, that wouldn’t do for us! This is, as people have come to expect from Cedar Court, pretty exciting - it’s a full-blown tipi and we are very excited about this new addition!

“Amazingly, we have already seen an influx of private bookings for ‘family bubble events’… which is incredible given the fact we’ve only just put the tipi up!”

Erected in the hotel’s grounds right on the edge of historic Harrogate parkland, it has been named ‘The Tipi on The Stray’. The tipi can hold 38 safely distanced people inside and has further outside seating for 34 other customers.

Open as of 4th July, the Tipi will be tray service only, with all food and drink ordered via the hotel’s specially made new app and paid for on contactless terminals.

Topley is keen to reassure returning guests however: “To further put people’s minds at rest: Cedar Court Hotels have secured in total, three externally accredited certifications in support of our new COVID-safe processes. These accreditations let us know that how we are now operating, is exceptionally safe. We are raring to go and the team are confident to do so.”

Louise Day and Kate Simpson

B2B Events Set to Bounce Back Reveals Survey

‘Post COVID-19 – The Future of B2B Events’, Space Global’s international survey of nearly 500 senior B2B marketeers shows there are reasons to be optimistic for the B2B events industry.

To shine a light on the outlook for the B2B events industry, strategy and M&A consultancy Space Global carried out an international survey in June on 468 senior decision-makers from around the globe.

The survey shows that the immediate impact of COVID-19 is dramatic. B2B events spend in Q2 2020 were down 80% in comparison to Q2 2019. However, most marketeers expect initial re-engagement with events to be feasible within the next three to four months – albeit with restrictions. B2B marketeers from China and Italy are most optimistic about a quick re-opening, while those from North America, the UK, and Russia expect a later restart.

The survey suggests that B2B marketeers will remain cautious during the initial recovery. While eager to return to events, they will do so at their own pace; events spend is still expected to be down by around

Cvent’s Free Training for Event Professionals Continues

Cvent, the meetings, events, and hospitality technology provider, has announced that it has trained and certified more than 20,000 global marketers, event planners, and hospitality professionals through its free training and certification programme.

The company is temporarily offering all of its Cvent Certifications and training programmes to anyone in the industry free of charge.

Certifications typically have been offered only to Cvent customers, and it can cost up to £1,400 for an individual to get certified and trained across the entire Cvent platform. Also included in the programme are hundreds of free virtual training sessions and certification study groups, hosted by Cvent experts.

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Communications at Manchester Central and Kate Simpson, Marketing and Communications Director at the Business Design Centre, brings together marketers within AEO, AEV and ESSA membership.

Louise Day said: “It’s a real privilege to work with colleagues across the industry as part of this unique collaboration. We all recognise the importance of coming together to create a unified voice for our industry; one that not only amplifies the significance of events and the value they create but one that helps reassure our clients, partners and customers that we’re working tirelessly to get events back in business.”

Kate Simpson added: “The events industry has been working hard over the last few months, in both lobbying the government and planning how events could now look and safely operate. The aptly named ‘Project Confidence’ is a key step in providing reassurance to all those who attend and participate in events, that we collectively as venues, organisers and suppliers, are doing everything we can to create safe spaces for people to meet again. I am proud to be working alongside members of all three associations in establishing communications that will support the work that has been going on behind the scenes to make the return to events a reality.”

50% versus pre-pandemic levels.

However, once the current COVID-19 crisis has been overcome and event conditions ‘return to normal’, B2B marketeers anticipate a surge in spend on B2B events. B2B marketing budgets are expected to increase by 8% and events will form a higher share of pre-crisis budgets, caused by a heightened need for face-to-face interactions to drive the economic recovery. Most B2B marketeers expect a ‘return to normal’ from February or March 2021 onwards; signposted by the availability of a vaccine.

B2B marketeers are also clear about their expectations for event organisers: to re-start live events in autumn, a wide array of precautions is necessary and welcomed. Participant safety is paramount for exhibitors, and larger companies are especially likely to call for as many protections as possible – even at the expense of foot traffic on the expo floor.

“B2B event organisers face a challenging road to recovery, but face-to-face interactions will remain business-critical.” commented Christoph Schedl, Managing Director of Space Global Strategy.

More than 1,600 industry professionals across the UK and Europe have already completed training, Cvent reports, with certifications and training programmes free until 31st August.

Patrick Smith, Cvent’s CMO, said: “In times like these, it’s critical that we all find ways to lift each other up, support our communities, and work towards a brighter future, and we’re committed to doing exactly that. We’re extremely proud to offer our industry-leading certifications and learning opportunities to all meeting, event, and hospitality professionals at no cost to them. Our goal is to train and certify tens of thousands of industry professionals, giving them the tools and skills they need to bounce back quickly once things start to go back to normal – boosting not only their confidence and careers, but also the industry at-large.”

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OUTDOOR EVENTS

Outside the Box With government guidelines hindering live events right now, small outdoor events could offer an immediate solution.

H&E North packs up its desk to step into the great outdoors.

For those in the fast-paced corporate world, enjoying the great outdoors has become a rare perk after a long week of work. When meeting and events planners incorporate the external activities into an itinerary it usually takes the form of a round of golf solely to seal that business deal, or as an opportunity for a well-earned break between sessions. Now vital face-to-face connections outside are required to help reduce the risk of spreading coronavirus, as well as encourage innovative thinking.

try not to choose locations that may lead to a slip in professionalism. A quick pow-wow outside while you grab some lunch may be convenient for you, but no one needs to see you munch down into a meatball sub in the middle of a meeting.

Versatility Matters

Larger events are possible, like product launches and event conferences. Companies are starting to book more versatile mobile pop-ups and venues equipped for outdoor events, with flexible extra spaces.

Outside the Office

Not everyone that works the nine-to-five are in close proximity to such stimulating conditions, however.

While some companies have invested in creating less stuffy working spaces indoors – think brainstorming on funky beanbags – the location of these businesses are usually convenient to get to, but not so conducive for outdoor working. Remember, the car park of a business park is hardly going to impress your clients or inspire your team, unless you do something creative in it.

Sites like Woodside in Warwickshire and Highgate House in Northamptonshire are experienced in providing natural environments for teams or conferences to take their delegates outside. The Sundial Group, which runs both venues, challenges guests to meet with the sounds of a babbling brook and the smell of fresh spring flowers, and a healthy dose of Vitamin D to revitalise them.

Mobile roadshow companies like Versatile Venues, on our front cover, can offer an extension to a venue or turn a space in to something amazing and COVID safe, while you could even choose to enforce a ‘notech’ rule so that your team can truly break free of the monotony of office life. A positive change of scenery for your team or clients could be just what they need.

There are considerations. A location needs safe and suitable seating. Is there a data privacy issue to consider when conducting business outside? Is the space accessible for all? Simply expecting your team to plonk themselves on the grass outside can alienate those who have disabilities or penalise employees that have health reasons for preferring to work indoors and in a comfortable chair.

Brief Encounters

Where meeting outside may work is when a catch up with an external client or partner is required. It is a good idea to research where you can have access to a decent Wi-Fi connection so you can both refer to materials or information quickly if you need to, as well as hunt for proper seating or a bench for you to safely socially distance if required and take notes efficiently.

Meeting outdoors could signal to a prospective client that you are able to ‘think outside the box’ and are open to new ways of doing business, but

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EVENT TECH

Tech Health Check Don’t keep your distance from these innovative new ideas to help us all stay connected online and in person.

IN SITU

ON SCREEN Multi-person thermal scanner Hospitality and events staff are the lifeblood of events, and the COVID-19 crisis has finally shown that the health and wellbeing of staff should be paramount. The new state-of-the art Thermavis product range is specifically designed to enable efficient and nonintrusive temperature testing, a tool that can be used to monitor the potential symptoms of employees, clients and guests.

You’ve heard of, and probably used by now, Zoom, but BlueJeans, another video conferencing platform has taken it to the next level by facilitating large scale events online. Up to 50,000 attendees can be part of your event thanks to immersive video technology. Whether you are hosting a training session, a regular meeting with your team or interactive webcasts for a global audience, BlueJeans is taking the working from home (WFH) trend and running with it.

This June, the platform announced a string of new features to promote further meeting security, engagement and time management assistance in response to a 300% increase in utilisation compared to the period pre-lockdown. The aim is to fight ‘video fatigue’ with workers now getting used to an endless series of video calls.

The single-click ‘Raise Hand’ function will allow participants to engage better (and of course, not talk over one another), as well as an emoji function to inject a bit of fun into the online office setting. Another new feature is ‘Meeting Highlights’ which can take notes of any major actions decided during the meeting, so those unable to attend can quickly catch up via Meeting Highlights without having to dig through their emails.

Hand sanitising digital signage Here at H&E North our marketing team has answered the call for digital displays that dispense hand sanitiser to users while offering exciting advertising and information messages, meaning that event professionals can potentially plan gatherings that add this vital, potentially life-saving step to their layout configuration. Often washing facilities are just not readily accessible during an event, so making sure that visitors can make sensible hygiene choices is one of the many ways that will make delegates feel more comfortable to meet face-toface once again.

The scanner is a non-intrusive, cutting-edge thermal camera and amazingly, is no larger than an iPhone and so sits atop an easily moveable tripod. The Thermavis MultiPerson Thermal Scanner accurately reads the skin temperature of up to six people at once and has recently launched in the UK, following £3 million investment in research and development (R&D). Its primary function is to help the events and hospitality industry quickly and efficiently detect individuals who are carrying a fever – one of the primary symptoms of COVID-19.

The digital screen above the dispenser is also another advertising opportunity, with the versatile signage relaying automated information or branding via an eye-catching LCD panel wherever it is displayed in your event.

It uses artificial intelligence and state-of-theart software to take a reading, in real time, of multiple attendees’ body temperature with an accuracy of 0.5 degrees centigrade.

It can be placed at the entrance of a building, meaning that if an elevated temperature is identified, the person can be prevented from entering in order to safeguard employees and delegates within or asked to consent to further testing.

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CLEANING UP

Facilities and business premises are reopening, and the process of choosing a safety compliant hotel or venue for a business hang-out is a major concern for everyone. Knowing the cleaning and safety procedures that are being implemented to mitigate COVID-19 is now definitely a part of the selection criteria for venue bookers.

The technology company Infraspeak, with the support of the tech4COVID19 movement, has created PlaceCheckup. com, a platform to give visibility to the cleaning and safety routines implemented by venues and business managers. Before leaving home, anyone can easily access the platform, search for an establishment on the

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map, and see real-time information about the measures implemented by the places they intend to visit.

To make sure this information is available and updated, general managers simply need to add their businesses to PlaceCheckup. com and complete a simple questionnaire about its compliance with safety and health guidelines as outlined by the World Health Organization. They can then download a ‘COVID-19 Prevention Badge’ to share it online or have it on display at their premises to inform visitors.

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CHRISTMAS PARTIES

Looking A Lot Like Christmas?

2020 has been a tough year for our industry and the end-of-year celebrations we use to blow off all that steam are potentially being postponed too. Will the annual Christmas party ever be the same again?

H&E North discusses this with some key movers.

This year has presented many economic, social and emotional challenges across the UK and the globe. There is no doubt that this will impact the usual merry sentiment around Christmas, not to mention the government restrictions which will likely hamper any planned large-scale celebrations.

Still Come O Ye Faithful

We are currently sourcing exclusive rooms in restaurants so they can have a private area just for them. We will create bespoke menus, style the tables, and give the area a theme if they wish, and some venues will allow us to bring entertainment. We are working with tighter budgets but can still create something special and fun on a smaller scale for employees.”

Lavinia Stewart-Brown, founder of StewartBrown-Events, a boutique events planning consultancy, reveals that she anticipated that Christmas 2020 would not take the form we usually expect in the corporate world when her event planning activities came to a crashing halt in March: “Christmas Parties in 2020 are going to look very different, and I knew this would be the case from the beginning of lockdown.”

“A few of my corporate clients who work in banking, law and fashion have put their large annual Christmas party planning on hold. I was in the middle of doing venue tours at the start of March, looking for a venue that could accommodate more than 300 guests in a prime location. As soon as the lockdown was enforced the venue tours stopped and most corporates realised they would have a limited budget this year, with restrictions most likely in place.”

Instead Lavinia has been devising different ideas for alternative Christmas get-togethers for smaller teams that will have just as much, if not more personal impact for employees: “Rather than book a large venue for all 400 employees, the managers of each individual departments could take their staff out instead for a smaller celebration. The clients we are speaking to say their teams vary from approximately eight people up to 25 people.

Companies and event profs will have to figure out if there is an appetite for gathering together at the end of 2020, and with news on whether mass or group gatherings can take place still to be confirmed, the time when teams would normally be booking in their desired venues and finalising their chosen theme, is already upon us.

But this might not be suitable for everyone.

Larger businesses that require their employees work in an office adapted for social distancing, might feel more comfortable returning to the classic ‘office Christmas party’ of old and host a bash within company premises: “One of my larger corporate clients has asked what we could create within the office environment that still allows for social distancing. We are exploring options such as having fancy dress items packaged and left on each employee’s desks for them to wear without having to rummage through a dress-up box that lots of people have touched.”

At the time of writing, it looks as though large gatherings of people are likely to be restricted for the foreseeable future, and this is leading to those who have forwardbooked large work and office parties being told their party plans will not now happen: “Just as we thought 2020 could not get much worse, we’ve had to cancel our Christmas party – as have many of our clients. Our party venue isn’t sure how social distancing will work, so they aren’t bothering this year – it’s too much of a risk for them,” says Jonathan Ratcliffe from office space company Offices.co.uk.

after things relating to their industry, or funny names to do with their bosses or characters in the workplace. We have also looked into quirky fun entertainment that can go handin-hand with an occasion like this, and if the offices have a kitchen, catering can also be provided with canapes or bowl food.”

For those who still cannot meet up in person, there are plans afoot to celebrate the usual office and work Christmas games but using virtual technology to bring Christmas cheer to all. Jonathan concludes: “We’re excited to see what everyone comes up with to replace the face-to-face Christmas fun – it’ll be the perfect for grumpy Scrooges that’s for sure.”

The lockdown has meant that Lavinia has sourced lots of new ideas to help the Christmas celebrations still feel special: “Why not bring in a bar company to not only make a bar and serve drinks from but also to go round and serve people at their desks from a fun drinks trolley? The bar and trolley can display a menu with cocktails named

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www.hospitalityandeventsnorth.com

Although it might seem a little early to be thinking about planning a Christmas party, event planners and business owners should already be gaining an understanding of the COVID-related issues which might impact this. H&E North spoke to Tom Moyes, Partner at Blacks Solicitors who specialises in employment law about what to consider…

Data Protection COVID-19 screening is something which may have to be put into place at all mass gatherings moving forward. If guests are being screened for COVID-19 on arrival, business owners and event planners should ensure that no personal or sensitive data is shared and the data is stored safely.

It may be necessary to have an internal track and trace system in place to ensure no guest has been in contact with someone who has COVID, but this can potentially lead to further GDPR and data protection issues which must be taken into account.

Force Majeure Clauses Business owners should check the terms and conditions with venues in the event of cancellations caused by a second wave, as this would no longer be deemed a force majeure event.

Employers should investigate whether it is possible to postpone the hiring of the venue until the second wave has passed, rather than having to cancel and lose out on the deposit.

Insurance Event planners, hospitality organisations and venues must be aware of their insurance cover in the event that they have to cancel.

Business owners should review their existing policies to check whether they would be able to cover losses and liabilities. This extends to refunds to customers and/or payouts to suppliers where those services can’t be cancelled without payment.

Health and Safety If the Christmas party is organised successfully and goes ahead, business owners may be held liable to ensure that they take reasonable care of the health and safety of every employee in attendance.

Employers should consider working with the venue and any suppliers to carry out risk assessments, to ensure the gathering complies with government guidelines and regulations to limit cross-infection and the spread of COVID-19.

For more information, visit Lawblacks.com/ personal/employment-law.

Here are some further ideas for a ‘socially distanced’ Christmas party at home…

Secret Santa

Why not deliver a lovely gift via post to a randomly selected workmate?

Bow Gifts has some great ideas. Bow. gifts

Virtual Christmas Dinner and Drinks

Enjoy a freshly-made conference call meal together with all the trimmings.

Team catering sites like Citypantry. com are now delivering food and drink boxes for virtual office parties.

Virtual Wine and Cheese Courses

Lovecheese.co.uk based in York can deliver cheese and wine to

July 2020

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your door and then guide you and your colleagues through with virtual tasting notes!

Zoom Karaoke

You and your colleagues can at least you can hit the ‘mute’ button if your boss is channelling their best Meat Loaf! Add in a drinking game or a creative cocktail kit from Gingerray. co.uk for even more fun!

Game Night

Spreadlikewildfire.co.uk has a raft of online teambuilding ideas, including escape rooms and quizzes. How about a fancydress conference call?

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INTERVIEW

Holding Court H&E North ‘meets’ Stewart Moss, Group Director of Sales for Yorkshire’s Cedar Court Hotels to chat about lockdown life, keeping motivated and the future of the hotel industry post-coronavirus.

Hi Stewart, hope you are keeping well! How’s lockdown been for you?

Hi, same to you. As for my personal lockdown experience, it has not been that bad at all, in the grand scheme of things. My family and I are lucky to live in a nice little village that has plenty of amenities, it is a short walk to some woodland and I already had a home office set up.

We also bought a puppy just before lockdown who keeps us all busy. We haven’t much to grumble about and we definitely don’t take that for granted. The unpleasant part of all this for me has been seeing so many former colleagues and friends suffer due to the knock the industry has taken. I hope to see better days for them all soon.

As for the business, I know I can speak for all our senior team when I say, I genuinely believe that we have used this time as well as we possibly could have done. We have revisited all our key strategies and marketing collateral and have looked at different outlets to expand our company’s reach – plus, we have all added a great deal of value to our communities which is a real source of pride.

Netflix, which is very funny and has a truly great soundtrack. I am also currently finishing bingeing The Larry Sanders Show, which has me in stitches.

operates safely post-virus, and we had to continue to keep our teams engaged and aware of ‘what we will look like’ upon their return.

So, how did you get into the hotel industry?

In addition – and a quick scan of our social media will attest to this – we have had a completely different focus during lockdown; our sole aim has been to ‘add value’ to natural and new business friends alike.

Kindness became our new currency, and this has resulted in some spectacular efforts across all the hotels during a difficult time, we have behaved in a manner that has further highlighted who we really are as a group.

I grew up in a village just outside of York, and there’s a hotel within cycling distance from our family home called Aldwark Manor. I was advised one day that this place was looking for evening casual staff and as I already had a weekend day job (selling cars at a family friend’s garage…as you do) I was pretty excited to see if I could get some shifts to support my ever-growing CD collection (remember those?).

Upon completing my first evening shift, I immediately fell in love with the industry.

Hotels were pretty formal affairs in those days – I had to change from a morning suit to evening suit on shift for example, but everything about my evenings there were great. I loved the atmosphere and the buzz.

Ultimately, it is your team management skills that will ensure any success – nothing else.

What will be your best memories of the last few months?

Aside from the aforementioned puppy – who has been an excellent addition to the house – we have all enjoyed the weekly dose of Jay’s Online Pub Quiz on YouTube where we’ve been exchanging answers with a large WhatsApp group of friends and family.

I have also really enjoyed taking the time to listen so many obscure albums from start to finish and have spent a serious number of hours with my guitar. TV-wise, we recently watched Judd Apatow’s series Love on

Plus, we used to welcome our fair share of celebrities which could often be very interesting to say the least! I also met a close pal of mine at that hotel, so I owe that place a lot!

How have operations for Cedar Court Hotels changed recently?

The priorities for our collective focus were immediately clear as we entered lockdown: we had to ensure that we continued to keep our customers informed as to just how hard we would work to ensure our business

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As for my own commercial team, I am fiercely proud of what we have achieved together during this time, more so of how adaptable we have become, where we are heading next as a group, I am excited for our collective futures. Cedar Court Hotels is ‘fighting fit’.

And your role?

Naturally, being a leader during lockdown has posed a challenge to us all – we have had to adapt quickly to the fact that we all needed to change and revisit our known methods of interaction and commercial focuses. I have asked myself a lot if I have been doing enough for my team during this time; I envisage that we will come out of this an even more robust and agile unit.

The key learning for me though has just been further affirmation of what we all knew about the hospitality industry to begin with…that companies housing those truly great people, with their truly great personalities, are going to come out of this the best. I am sure that by now we have all directed our own goodwill towards the businesses in our communities that we feel ‘deserve it’. You simply cannot duplicate or centrally replicate ‘personality’ and I think this is a mistake many companies have made. We will now see more and more evidence emerge now of how well (or not) many of them have looked after their people.

www.hospitalityandeventsnorth.com

Our industry has taken a huge hit commercially, how do you see the recovery?

It has indeed, and we have already seen such an enormous number of businesses fold which has been both saddening and alarming in equal measure. Fundamentally though, I believe that the need for social interaction and the desire for travel are potent drivers that are going to see our industry overcome this.

The forecasts for key cities are finally starting to display a better picture – as too is our own pick up – so a healthy amount of optimism is slowly creeping in again…which is refreshing. That being said, we are ‘phasing in’ our optimism and at the moment, this looks like a very carefully controlled business that will be operating at an assumed gradient of occupancy return. We expect Cedar Court to be starting off well though, with a good summer driven by our new package #TheGreatYorkshireEscape.

Meetings and conferences will take a different form in the coming months.

What are Cedar Court doing to ensure the safety of delegates?

As a group, we were pretty far ahead with the technology we offered pre-COVID, but we’ve gone a step further now and the guest’s mobile phone can be employed to do everything from checking in, opening their door to pulling up our menus. We’ve also produced extensive collateral to really put the guest at ease, pre-empting everything from the signage for corridors to a door frame sticker you break upon entry into your meeting room or bedroom, there is also a video arriving shortly to further highlight just how much we’ve done to ensure the safety of our guests and team.

Our Managing Director (Wayne Topley) has been very clear that with our extensive new operating processes – he no longer wants hotel cleaning and disinfecting to be ‘part of the mystery’ of hotel operations, he wants that hard work to be visible to our guests.

Subsequently a great deal of training has been underway at Cedar Court to equip our team with the confidence to communicate how the procedures will keep their guests safe.

You’ve headed up large teams and implemented new initiatives across the UK in your career. What has been your secret to driving results?

When I look back, I can see just how much I have benefitted from the wealth of experience that comes from having worked my way up. You get to learn what is important in so many people’s working

July 2020

lives and you get to understand how to then ‘reach’ those people. Ultimately, it is your team management skills that will ensure any success – nothing else. So, my answer to this is always my learned understanding of how to look after people.

The final thing I say a lot is ‘Have fun. We aren’t sewing arms back on here! Don’t ever fall into the trap of taking yourself too seriously and go to work to enjoy it.’

I spend quite a lot of time talking to junior managers these days, even more so of late, and I seem to end up saying a lot of the same things to them - in which I have tried to distil 20 years’ experience:

Do you have a message to event planners who are feeling cautious about organising events this year?

‘Your job is to move obstacles out of your team’s way’ ‘Cut through the noise’ ‘Future proof’ ‘Make your team look great’

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There is some wisdom in there…somewhere!

Have faith in the industry’s ability to overcome these operational hurdles and that your venue can still provide you with a safe and engaging environment. As a group, we have worked incredibly hard to hone our ‘new welcome’ as mentioned earlier. This is the same across the board, because we all want to get back to doing what we do best: looking after people.

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