HEN June 2021

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A Warm Welcome

JUNE / JULY 2021

It’s an emotional rollercoaster, right?

We sit here early June looking forward to the return of large events, Confex goes on and yet there still hovers that wave of uncertainty as we wait for announcements. And of course, everything can change so quickly, but it’s time for the government to help get this industry back on its feet. We look at how the landscape would look with COVID-19 passports, the recent trial events, how Christmas parties will look this year and the challenges faced with recruiting the staff you need. Plus all the usual features, expert opinions, news and views and you can win a stay over at the impressive St. George’s Park!

Publisher Elliot Landy

Features Editor James Wilson

ESSA

HBAA

mia EIF

Changes are certainly afoot with event catering and tech, while world-class venues like our front cover feature Wyboston Lakes Resort are doing everything to facilitate events in a safe environment. I don’t know about you, but I think a great night out is needed, so get your Christmas party sorted for something to look forward to and let's let it all hang out.

We can’t wait to see you all soon. In the meantime, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn for the latest.

Elliot Landy.

/HospitalityNrth

/hospitality-and-events-north-magazine

Design

Stacey Hanson-Rothery

Editorial Assistant Emily Stone

Senior Account Manager Adam Freedman

Contributors

Jonny Ross NOEA Govnet Intelligo Ignition Corporate Away Days Grip Manchester International Conference Centre

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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

Contents

Leading Bedfordshire leisure and business resort Wyboston Lakes spearheads a green recovery as the industry gets back to business. 13

H&E North front cover feature: Going

Green

Competition

Win an overnight stay for two at The Hilton St. George’s Park! 11

Food for Thought

With the return of live events the corporate catering business is coming back to life, but how will it look moving forward? 15

H&E North Meets

Chef Dave Swade of Blue Pepper Catering to discuss the pandemic, childhood dreams, and favourite ingredients. 16

Leading the Way

The Event Supplier and Services Association believes the pandemic offers event suppliers a once in a lifetime opportunity to build back better. 24

Come Together

Bring colleagues and clients together for a more positive workplace environment with our selection of team building activities across the north. 32

Test Pilot

H&E North reveals the successes and challenges posed by the latest pilot events paving the way for the return of large-scale events.

Spectators attended a series of scientific pilot events as part of the government’s plan to safely get big crowds back this summer. Working closely with local authorities and organisers, the science-led Events Research Programme (ERP) was run across a range of settings, venues, and activities. The programme’s findings will support the full reopening of similar settings across the events sector in the summer.

All pilots were designed in a scientifically controlled way, with special consideration to reduce risk of transmission. The events were exempt from the wider coronavirus regulations, including the rule of six. The programme was overseen by an industry-led steering group working closely with national and local public health authorities.

At the time of writing, the board is currently considering the results and is set to make recommendations to the Prime Minister and the Secretaries of State for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on how policy can work to bring about the phased return of larger audiences to venues and events up and down the UK.

The pilot event at the Celtic Manor Resort was one of nine indoor and outdoor events throughout South Wales. However, the event exposed the unviability of present restrictions, leading events industry professionals to call for a roadmap towards the safe return of the business events sector in Wales.

Under the guidance of the Welsh government, the event tested the risk mitigation measures proposed for the industry with a range of stringent health and safety measures in place. Attendees were asked to carry out a lateral flow test on arrival, having already secured a negative

PCR test in the days prior, three separate colour groups were assigned to manage delegate flow, and mask wearing was required when not seated for sessions.

Attendees enjoyed a full programme of activity throughout the day, including a keynote presentation from Olympic diving medallist, Leon Taylor, break-out sessions focussed on the safe return of business events, and a catered lunch trialling three different options typical to the sector. Delegates were happy to comply with all protocols but the additional requirement to observe 2m physical distancing throughout the event demonstrated, most clearly, that meaningful business events would be impossible to sustain with these constraints. Celtic Manor’s Caernarfon Suite can normally hold more than 1,000 people theatre-style in the two-thirds division of the room being utilised for the trial event. The 2m distancing configuration meant it was more or less full with the capped audience of 100 people.

While the roadmap set out by the government for England already allows for events up to 1,000 people indoors, the reopening of the events sector in Wales has been much more cautious with reluctance to outline any schedule undermining client confidence and preventing advance bookings. Both Celtic Manor Resort and ICC Wales have seen prestigious meetings scheduled for later in the year cancel in recent weeks and switch to venues elsewhere in the UK where confidence in reopening is much greater.

Ian Edwards, Chief Executive, Celtic Manor and ICC Wales said: “It’s fantastic to be back in a meeting room after more than a year, but just looking out over this eerie

Live bands played to maskless crowds at Festival Republic’s mini-festival pilot in Liverpool's Sefton Park.

room, it’s clear we have a long way to go. We are lucky we have a room this size which means we can host this event, most venues will struggle to hold 50 people with 2m distancing in place. More than 70 staff are working on this event to look after only 100 delegates – numbers like that just do not stack up.

“These restrictions and the fact we still do not have a roadmap or a schedule for the fuller reopening of the events sector, place us at a catastrophic disadvantage to competitors in other parts of the UK. It is vital that there is a four-nation approach to any regulations, to provide organisers with complete consistency across all of the UK and ensure Wales is not left behind.

“The great thing about business events is they are meticulously organised, with pre-arrival registration and information, controlled numbers and compliant delegates, which I think we’ve shown with our pilot event. We would like to thank everyone for their support because it shows just how determined everyone is to get us back up and running for real. We cannot wait to welcome everyone back, but it has to be in a feasible and viable manner.”

While in Liverpool, Public Health officials and scientists have found its city’s pilot events did not cause any detectable spread of COVID-19 across the region. The city hosted four hugely successful events, with a total of 13,258 people attending The Good Business Festival, two nightclub events hosted by Circus and the Sefton Park pilot music festival. Wearing face coverings or maintaining social distancing were not required at any of Liverpool’s pilot events.

Club Circus hosted The First Dance, which saw 6,000 clubbers across two nights take over Liverpool’s Bramley-Moore Dock warehouse.

All attendees were required to take a lateral flow test ahead of the event – a negative test allowing them access. Five people with the virus were identified through this process and were not allowed to attend. Ticketholders were encouraged to take a PCR test on the day of the event, and a second one five days later. This process identified four people as possibly having the virus at an event; and a further seven people were identified with the virus four to seven days after they attended. Of those who tested positive – two attended the music festival, nine attended the nightclub and none attended the business festival. Many of the cases were friends who meet outside of events and may not have been infected at an event itself.

Everyone who tested positive was successfully followed up by the contact tracing team. Scientists found the testing, data and contact tracing systems worked well, with key information being available to public health teams before the events which allowed contacts of potential cases to be traced quickly. The research team also found that between 25% and 43% of people returned a PCR test after the event, with the Sefton Park pilot festival seeing three times the number of the other Liverpool pilots due to the incentive of winning tickets to future gigs.

Every test result for the 2.6m population of Cheshire and Merseyside was examined before and after the events, with 96% of tickets linked to test results. The results showed there was no evidence of any substantial spread of the virus around the pilot events. COVID-19 infections remain low in Liverpool and the pattern of variants is being watched carefully.

The public health and science teams are cautiously optimistic that events can reopen reasonably safely with effective testing in place, with Professor Iain Buchan, Dean of the Institute of Population Health at the University of Liverpool, commenting: “The Events Research Programme in Liverpool demonstrated the importance of close working between events organisers, local public health teams and eventgoers in delivering the COVID safety net needed to make events as safe as possible over the coming months. Timely data and quick action to trace and test contacts of people testing positive, both before and after events, was key to containing potential outbreaks.

“We identified room for improvements such as ensuring people do not attend if they feel even slightly unwell – not just those with classic COVID symptoms; maximising ventilation even in large indoor spaces; incentives to return PCR tests for research purposes; and automating the issue of tickets

only after an assured negative test in the day running up to the event. There is more to learn from improved COVID-safety measures as we welcome events back, and Liverpool will keep producing the evidence needed to secure enjoyment of events for us all.”

Director of Culture Liverpool, Claire McColgan, said: “The pandemic has been devastating for the events sector, so we’re delighted we have shown that with certain measures in place, people can dance, sing, hug and laugh together, in a crowd, safely.

“Public Health Liverpool, the University of Liverpool, our events team, the brilliant promoters and the people of this city have embraced this programme, worked tirelessly together and, as a result, made a real difference to those whose lives are sustained by the industry, and those whose lives are enriched by it. I want to say thank you to everyone involved. Your hard work paid off and you have given hope to this sector which will reap the benefits of our experience.”

All images page 5: The Good Business Festival was the first in-person live business event hosted by ACC Liverpool.

IndustryOpinion

Reflection, Recovery and Resurgence

As the industry responds to the latest government declarations and evolving regulations, the Meetings Industry Association’s Chief Executive, Jane Longhurst takes time to reflect on the turbulency, transition and times ahead.

Every year, typically surrounding the Meetings Industry Association’s (mia) AGM, I take time to reflect on all the activity the association has undertaken and the members it has served.

Naturally this year, in doing so it has been significantly different. Throughout every month over the course of the last 12, spirits and sentiments across the sector have fluctuated. However, regardless of unclear or challenging government guidelines and reopening timeframes, one thing that has remained constant throughout is the industry’s optimism, perseverance and willingness to support the events network in any way it can.

In normal times, where the sector is pushing forward and thriving, where business is pouring through your doors, you are managing tightly packed booking diaries and maximising revenue opportunities, it can be easy to disregard where associations add value to your organisation. These however have not been normal times. There has been no business pouring through anyone’s door and diaries have remained largely empty as the pandemic has wreaked havoc on not just our amazing industry, but the global economy.

It is my belief that when a business environment is most challenged, it is then

that trade associations should and do step up the pace making their contribution much easier to identify, as they go above and beyond to support their sector. Investment in a trade association is not just for the good times, but an investment that absolutely must deliver when businesses need support, and I am delighted to say that the mia team stretched and stretched again to make sure that the huge amount of organisations that do put their trust and invest in the mia have indeed benefited from our work over the course of the pandemic and will continue to do so moving forward.

While the industry eagerly awaits the latest developments surrounding the government guidance, our research indicates that there won’t be a full return of business until 2023, meaning amidst the jubilation of a return to more recognisable practice, 2021 and 2022 will be a turbulent transition for many.

Despite this, the mia will continue to ensure that the sector is equipped with a comprehensive and pertinent suite of tools to support with this transition, while also continuing to lobby government where necessary in the best interest of the sector.

Our work with government departments has proven essential and invaluable to the sector throughout the pandemic and, through that work, we have been constantly aware of the need for first class business intelligence to make a strong case for the business meetings and events industry.

Taking this need for business intelligence into consideration, we are delighted with the take up of our powerful business intelligence tool miaTouchstone that launched in April, and we encourage all venues to utilise the benchmarking and event management tool to support with their recovery. In doing so, not only will the tool provide a plethora of innovative capabilities and benefits to venues, but it will also facilitate the collation of extremely pertinent data that we will utilise to evaluate the state of the industry in real-time.

With these capabilities we will be equipping ourselves with invaluable insights that can be used to shape industry-level strategies, the subsequent recovery and future prosperity of business meetings and events, as we remain cautiously optimistic about the industry’s resurgence.

Mia-uk.org

Two Sides o f the Story ORGANISERS

As venues and organisers look forward to getting back to business, we discover the true impact of lockdown and what the lifting of restrictions means both for organising and hosting corporate events in the new normal.

Sam Rowe, CEO of Ignition events agency

When the pandemic hit, our creative and project management teams upskilled immediately working nights and weekends to create an offer for current and potential clients. By June 2020, we delivered our first virtual exhibit, which received fantastic feedback from clients and the industry.

Some clients are saying they won’t be returning to live events until 2025, while others are planning events aimed at both live and remote attendees that will need to offer a seamless experience for both. We’re also aware that we haven’t yet seen the full impact of Brexit. We may need to work more closely with continental Europe-based partners for delivery. On the plus side, European brands exhibiting in the UK may hand over a greater percentage of delivery work to UK-based designers and organisers.

Craig Bulow, CEO of Corporate Away Days team building agency

We see outdoor events being the key driver this summer. Team events away from the office create social interactions that are proven to have mental health benefits, especially after long periods of isolation.

The face-to-face social element is key for a better understanding of each other as we return to work – most of us are ‘Zoomed-out’ and keen to see our colleagues again and catch up on their news. Rather than expecting everyone to get back to work as soon as they enter the office, we are seeing companies booking outdoor away days as a way

to get everyone together socially and rebuild those relationships that have perhaps been forgotten over the last year.

The biggest growth area for us is likely to be wellbeing themed away days. With mental health such an important aspect of the return to work, employers are keen to ensure their teams are looked after and have the resilience they need to deal with getting back into the office after a long time away.

Tim Groot, CEO and Founder of events networking platform Grip

Before the pandemic, the focus for us was to provide a leading events and networking platform for in-person conferences and events. When the first lockdown happened, we recognised that there was an immediate demand for a service to host events virtually. We sped up our timeline on digital offerings to become the first comprehensive platform which could span in-person, virtual and hybrid events – all achieved within three days!

As restrictions lift, there’s a larger conversation to be had on not losing the value of virtual events, but instead to understand what hybrid events can deliver for businesses. They can increase overall engagement and event value over multiple moments – making it ideal for teams of any size who are eager to maximise value for sponsors and exhibitors, while providing a tailored experience.

Looking ahead, capacities will likely be reduced for a while and events may work over different time zones. This will result in smaller, localised events, online and offline, which focus on sequential experiences. But the data shows us that often smaller, more focused events drive superior engagement and generate more valuable connections.

VENUES

Jennifer Axford, events director at Manchester International Conference Centre

We’ve been running a hybrid event since September as part of the Manchester Arena Inquiry. With social distancing restrictions preventing families from attending the court, the MICC has acted as a family annexe throughout and we’ve been streaming the proceedings from the courts to allow the families to watch.

During the lockdowns, we’ve invested in redeveloping and rebranding the venue, formerly known as Spinningfields Conference Centre. We’ve introduced the new Manchester International Conference Centre brand to reflect our new positioning as a technology-led venue and created new production studios to accommodate the growing demand for hybrid and online events.

There’s no question there’s been significant impact on the industry, and the MICE industry especially, in the way that events are delivered. But at the time we believe this is also an opportunity to create hybrid and online events that can reach a bigger audience and have even more impact. When you face challenges, you have to adapt and that’s what we’ve done by developing our online event offering.

Some customers are understandably nervous given how things can change, however we’ve retained nearly all our postponed bookings by being flexible with rebooking and helping our customers look at alternative ways to deliver their events with the new technology we have in place. We’ve always had great support and relationships with event organisers and don’t see that changing. If anything, we’re actually working even closer together than we ever did!

Faye Dyer, Managing Director of ACC Liverpool

During the latest lockdown, our campus –which consists of ACC Liverpool, Exhibition Centre Liverpool and the M&S Bank Arena – was initially unable to open for meetings and live events. However, we have operated as a logistical hub throughout the pandemic, with essential food and household goods distributed to shielding and vulnerable households as well as the provision of PPE equipment across the region.

Our exhibition centre was deployed for mass COVID-19 testing in November and this has continued. In April, as part of the Events Research Programme (ERP), we hosted The Good Business Festival’s launch event, Change Business for Good, England’s first live business event to take place without COVID measures in place. We also hosted a face-to-face business event on the first day possible after the relaxation of rules on 17th May with the European Health-Tech Innovation Week.

real appetite for attending live events and we hope this will help to reignite the industry.

We recognise the impact the enforced closure of our venues has had on our local communities, attendance at live events forms a significant part in people’s access to culture, enjoyment and fun. We are also grateful for the understanding and support of all our communities, both residents and businesses, regarding the rescheduling of events.

We hope that our customers, clients and delegates will continue to support us with patience and understanding as we monitor and adapt to the easing of restrictions. At the time of writing, we currently have COVID secure measures across the campus in line with the government approved All Secure Standard and as part of a series of accreditations we have received including VisitEngland’s We’re Good to Go industry standard for tourism and hospitality.

Given that the meetings and events sector is so important to driving economic benefit, it is imperative that the industry recovers as part of a long-term strategy to get the UK back on its feet following the pandemic.

Jodi Hinks, Director of Commercial Strategy for Hyatt Regency and Hyatt House Manchester hotels

Due to our proximity to the University NHS Foundation Trust, it was important for us to remain open to accommodate key workers and those who had to travel during the pandemic, as well as host medical training sessions once restrictions on educational meetings were lifted. While spectators were not permitted to attend sporting events, many competitions and matches still went ahead, and being so close to Manchester’s world-class sporting venues, we hosted a number of national and international sporting teams, all under strict adherence to COVID-safe regulations.

It is a huge relief that things are slowly getting back to normality. We have all adapted to a new landscape over the past year and are used to Zoom, but nothing can replace face-to-face meetings. Our industry has been hugely affected, but we hope that the pilot events and the gradual easing of restrictions signal the road to recovery.

The response to the Good Business Festival and ticket sales for the other test events prove how the public are keen to get back to attending live events. As soon as it is safe to do so there will be a

We abided closely to Hyatt’s Global Care & Cleanliness Commitment which focuses on the safety and wellbeing of our colleagues and guests and builds on existing rigorous safety and cleanliness protocols. The commitment also included an international cleanliness and training accreditation process. To offer peace of mind to our guests, we also utilised rates with flexible cancellation options because the regulations were regularly subjected to change.

It is encouraging that it appears things are slowly getting back to normal, but the industry – especially in the north west of England – is still subject to much instability. Organisations are telling us that as soon as they can, they want to get their staff together for socials and creative sessions – and we have been creating packages for this. Webinars and video and audio conferencing platforms have become embedded in everyday business and it seems like the whole corporate world has become more tech-savvy. In 2020, we launched a hybrid meeting solution that connects people in real time across the globe as this evolution of the events industry is here to stay.

Event organisers, especially the smaller agencies, have had a hard time. With some unable to operate at all, it’s crucial we support each other, and understanding the issues we have faced will enable us to move forward together. Although we have kept in contact with lots of our clients, both corporate and personal bookers are hesitant to confirm large pieces of business at this stage – and understandably so. This is not the case with leisure bookings though, which are currently in high demand. We are prepared for an influx of calls on 21st June from our corporate contacts which will either be confirming or moving events. The important thing is we are ready for both.

‘BACK TO BUSINESS’ MEETINGS

St. George’s Park set in a tranquil 330 acres of Staffordshire countryside provides the ideal location for you to reconnect with your colleagues with plenty of fresh air and space around you.

As well as being home to our England football teams, this truly unique, world-class performance environment can provide a safe and socially distanced environment without compromising your teams experience, as we do with our own England teams.

So, if you are looking to REVIVE, REFRESH, and REIGNITE your team or reconnect your SMT or board in an unforgettable setting, then look no further.

PACKAGE INCLUDES:

Main meeting room

2 course buffet lunch (flexible lunch space)

Three course dinner

Overnight accommodation and breakfast

Full use of the Health Club and Spa

Plasma screen, flipchart, pads and pens

Complimentary Wi-Fi and parking

A choice of one of the following options:

A taster session into the world of elite performance with Game Changer Performance. Learn how to improve lifestyle, mindset and movement.

OR

‘The Bounce Back Playbook’ by GRA – sharing tools, techniques and tactics from their Resilience for Results training programme to enhance resilience and bounce back ability.

REQUIREMENTS

Groups of up to 50 people

Minimum number of 20 people

Perfect for corporate groups

TERMS AND CONDITIONS:

Flexible Cancellations, as part of the Hilton Express Agreement you can cancel without penalty up to 8 days before your arrival date for events of up to 50 people.

Hilton EventReady with CleanStay creates a higher standard for events. With elevated procedures for cleanliness and sanitation, socially responsible room set up, a completed EventReady Room Checklist and a Hilton CleanStay Room Seal once your event room is properly cleaned, set and EventReady.

(24-hour rate per person)

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO BOOK

For more information or to discuss your individual requirements please email Stgeorgespark.events@hilton.com

Win an Overnight Stay for Two at The Hilton St. George’s Park!

Discover the team building and events facilities on offer at the Staffordshire home of football.

St. George’s Park was built in 2012 for a whopping £105 million. Based in the stunning Staffordshire countryside, The FA national football centre spans 330 acres and has no less than 14 outdoor pitches. The Sir Bobby Charlton pitch is even an exact replica of the Wembley surface, while the site also contains a full-size indoor 3G pitch, a rehabilitation and sports science area, and an indoor futsal area.

The shining jewel in the crown of this massive expanse of high performance facilities however, is the Outdoor Leadership Centre. Owned and operated by Grahame Robb Associates Ltd, the centre is the be-all and end-all of team building. The activities available include: a 40ft climbing tower, a high ropes course, low ropes activities, a Powerfan freefall experience, archery, laser combat, initiative exercises, and indoor training. There’s something there to bring every team together and have them working more cohesively within minutes.

There is also ample space for meetings of all kinds. The Sir Bobby Robson Ballroom spans a massive 416m² and can accommodate 500 delegates (420 buffet style). The ballroom can be divided into four

separate, fully equipped rooms, complete with five large projection screens, built-in ceiling projectors, ambient mood lighting, and a PA system. If your event requires more room then the Futsal Arena in the National Football Centre can be converted into an exceptional venue for bespoke events. Its area spans 2400m² and the arena can hold up to 1,000 delegates, making it a truly unforgettable space. In addition to these incredible spaces, St. George's Park also contains a lecture theatre with a capacity of 90 delegates, and 24 flexible meeting rooms which can each hold between 12 and 90 delegates.

The Hilton at St. George's Park's modern and versatile facilities are ideal for gatherings of all sizes, from intimate meetings to conferences for up to 500 people. At the end of a busy day you’ll need somewhere to wind down, and the hotel is perfect for that, with 228 air-conditioned bedrooms, including 43 executive rooms and 11 suites. The hotel boasts complimentary high-speed internet access, an executive lounge, and a health club and spa, plus two food and beverage outlets: The Restaurant at St. George’s Park and the stylish Crossbar and lounge.

TheFA.com/SGP

COMPETITION

To win an overnight stay for two at the Hilton at St. George’s Park, including breakfast, simply answer the following:

How much did St. George’s Park cost to build?

Enter online at Jlifemagazine.co.uk/competitions-leeds or by post to JLife Ltd, Unit 7, Gemini Business Park, Sheepscar Way, Leeds, LS7 3JB. Please ensure your entry includes your name, address, daytime telephone number and email address. The winners will be randomly selected on the closing date: 1st July 2021.

Terms and conditions apply: One entry per person. Must be redeemed after 19th July 2021 and within one year of competition closing. When entering the competition online you have the option to not be entered in JLife Magazine and St. George’s Park’s databases in order to be contacted about news, promotions and special offers. Postal entry data will not be saved. Publisher’s decision is final.

North in Brief

Hilton to Hold Carbon Neutral Business Meetings in UK

Hilton, along with social enterprise South Pole, has pledged that business meetings taking place in any of its 60 participating hotels will be carbon neutral. The offer, which was initially launched in the Netherlands last month, has been set up to contribute towards Hilton’s Travel with Purpose 2030 Goals to cut its environmental footprint in half and double its social impact by 2030.

In the scheme the footprint of all business meetings with 10 or more delegates at any of the participating hotels will be offset through carbon credits. Credits will be allocated to support a range of projects including repairing and maintaining safe water sources in Rwanda, the construction of a geothermal power plant in Turkey to generate clean energy, and the development and maintenance of wind farms in India and the USA.

Michaela Malara, Senior Business Development Manager at South Pole commented: “Through this initiative, Hilton will help to fund some of the world’s most cutting-edge sustainability projects in addition to reducing its own environmental impact and that of its clients. We look forward to working closely together to drive positive change.”

UN Develops Sustainable Events Tool

The United Nations Environment Programme, the International Civil Aviation Organization, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change secretariat, and the Gulf Organization for Research and Development came together to develop a sustainable events tool designed to help events industry professionals calculate the effect their event has on the environment.

The tool covers nine key operational areas of event planning and will help events professionals integrate more sustainable practices into these operational areas, producing overall more sustainable events. The Sustainable Events Tool will be freely available for events professionals later in 2021.

UK Sport Names Sporting Event Professionals Taking Part in Event Leaders Programme

UK Sport has announced the names of the 16 events professionals chosen to take part in the inaugural Event Leaders Programme. The candidates have come through a competitive application process which began in March.

The Event Leaders Programme will provide participants with an opportunity to build leadership skills, learn new approaches, consider the ethical challenges major events engender, and understand how to apply and embed new skills in the context of their own events.

Rachel Dulai, one of the candidates chosen, said: “I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to be part of the Event Leaders Programme, particularly from such a wellrespected and world leading organisation as UK Sport – it just had to be seized! I hope to take inspiration from mentors and share and learn from the rest of the cohort.”

Bredbury Hall Hotel Becomes Latest Addition to Vine Hotels

The 149-bedroom Bredbury Hall Hotel in Stockport has become the most recent addition to the portfolio of hotel owners, management and development company, Vine Hotels. The company plans to reopen the south Manchester venue with the creation of 100 jobs with investment from Connection Capital.

Vine Hotels plans to invest significantly in upgrading the property over the next two years and will immediately create new roles including the appointment of a management team spearheaded by general manager Scott McDonald, who brings over 20 years of experience having worked at venues such as Carnoustie Golf, Hotel & Spa and as general manager at Vine Hotel’s property, the Best Western Cresta Court hotel in Altrincham.

Bredbury Hall Hotel joins the growing Vine Hotels portfolio of owned and managed venues, including the recent additions of Charlecote Pheasant, Stratford and The Dartmouth Hotel and Spa. The reopening of the hotel will come as welcome news to many locally, as the hotel became a victim of challenging trading conditions, closing in March 2020 and subsequently placed in administration in October 2020 with the loss of 90 jobs.

Autonomous Scanning Pods Minimise COVID-19 Events Risk

RefTech, an event technology organisation has launched the Autonomous Scanning Pod (ASPod) to allow visitors and delegates to self-scan their badges when arriving at an event, and at other key checkpoints.

The aim of the ASPod is to help reduce unnecessary human contact and thus reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

The ASPod has a feature which allows events organisers to offer incentives to delegates to encourage them to scan.

For example, delegates can be sent presentation slides, or promotional materials after scanning and logging their presence.

The ASPod can also be used by exhibitors to collect data and is part of EventReference, RefTech’s event management system and event app.

Big Purple Productions is Thrilled to Announce the Launch of the Big Purple Group!

Big Purple Productions, a northeast based AV specialist and production management company, will now operate as one of four companies under the Big Purple Group brand alongside Big Purple Capture, Big Purple Events and the BigMicBall.

“We’re so excited to officially launch the Big Purple Group and bring all of our events expertise together under one umbrella” said Sam Gordon, Director and Head of Business Development at Big Purple Group. “We are still the same family-run business but now, as the Big Purple Group, we can offer a complete and bespoke package for any event.”

The Big Purple Group specialises in AV and video production, event filming, live

streaming, event design and event theming. It is also the proprietor of the BigMicBall, a patented throwable microphone designed to add the fun into Q&A sessions and engage your audience in a brand-new way.

For more information, visit the team at Confex stand E11C and don’t forget to visit its new website Bigpurplegroup.com to see how it creates inspiring events that leave a lasting impression.

The pressures of the past year may have shifted the business focus for many from sustainability to survival. Yet, a green post-pandemic recovery is critical for all businesses, and particularly for those in the hospitality and events industry as they reopen and navigate the path towards the new normal.

One business that has kept sustainability high on the agenda, and foresaw its value for recovery, is Wyboston Lakes Resort. The 380-acre leisure and business resort in Bedfordshire has long been a resort with a conscience. In fact, last year its collection of awards grew with the addition of three gold sustainability accolades from the Green Tourism Awards, Greengage, and the International Association of Conference Centres.

These accolades show that the resort’s Green Team has been busy working towards ambitious sustainability goals including carbon neutrality by 2040 and achieving new milestones, supported by strong company mantras, such as ‘more sustainable, no apology’ and ‘we do the right thing, even when no one’s looking’. The team also spent the last 12 months developing sustainable commitments in ways that will prove valuable in the recovery phase.

VENUE IN BRIEF

For example, by working with The Energy Check the resort has implemented a series of energy-saving initiatives that have substantially reduced energy consumption. The resort is now using 100% renewable electric energy, which has helped to reduce its carbon footprint by over 60%. Projects are also underway to also remove all fossil fuel from the site.

Another energy-saving initiative has been the installation of MeasureMyEnergy technology, which measures and records electricity usage in real-time to provide clear visibility of any devices that are wasting energy. In addition, 10 more Tesla supercharger points were installed for guests to encourage electric car usage, contributing to a total of 26 charger points on-site.

Waste management is a huge part of Wyboston Lakes Resort’s sustainability policy and a partnership with waste management company Ellgia has helped the resort achieve the Zero to Landfill philosophy for the sixth consecutive year. New procedures have been introduced to cut back on both food and water waste, while single-use plastics have similarly been a big focus. By taking part in the Meetings Industry Association’s #20percentless scheme, singleuse plastics were cut back by 42% by the end of 2020 on a like for like basis.

Wyboston Lakes Resort is the largest independently-owned business and leisure destination in northern Europe. It includes a four-star hotel and two purpose-built venues for conferences and training events, as well as a spa, restaurants and golf course.

LOCATION

It is sited on 380 acres of Bedfordshire countryside between Cambridge and Milton Keynes, at the edge of the historic market town of St. Neots.

Located close to the A1, M1 and A421 road networks and local railway links.

MEET

Its two specialist venues, The Woodlands Event Centre and The Willows Training Centre, offer a spectrum of options in terms of facility, space, style and budget. The centres together provide a total of 65 conference, training and syndicate rooms – the largest of which has a capacity for over 600 delegates

Going Green

Leading Bedfordshire leisure and business resort Wyboston Lakes spearheads a green recovery as the events industry gets back to business.

New technologies have been installed throughout the complex, too. Many provide a more hygienic and efficient experience for customers and staff but are also more sustainable. For instance, new self-check-in kiosks will reduce check-in paperwork by 21,000-plus pieces of A4 paper a year. A new food and drink ordering app will save 130,000 pieces of paper annually. The bulky directory in all bedrooms has been removed, with all information now online. Improvements like these have been made across every aspect of the business.

Casting an eye to the future, clear sustainability objectives and carbon-neutral ambitions will help businesses like Wyboston Lakes Resort to thrive post-recovery and guide them in the years to come.

seated theatre style – and more than 400 bedrooms.

RELAX

On-site leisure facilities are comprehensive and include a full health and leisure club, and an 18hole golf course. The Waterfront Hotel has 103 en-suite bedrooms, an awardwinning restaurant, the Y Spa and Golf with serviced office space on-site.

Never Par for the Course

A penthouse suite, new bedrooms, upgraded events spaces and destination restaurant and bar cements Old Course Hotel Golf Resort & Spa’s position as one of the top luxury hotels in Scotland, as its multi-million refurbishment is set to be revealed for the summer season.

Located in St Andrews overlooking the breathtaking Scottish coastline, Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa is in the final stages of extensive renovation works. These include refurbished events spaces, new guest rooms, a penthouse suite, and an additional restaurant and bar, set for completion in July 2021 ahead of one of golf's oldest major championships, The Open, which will be played on the resort’s esteemed fairways of The Old Course, in 2022.

Renowned as Scotland’s home of golf, the historic hotel is set on the most iconic

golf course in the world, The Old Course, overlooking the 17th Road Hole and next to golf’s most famous bridge, Swilcan Bridge.

Renowned as a wedding and events venue, the hotel has expanded its largest space, The Hall of Champions, to offer a new flexible space with natural light, complete with its own entrance, which is perfect for weddings and corporate events. It features floor-to-ceiling glass doors that open onto an outdoor terrace, with views over the golf course, ideal for drinks receptions. The Hall of Champions seats 450 guests and

can be used as one large venue or split into six smaller spaces, each with in-built technology.

Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa is the ideal leisure destination and there are a whole host of activities on offer that can be incorporated into events, conferences and meetings.

Oldcoursehotel.co.uk events@oldcoursehotel.co.uk

Food for Thought

With the return of live events the corporate catering business is coming back to life, but has COVID-19 left a permanent mark on the industry, and how will it look moving forward? H&E North takes a bite-sized look.

The return of live events means a return to business for the catering industry. Though this may be the case, the pandemic has left its mark on the industry, and has perhaps altered the way planners approach largescale catering forever. We speak with a variety of catering professionals to discuss the landscape post-pandemic.

Shushma Solanki, Event Caterer and Owner of Sushma’Snacks

It’s hard at the moment, and it has been since last March. Ever since 17th May things have started to open back up, but everyone is still a bit unsure about what’s going to happen. No one knows if the 21st June unlocking date is going to go ahead and nobody wants to book anything.

The pandemic has affected the kinds of food I can serve. I’ve had to buy a lot more packaging because whatever I do it has to be in boxes. We used to serve canapés as a buffet, but we can’t do that anymore. Now we serve a selection to each person in individual boxes. Packaging has become so expensive at the moment, and at times you can’t even get it. And the catering itself is more difficult now. You have to wear protective equipment all the time and gloves especially can make some of the things I have to do much more difficult. But it’s important to say that we’ve done everything we can to minimise the risk of spreading COVID-19.

Hopefully things will open up soon, with more people getting vaccinated, but I don’t think we’ll ever go back to our normal. In my opinion, the effects of the pandemic are going to be around for a long time.”

Jon Davies, Managing Director of sports catering organisation Levy UK + Ireland

It’s safe to say that the global hospitality industry has been one of the most heavily impacted sectors during the COVID-19 crisis. With the cancellation of large-scale events, capacity restrictions and extended lockdowns, there is no doubt that every catering business, large or small, has had a difficult time. While we’ve started to see delegates returning to venues we certainly still have some way to go until normal service can be resumed.

Embracing technology has been crucial in improving COVID-19 safety for both visitors and staff. We’re fortunate enough to have been an industry leader in events technology for a number of years – we had a forward-thinking approach to going cashless, with our venue partner Tottenham Hotspur‘s football ground built to be the Premier League’s first cashless venue. Going forward, these innovations are likely to stick around and develop even further, with profound effects on the broader guest experience as well as to boost COVID-19 safety.

We’ve recently seen delegates able to visit entertainment venues, which has been great to see. We’ve also extended some of our key client partnerships as well as signing a number of new venues, which has been fantastic.”

Philip Mayling, Director of UK independent foodservice distributor MKG

As foodservice suppliers, the challenges of the pandemic were very obvious to us from the start of lockdown – a lot of our clients in the leisure and hospitality industry went into hibernation mode and have yet to fully get back on their feet. We’ve had to furlough staff until such time as the business impact is mitigated. Given reports of further outbreaks, variants, and uncertainty around lockdown restrictions easing, it is difficult for our clients to assess the situation. Everyone is extremely cautious, because purchasing stock at the current time could prove costly if further lockdown measures are delayed or brought in.

For some of our competitors the situation has proved too difficult, and they have been forced to close. We have been fortunate in that we have been able to keep our heads above water and not make any redundancies, but it has not been easy. We have had to improvise and innovate at short notice. For example, we have made strong efforts to advise our clients how to minimise the possibility of COVID-19 transmission and have even created a new app-based ordering service that allows them to operate freely and safely.

Ultimately, the biggest challenge of a post-pandemic world is the uncertainty of when, exactly, you can say the pandemic is over. And the only way to overcome that challenge is to retain the habits and procedures we have developed already, and to put faith in our ability to keep working flexibly and innovating whatever comes our way.

Blue Sky Thinking

individually upon your

• Friendly and well established family run Yorkshi catering company.

• Corporate and private events with a range of options.

• Working lunch buffets delivered daily to your workplace.

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

• Bespoke catering packages, with our highly experienced team offering consultation on all aspects of your

North catches up with Chef Dave Swade of Blue Pepper Catering to discuss the pandemic, childhood dreams, and favourite ingredients.

Hi Chef, had you always dreamed of being a chef, and how did you get here?

No, actually! When I was younger, I wanted to be a car mechanic! But my parents moved to Cornwall from Bolton when I was about 13 and they owned a hotel down there, and I started doing a bit of cooking. And that was it, I focused on becoming a chef from then.

I did my initial training down in Cornwall and then moved on to work at a stately home in Berkshire for four years. I worked my way up to being a Junior Sous-chef there, before working in the Lake District with Richardson Hotels. When I was 22, I got my first AA rosette at the Beech Hill Hotel in Windermere. I was with that group for a good few years and then I moved on to a hotel in Devon called Lewtrenchard Manor where we again achieved our AA Rosette and our RAC Blue Ribbon.

I came back up to Leeds about 20 years ago and started work at what was then The Bay Horse at Fairburn and then I came from there into the city centre and worked for Dine for two years, and then I went to work at The Loft, catering for events within there. Finally, after a couple of failed attempts – for want of a better word – we eventually set ourselves up as Blue Pepper Catering, and we’re now in our eighth year.

What a year it’s been, how has the pandemic affected the business?

Like everyone else, we were hit hard. Our saving grace was that we managed to establish a contract with a banking group. Their caterer wasn’t able to serve them anymore, and we switched over to basically doing packed lunches every day, Monday to Friday, for all of their staff. All with no contact delivery, and the same drivers going to the same places, of course. That saw us through the pandemic; we didn’t do anything else other than that. We went from doing 15 to 16 hour days to doing four or five hour days. That took us right the way through to January when the contract ended. After that, we were hit hard. At that point there was no business whatsoever. Also, because we’re event caterers and not a restaurant or pub, we didn’t qualify for any support from the government or the council.

Hopefully now some better news and exciting plans for recovery?

We’ve got all sorts coming up. We have a lot of corporate events and weddings and had a lot of interest in our barbecues and hog roasts, as well as our fish and chips. Working with some of the new venues we have booked will be great. We’re working with places like East Riddlesden Hall and Fountains Abbey for the first time as a catering partner, so we’re really looking forward to getting stuck into that. Each new opportunity the recovery brings is exciting for us in its own way!

Buffets can be individually boxed upon your request !

• Friendly and well established family run Yorkshire based catering company

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

• Working lunch buffets delivered daily to your workplace.

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

• Bespoke catering packages, with our highly experienced team offering consultation on all aspects of your event.

Blue Pepper Catering Ltd, Unit 1 York House, 55 Easy Road, Leeds, LS9 8QS T: 01138 715 999 | bluepeppercatering.co.uk E: info@bluepeppercatering.co.uk

Corporate event catering Private parties Cookery classes and demonstrations Team-building cookery sessions 07968 504 925 info@sushmasnacks.co.uk www.sushmasnacks.co.uk

Bringing you delicious desserts for you to click & collect from our production kitchen in Leeds with no minimum order. Simply order the day before and collect the following day.

Order 4 or more waffles and we’ll deliver within a 4 mile radius of LS9 8QS.

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The Grass is Always Greener

As travel gets the green light, H&E North discovers the destinations available to UK corporate travellers looking for a much-missed business trip abroad or just a well-earned break.

International travel has been a much discussed topic since it was announced that it would resume from 17th May. However, the new traffic light system revealed Brits could only travel to a limited choice of countries – 11 at the time of writing – without having to subject themselves to quarantine rules on their return. With the government review on 7th June removing Portugal from the green list there are limited options for those looking to hold events outside of the UK.

“The announcement was a bit of an anti-climax for some people,” admits Gill Matthews, personal travel expert at Not Just Travel. “These were cautionary steps, which is what we expected, and we’re hoping countries get added, rather than removed in the coming weeks. If the situation deteriorates at home, we also have to be mindful that countries may remove us. Yet I believe the list will develop, because there are destinations, such as Spain and Greece, that are desperate for corporate travellers to go back, and towards the end of summer, we'll hopefully have more to choose from.”

While there may be 11 regions on the list at the time of writing, restrictions and just plain logistics mean delegates can’t necessarily pay them a visit: “You have the likes of Australia and New Zealand on there, but their borders are shut. There are some strange places like the South Sandwich Islands, which is quite funny really because there are no hotels or airports.”

Of the more traditional destinations, Portugal had been the top of the list for many: “On the day travel restrictions were lifted, around 5,000 Brits jetted off to Portugal alone.” Those same Brits are now facing disappointment and the necessity of self-isolating when returning, as Portugal has been moved to the amber list.

For those less concerned with balmy temperatures, Iceland is proving a fashionable city incentive trip offering a distinctive natural landscape: “A trendy and modern city, Iceland’s capital Reykjavik is a great destination for a short trip. Being fairly compact, it’s easy to get around,

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and that’s ideal because there’s so much to do. It’s definitely the place to tick things off your bucket list, from whale watching to experiencing the natural splendour of its waterfalls and geysers.”

While many seek to get away from their fellow Brits, others will holiday to the British colony of Gibraltar: “They have the world's first five-star super-yacht hotel in the harbour, with restaurants, a casino and a stunning rooftop infinity pool, sure to impress team members or clients.”

Israel makes the list, yet is currently only accepting business travellers as part of prebooked escorted tour groups: “You can’t book a flight and a hotel and do your own thing, but if you have 10 days and want to make the most of them, these tours ensure you don't waste any time seeing the sites you want to visit. There aren’t huge numbers of specialist providers at the minute, but that could change. You’ll have the expertise and knowledge of a tour manager, so you can relax knowing someone else is taking care of getting you from A to B."

With the excitement of the green list, many are overlooking destinations closer to home, with the boom in UK cruises offering the perfect opportunity to host an accessible COVID-safe event with a seafaring twist: “Since restrictions lifted, we've had over 10 different cruise lines offering UK cruises – you wouldn't normally have such a huge range to choose from. It's quite an interesting opportunity for those who have never cruised before. Rather than committing to seven nights in the Med, they can dip their toe into a three-night cruise around the Channel and see what they think.”

Though they offer a fascinating chance to see our coastline from a new perspective, most cruises refuse to stop at ports due to operators’ strict COVID policies: “Some of

these ships now doing UK cruises are too big to dock anyway – there's no way Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Sea Quantumclass cruise ship would fit into any other port apart from Southampton. But there's so much on board, why would you want to get off?

“If you’re looking to see the northern lights, there’s a fantastic North Sea cruise that sets sail from Edinburgh, heads around Orkney and the Shetland Islands down to Belfast, disembarking at Greenock. The North Sea might be choppy but the modern cruise ships are so well stabilised you don't feel a thing.

While there are so many exciting destinations on offer, many event bookers looking to whisk delegates away to foreign shores are choosing to bide their time in the face of growing uncertainty: “Event planners are more than happy to book for next year, and quite rightly so, because there are still some good offers to be had. When it comes to this summer, most are sensibly playing it by ear, seeing how the green list develops and if quarantine rules relax before making a last-minute booking. Many agents rebooked from last year, so there won’t be many bargains to be had this season, but you never know.”

With the potential for things to go pear shaped, travel operators have sought to

The Faroe Islands

Iceland

The Falklands

Israel

give corporate customers peace of mind to encourage them to part with their hardearned cash: “People need to look out for a package deal with flexible booking conditions, allowing them to cancel and rebook free of charge. If a supplier is signed up to the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), they will adhere to a code of conduct that treats the customer fairly.”

Gill predicts a return to corporate travel towards the end of July, and with many unable to get away for meetings and conferences abroad last year, this will come as welcome news. After the year the industry has had, the idea of doing business on exotic shores has never looked so appealing.

Singapore

South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands

Fun fact: No need to pack a swimsuit as holidaymakers can look forward to an average July temperature of -10C. It has a population of 30 scientists and one beach, shared by a colony of half a million king penguins.

Saint Helena, Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha

New Zealand Gibraltar

Fun fact: Some of the most isolated islands on the planet, the volcanic planes of Tristan da Cunha are only accessible by a seven-day boat journey from Cape Town at a year’s notice, with the social highlight being the annual rat-hunting festival.

Brunei

Fun fact: Thanks to the country’s natural abundance of oil, the Sultan of Brunei is one of the richest men in the world. Not only does the population enjoy some of the highest standards of living in the world, they pay zero income tax!

Australia

Eventclean specialise in the cleaning and waste management of outdoor & corporate events, with extensive experience of events both large and small including some of the most high-profile occasions in the country.

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

Providing sanitising and cleaning solutions for your COVID-19 safe event:

• Gel sachets

• Wall mounted sanitisers

• Pillar sanitising stations

• Pyramid sanitising stations

Personnel Problems

While gearing up for the return of live events, the industry finds itself struggling to find the staff to run them.

The events and hospitality industry is once again in crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and this time it’s lack of available personnel causing the problem. UK hospitality saw 660,000 professionals lose their jobs in 2020, making it one of the hardest hit sectors, with many leaving the industry for good. As venues reopen and as more events go ahead, a lack of workers to run events is posing a significant challenge for the industry.

“One of the reasons we’re having this problem is that there’s been a lack of help given to the hospitality and events sector by the government,” comments Rich McLaren, Co-founder of CM Recruitment. “We feel like we’ve been completely and utterly ignored and forgotten about. Other businesses and other industries are getting a lot of help that our industry hasn’t received. It’s no surprise that people are leaving.”

“Hospitality has always been seen as something that you do as a student or as a part-time job, rather than as a career,” says Reece Deignon, Director of Easy-Staffing, a recruitment agency for the hospitality industry. “A lot of the people who work in hospitality were abandoned when the first lockdown hit. With the furlough scheme, when businesses started having to pay into it themselves, employees got abandoned. From a business perspective, there is no way you could afford, when you have no money coming in, to pay hundreds of people 5% or 10% of their wages. But without having that, the hospitality workers were left in a difficult situation of not having enough on the furlough scheme and not being able to get work, and so many decided to move into another industry.”

Live events and hospitality was one of the first industries to close, and will be one of the last to reopen. It’s not difficult to imagine why many professionals are searching for steadier income in unsteady times. According to the #wemakeevents campaign 77% of events industry

professionals have lost 100% of their income during the pandemic. In addition to this, a combined effect of both the COVID-19 pandemic and Brexit has led to an exodus of overseas workers, many of whom worked in the events industry. “The EU staff have left because they don’t feel welcome anymore after Brexit,” Reece explains.

The question that needs to be answered is: what can the events industry do about this lack of specialist personnel? Rich offers an opinion: “You have to be more flexible when it comes to hiring people. The people that have left the industry weren’t born events professionals. They had to be given an opportunity to learn, and that’s what we have to keep offering to people.”

“Increase the pay rates,” says Reece Deignon. “You have to increase the pay rates and make hospitality more attractive if you want people to join the industry. Make it become more of a career rather than something you do to get by. Right now, it’s not something that’s taught in school or encouraged really. That’s something that has to be dealt with if we want the industry to recover.”

An opportunity to learn is exactly what is being offered by The Hospitality Professionals Association, who are offering professional development programmes in Financial Management and Revenue Management which are specifically tailored for the hospitality industry. Accreditations like these, as well as the government’s new scheme which offers businesses £3,000 for taking on a new apprentice, are designed to help bring young people into the industry. In addition to this, the emergence of hospitality-specific recruitment agencies such as Perfect Recruitment go a long way towards helping businesses to find skilled industry professionals to fill vacancies. While the hospitality industry is facing significant challenges in the wake of the pandemic, we are already on our way to conquering them.

Leading the Way

Martin Cairns, MD of Beechwood Events and board member of The Event Supplier and Services Association, believes the pandemic offers event suppliers a once in a lifetime opportunity to build back better.

With the pandemic (hopefully) receding behind us, and an 18-month hiatus on events coming to an end, the industry is poised to restart, and our members and the industry face a wealth of obstacles ahead.

The Event Supplier and Services Association (ESSA) intends to take the lead on member challenges as they arise. The whole landscape is now quite different to 2019, after 12 months of shutdown. Supply chains have been broken with businesses closing or moving markets. Redundant contractors and suppliers have started up as freelancers and sole traders, and large stockholdings have been split up and sold off.

ESSA has recognised this shift, and recently the membership voted overwhelmingly in favour of the board's plan to change our long-standing membership structure and create a space for smaller businesses, freelancers and startups under the ESSA umbrella.

We will be focusing on urgent problems like the lack of prompt payment and the challenge of uniting talented and skilled event professionals with new opportunities in the industry, and not losing them to

other creative sectors. In some ways, the pandemic has given us the chance to introduce new conventions and expectations, and we will be exploiting this 'reset' moment to create greater visibility for our members.

We must also lead on Brexit. Once again, for all its destructive power, the pandemic has given us an opportunity to restart our businesses, in many cases from scratch, and reset our posture towards Europe. This could mean minimal or non-existent changes for some members, and substantial changes and investments for others. Since 2016 we have been providing advice and resources to our members in increasing detail.

As the pandemic (hopefully) passes, the economy still faces fallout, and our industry will be no exception. We face a number of

clear hurdles: recruitment, unemployment, supply chain health, payment speed and Brexit to name a few, and many more yet to make themselves felt. ESSA is determined to take the lead on addressing these challenges using everything we have learnt over the last 14 months.

Like it or not, the pandemic has given us a moment to change everything – but we cannot effect those changes as individual businesses. But by coming together as an association, and leading the changes collectively, there is so much we can achieve for the benefit of not just our members but the whole industry.

Essa.uk.com

Passport to Recovery?

H&E North asks whether vaccination certificates are an effective way back to staging live events and weighs up the ethical challenges they pose.

Of the many ways to navigate our way out of the coronavirus pandemic, the vaccine or immunity passport has to be one of the most controversial. Some have branded the idea discriminatory, while others believe it to be inevitable and the only safe way for the world to open up once again.

With the government having set targets for every adult to be vaccinated by the autumn, proof of vaccination could be a safe way for people to begin to travel and come together at events again. Yet as petitions against vaccine passports gain momentum, the morality of such a scheme which segregates those who are medically unable, are further down the priority list, or may simply exercise their right not to be vaccinated, has come under scrutiny.

While this may seem the quickest and safest way to enable live events to reopen, many questions still remain. Could we see venues and event organisers require a vaccine passport from staff before they can work, throwing up yet another barrier in the face of recruitment challenges? Will the government place a legal burden on venues to demand a vaccine passport as a condition of

entry, and how will the logistical and data protection aspects of checking this work?

Event planner and hospitality consultant Liz Taylor of the Taylor Lynn Corporation reflects on the practicalities and moral dilemmas the vaccination passport scheme would pose for the industry.

A route to reopening

Ordinarily, I would throw my full weight behind anything that would allow the events industry to open up again and let us get back to doing what we love. And as the pandemic continues, with new strains emerging, I can see that some companies and private clients may look to a vaccine passport for reassurance of safety. And also some planners, as a route to reopen their decimated businesses. However, I do have both moral and logistical doubts over the idea of immunity passports.

Logistics

In terms of large-scale events, it would put pressure on the security and event management team to identify anyone who doesn’t have an immunity passport. And if we do, what do we do with them? If entry is to be refused for those who don’t have immunity, communication would have to be very clear about the fact that a passport is a prerequisite to entering the event.

Risk factors

Plus, there’s the issue if someone did slip through the net. What would happen if somebody were to contract COVID-19 at an event and where would the blame lie? Would there be a legal implication? We would have to be extremely hot on collecting and storing personal data for years to come.

Vaccination variables

The differing rates of vaccinations among age groups also poses a problem. For example, if we were organising a work recognition event, ahead of the time that

all UK adults have been vaccinated, would there be different rules for different age groups, with some able to mix and others segregated? Social distancing and other virus control rules would surely still have to apply across the entire event. And many of our events include delegates from all levels of the company and I am sure some businesses will consider smaller, ‘less risky’ events for management. But this surely defeats the morale and team building elements of these events?

Suppliers and international guests

There would also be an implication for the staff we are able to hire. In our industry we rely heavily on freelance workers, many of those travelling from abroad. Undoubtedly, those who have been vaccinated will be a more employable prospect than those who have not.

For an international event, with vaccination programmes happening at differing rates, there will also be a knock-on effect. Many of the companies I work with have offices across the globe. Do they split their team, with some attending virtually, while others enjoy the experience of a live event?

And what about the performing artists who travel internationally to entertain our audiences? If they are from a country that has been unable to vaccinate at the rate the UK has, they could be unable to work here.

Human rights

Logistics aside, the biggest question for me is whether requiring a person to disclose their medical records is an infringement on their human rights? The freedom to choose our lifestyle, including whether or not we want to be vaccinated, should surely be just that – a choice. Restricting freedoms such as whether a person can attend a concert or watch a football match based on their vaccination status could be a dangerous route to a more discriminatory dystopian society.

IndustryOpinion

Social Success

Digital marketing guru Jonny Ross, founder of Fleek Marketing discusses setting social media goals for your brand.

Social media goals are a fantastic way for you to both prove and improve the overall value of your social media pages. If you can write down your goals and report on any progress you make, then this will also significantly improve the chances of you achieving whatever it is you set out to do.

Goals are a fantastic way for you to document your improvement and your success. On top of this, they also give you the chance to see how effective the campaign you have is. If you want to make sure that you are setting good goals, then the steps below should help you.

Conduct an audit right now to see where you stand

Before you even think about what you want to achieve, you need to make sure that you have a clear idea of where you stand. A social media audit should be done across all your accounts, as it will give you a good baseline.

As we emerge from lockdowns and optimism begins to return, it seems there are new challenges on the horizon for many in the hospitality and event industries, not least serious shortages of both labour and supplies, particularly of equipment. And the insurance industry is not helping either.

On the labour front, many of those who have traditionally worked in these sectors came from Europe and elsewhere but, due to COVID and a succession of lockdowns, have returned to their homelands. Getting them back, however, is not going to be easy, particularly as our immigration policy now sets tough targets to be met. On top of this, many workers from our markets have found work in other sectors of the economy

Find out what’s important to your goals

Look through your results and you’ll start to see which channels are doing well and which ones need a different focus. Next up, think about what’s important for you in terms of your goals.

Does your social add value?

Vanity metrics might feel good for you to check, but make sure that you are tying them to your business goals. Will getting more likes help you with your business value? Probably not. Take a look at your strategy and marketing plans too, you will soon find that you can connect them with one another.

For more tips, check out The Jonny Ross Audio Experience podcast

A Perfect Storm

Jim Winship, Secretary

of The Events Industry

Forum discusses the recruitment challenges threatening to stymie the industry recovery.

which often provide them with greater job security and higher pay.

At the same time, those supplying into these markets are also reporting problems. In events, for example, many security staff are now redeployed at vaccination centres and in shopping areas and much of the equipment needed to put on an outdoor event, such as marquees and toilets, are being used to provide outdoor cover for restaurants and similar venues. And with more events than ever planned for the autumn and winter this year, we are facing a perfect storm.

Resolving these issues will require careful and creative planning by all concerned. For those organising events, securing suppliers early is going to be essential. Looking at

ways to operate with fewer staff will also be necessary, but there will always be limits to this, particularly in terms of safety.

On top of all this is the insurance issue, not only in terms of insuring against future pandemic lockdowns but also difficulties for suppliers in obtaining credit insurance after a year when many businesses will be showing losses.

Hence, we are calling on the government to step in and act urgently both by underwriting pandemic and credit insurance as well as relaxing immigration regulations to allow entry to those who we need to work in our restaurants, cafes and events. You can help us by making sure your local Member of Parliament is aware of the issues and asking for their support in pressing the government for action.

Office Harmony

Perfect for workplaces that don’t have the capacity to take teams out of the business for long periods, or those who simply want to add some fun activities into their wellbeing programme, Sharon Stacey’s Strummin’ and Hummin’ workshop is ideal for bringing teams together, strengthening relationships and boosting morale on a budget.

Participants will learn how to play three chords fluently on the ukulele and by the end of the session, everyone will play a song together from start to finish. The ukulele is an incredibly inclusive instrument, and while humming is not only ideal for those who may be shy about using their voice, it offers a COVID-safe way of expressing themselves.

As teams get back to the office, founder Sharon Stacey believes there’s no better way to reconnect: “Coming out of the pandemic, some employees who have been working at home have felt incredibly isolated. While some have missed the office, others may feel reticent about returning, and by organising an enjoyable, collaborative activity for staff to enjoy, it’s a nice way to welcome them back.”

While based in Yorkshire, Sharon is able to take her workshops into offices across the UK, with packages ranging from a small but mighty 30-minute Express Lunch & Learn workshop, all the way to a full day session. Known for her popular vocal training and choir collaboration

workshops, the pandemic led the experienced musical director to develop a socially-distanced activity that works for businesses: “The beauty of the workshop is that it's quick, simple and effective – I rock up with 30 multicoloured ukuleles and we learn a pop song from start to finish in a single lunchtime. It’s a great energizer for a productive afternoon and a welcome break away from screens. It’s still a challenging time for businesses right now, so I was keen to offer an affordable team building taster for those who want to invest in the wellbeing of their staff but may not have much to spend.”

If your team leave the workshop inspired to start a workplace ukulele group, or learn at home, businesses are welcome to purchase their own ukuleles. Leaving the colourful ukes around the office could lead to a number of possibilities, not least the opportunity to promote their brand’s corporate social responsibility agenda by throwing a charity gig. Stacey can bring back the workshop on a regular basis as a monthly treat for staff, and help the team expand their repertoire in preparation for the big night.

From the Proclaimers’ 500 Miles, to Bruno Mars’ Marry You, and even Taylor Swift’s Shake it Off, Sharon brings professional backing tracks to popular hits to spread that feel-good factor: “The repertoire we play is fun, and a little cheesy. The reason being, is that it makes people smile – the cheesier the better as far as I'm concerned!”

01226 891 613 | Sharonstaceymusic.com

CM Event Recruitment aims to bring new talent into the events industry.

CM Event Recruitment is taking a handson approach to dealing with the staffing deficit that the hospitality sector is facing. Though the industry has lost many skilled workers throughout the pandemic, Chrissie and her husband Richie are willing to hire less experienced but highly motivated staff and go the extra mile by providing training to them.

“We’ll do a telephone screening first,” explains Chrissie, “and make sure that they have the right attitude and are willing to learn. We’ve always given a presentation to staff before each event, imparting an understanding of the client’s unique needs, but now that’s more extensive. We train our employees not only in the technical skills

they need for the event, but also in soft skills too – from customer service skills to client expectations and how to handle problems.

Of course, we let the clients know that some of the staff have less experience, but reassure them that they’ve been trained, and most importantly have the right attitude. And we will always send a more experienced member of staff along with them.

The events industry has lost a lot of skilled staff during the pandemic. The only way to overcome that is to invite people in and give them opportunities.”

Cmrecruitment.agency

dmcfinder.net jo@dmcfinder.co.uk

Come Together

Bring colleagues and clients together and create a more positive workplace environment with our selection of team building activities across the north.

TeamWalking

TeamWalking offers team building away days that are enjoyable, sociable, and inclusive. Led by acclaimed outdoor writer Mark Reid, the aim is to bring your team closer together out in nature by allowing them to think, reflect, and discuss, away from the distractions of the office. Each experience, ranging from the Lake District to Yorkshire Dales and beyond, is fully tailored to your team’s needs and will include various tasks that will focus on communication, collaboration, and understanding. TeamWalking aims to build trust among colleagues with these activities and get your group working more effectively together long after the experience is over. Teamwalking.co.uk

Team Master Chef

Based on the popular TV programme, Team Master Chef will have your employees competing to see who can create the tastiest dish. Participants will first watch a cooking demonstration by a professional chef, which they then have to attempt to recreate in teams, without any help at all. Teams will also be given a mystery ingredient to incorporate in the dish to test their ingenuity. The activity will challenge your team to develop their attention to detail, problem solving skills, creativity, and time management skills. Gotoevents.co.uk

Having spent so long working from home, team building couldn’t be more crucial in the workplace than it is now. The pandemic has left people feeling increasingly isolated, with 67% of employees saying they felt less connected to their colleagues. Team building can not only bring your team together, but can also positively affect mental health, which in turn increases productivity. And while Zoom has plugged a gap, your clients may also need to feel some love with an engaging away day.

Go Ape

Go Ape is the place to go for some exciting post-lockdown togetherness, with locations across Scotland and the north of England. Test your nerve 11m above the ground on the high ropes and come together with your co-workers to overcome obstacles. The course includes a Tarzan Swing, tree-to-tree zip lines, and a free-falling plummet for your team to conquer. The event coordinators are able to tailor your day to suit your needs and to make your adventure truly unique. From learning and development days to social team days out of the office, Go Ape can give your team an experience like no other! Goape.co.uk

The Escapologist Selby

What better way is there to get to know your colleagues than to lock yourselves in a room together? Choose from three differently themed escape rooms: Mr McGoo’s Chocolicious Emporium, a Harry Potter inspired room, or Anarchy of the Seas. Once you’ve picked what theme you’d like, work together to escape. Develop your cooperation and communication skills solving puzzles to get out. Best of all, once you’re out you can visit the steampunk themed bar downstairs. The-escapologist.com

Sand In Your Eye

You don’t need to be based by a beach to take part in a sand sculpture workshop. Sand In Your Eye can provide a pop-up workshop to any venue without a problem. Encourage team cohesiveness with this fun and creative activity and learn a new skill along the way! Sand In Your Eye runs full day sand sculpting sessions for corporate team building and also offers workshops on other skills, such as sand drawing, pumpkin carving, ice sculpting, and light art. Sandinyoureye.co.uk

Work Wellbeing

Vibrant Thinking offers creative workshops to help businesses merge working from home and in the office.

Hi Lorna! Can you give us the background behind Vibrant Thinking?

I established Vibrant Thinking two years go in Northumberland. Before that I worked for Procter & Gamble in their marketing department for 17 years. When I left them, I set up a pottery painting business that was focused on hand and footprints for babies and children. I’ve always had a vision that I would take pottery painting into the corporate world, because of how I experienced it when I was sitting on a course learning how to start my own business. It’s the fact that it gives you so much energy and doesn’t drain you.

So after I’d essentially learnt how to run the business, the hand and foot painting evolved into a corporate team building activity in the office. And then the pandemic hit. Clearly there was no going into the office, and team building was the last thing anyone was thinking about – it was all about crisis management. So, I’ve evolved and broadened what I offer now, to include helping companies achieve success through hybrid working.

What do your workshops generally involve?

First of all, there would be a briefing between myself and the client, discussing what the objectives are, and what specific challenges they are looking to overcome. The sessions themselves, which last between two and two-and-a-half hours, is bookended by pottery painting exercises. The first icebreaker that we do is to ask people to paint on a tile a visual representation of what hybrid working is in

their opinion, (or something else depending on what the brief is). We use a lot of stencils, so no one feels unable to draw what they want to express. Then we share back so everyone can understand each other’s different viewpoints.

The visual representations are usually much clearer than just sitting around discussing would have been. That’s just the first 15 minutes. It puts people in a much more creative and open mindset, to then go into a more traditional workshop. We would then start to look at the themes that are coming through in the discussion, looking for the ones that are best for this organisation, and then discussing how we start that journey. At the end of our workshop, each participant will leave with their own personal action step they can take back into the workplace. The last section of the workshop is getting people to paint their action step on a mug, so they have a visual reminder of what they’re working on sitting at their desk.

And why is it that services like yours are so crucial in the current climate?

Hybrid working really gives us the opportunity to finally address the issue of wellbeing at work, and the direct cause of it, which is actually the way we work. This is something that our service hopes to improve. We’re often forced into a structure of nine-to-five working, which doesn’t necessarily match how we live anymore. That structure and those defined roles, that’s not what life is, and work life should adapt to accept that. It’s about trusting employees to know how they can best deliver the work they need to produce.

Wellbeing at work has been an issue for 10 years. We have a £45 billion industry there trying to fix it and yet the situation is only getting worse. The industry increased by 10 billion just between 2018 and 2019. So clearly, what we’re doing currently isn’t working and we’ve essentially just been sticking a plaster on it for now. Hybrid working will really help us address the root cause of the problem and reduce the stress of work, and we want to help businesses find a way to do that.

Vibrant-thinking.com

Northin Brief

Mid Yorkshire Chamber Calls for Greater Support for Hospitality

The Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce is calling for further support for the hospitality industry following the impact of Brexit and the pandemic, which has left the sector short on skilled staff.

Member Davide Garbarino, a recruitment consultancy manager, commented: “Lockdown has driven people back to their own countries to wait out the pandemic and therefore, they have missed out on job opportunities. Brexit, and the new rules for the European community, has made it difficult to find staff, especially now that ‘chef’ has been removed from the Occupation Code list.

With much of the UK hospitality workforce hailing from European countries, along with the sponsor system and the 70-point scheme, Garbarino believes it will be extremely challenging for employers to recruit experienced staff from overseas: “With the restrictions now in place dictating how firms can recruit from Europe, there needs to be more incentive and training for people living in the UK to want to work and, more importantly, build a career in hospitality, to help the industry get back to what it once was. Now we are at the point where hospitality businesses may have to close an extra day, or open on reduced hours, because they can't rotate the staff that they have.”

Martin Hathaway, managing director of the Mid Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, added: “The sector is responsible for millions of jobs, generating hundreds of billions of pounds, and plays a key role in the Yorkshire economy and that of the wider nation. More must be done to assist in its recovery, and to create accessible, desirable jobs within the sector that ensure the longevity of our hospitality businesses.”

Make Venues Continues to Support UK Vaccination Programme

Make Venues has received plaudits across the industry as the organisation continues its support for the UK-wide vaccination programme. The collection of meeting, training and conference venues remained open during the pandemic, supporting the training and development of critical care workers. Working with St John’s Ambulance, it was able to support the organisation in training 1,000 volunteers over a six-week period in support of the COVID Vaccinator Programme.

Over the last year the organisation has also supported manufacturers across a range of sectors to provide equipment ranging from ventilators to PPE, as well as other medical supplies. Through its business services, Make UK, it has also provided companies with health and safety advice, COVID risk management and employment advice to help protect jobs through the furlough scheme.

Speaking on the cross-business activity, David Vaughton, Managing Director, Make Venues, commented, “We’ve all been

heartened by both the individual and collective efforts being made, across the business, to play our part in such an important, national, effort. It’s a source of real pride to us all that we can provide help through our hospitality brands, and to support something that is changing lives every day.”

Survey Reveals Impact of Sustainability on Mancunian Hospitality

A new survey into how consumers think about sustainability has found that more than half of Manchester consumers feel sustainability has become more important to their purchasing decisions over the last year. Commissioned by Too Good To Go, the world’s largest surplus food app, the survey revealed how 61.5% of Manchester residents said they would choose to purchase from a business they hadn’t before if they found out it had a focus on sustainability.

According to those surveyed, consumers feel most strongly about sustainability in the hospitality industry, with two thirds of respondents saying they consider sustainability when purchasing from this sector. Food waste was proven to be a particular concern for those surveyed, with 76% of respondents believing local businesses should not be wasting food.

82.9% identified food insecurity as the largest factor, saying food shouldn’t be wasted when there are people going hungry. In comparison, 40.8% of Mancunians identified the damage caused to our environment as the main reason why businesses should not waste food, suggesting more awareness is needed when it comes to food waste’s part to play in the climate crisis.

Paschalis Loucaides, UK Managing Director, Too Good To Go, said: “If we are to reverse the impact of climate change, reducing food waste is one of the most important things that we can do. In the UK alone we’re wasting 10 million tonnes of food each year and globally, our food waste is contributing more harmful greenhouse gas emissions than the aviation industry. It’s great to see consumers considering the sustainability of their purchasing decisions and holding businesses to account.”

Nominations Open for the Independent Hotel Show Awards 2021

Launched in 2012, The Independent Hotel Show Awards which celebrates excellence in the boutique hotel sector has opened for entries. The Independent Hotelier Award recognises an excellent reputation for pushing boundaries and creating exceptional guest experiences, while the GM of the Future Award recognises a rising star in the industry.

The Independent Hotel Show will also be partnering with The Good Hotel Guide to host the Cesar Awards – 10 of which are awarded each year to hotels demonstrating consistent excellence – and celebrating the winner of The Good Hotel Guide Editor’s Choice Award at the event.

Shortlisted hoteliers will be decided by a panel of industry experts before the winner is determined by a combination of panel and public vote. The winners will be announced in the awards ceremony on the first day of the show when it returns to Olympia London on 4th October.

To submit a nomination, head to Independenthotelshow.co.uk

A Brave New Adventure

Leading north Wales team building attraction Adventure Parc Snowdonia is set to attract a new wave of corporate guests with the debut of the Hilton Garden Inn Snowdonia and the adjoining Wave Garden Spa.

Adventure Parc Snowdonia is celebrating the launch of the first internationally branded hotel in north Wales. Located within the grounds of the award-winning adventure parc, the Hilton Garden Inn Snowdonia will offer the perfect escape for thrill-seeking teams and corporate guests looking to combine action with relaxation. The fourstorey, 106-bedroom property, one of the largest hotels in the region, is situated on an all-action site home to the world’s first inland surf lagoon.

Guests will have award-winning indoor and outdoor adventures on their doorstep with team building activities at the parc including inland surfing on a 300m man-made lagoon, paddle boarding, open water swimming, mountain biking, indoor caving, ziplines and a ninja assault course. The hotel opens with an adjoining Wave Garden Spa, which offers luxurious treatments as well as an indoor/ outdoor thermal journey and relaxation spaces.

Steve Cassidy, Managing Director of Hilton UK & Ireland, said: “We’re thrilled to unveil such a special hotel in one of Europe’s most unspoiled landscapes. Hilton Garden Inn Snowdonia really does have something for everyone, balancing exhilarating activities and adventures with facilities to relax and rejuvenate.”

Primarily privately financed, the new hotel and spa also received funding from the Welsh government, with economy minister

Vaughan Gething, commenting: “The opening of the Hilton Garden Inn is an exciting new phase for Adventure Parc Snowdonia. I am very pleased that the Welsh government has been able to support this high-quality development, which is a significant tourism project for the region and will be of further benefit for both the Conwy Valley and to Wales – especially as north Wales is seen as a destination of choice for visitors who are seeking adventure and unique experiences. I wish the team well as they open to the public for the first time.”

After catching some inland waves, guests at the new hotel can wind down in the double hammam, indoor and outdoor hydrotherapy pools, and cocoon seating warmed by fire pits at the Wave Garden Spa. Connected to the hotel, the brand-new spa features vitality pools, a Himalayan salt sauna and indoor and outdoor treatment areas with big views of the sweeping landscapes of Snowdonia, offering the ultimate opportunity to reward teams after a challenging year. Visitors can also take advantage of the hotel’s 24-hour guest-exclusive fitness centre.

On the ground floor of the hotel, the lagoonside Zephyr’s Bar & Grill serves locally sourced food and drink from some of the region’s best producers, and the hotel also offers four versatile spaces which can accommodate up to 300 guests for events, and is also licensed for weddings and civil partnerships.

In addition to the hotel highlights, corporate guests visiting Hilton Garden Inn Snowdonia can travel with peace of mind from checkin to check-out with Hilton’s CleanStay programme. New standards include a Hilton CleanStay Room Seal to indicate that a room has not been accessed since being thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, increased frequency of cleaning of all public areas, and flexible housekeeping options.

The hotel is part of Hilton Honors, the awardwinning guest-loyalty programme for Hilton’s 18 distinct hotel brands. Nightly room rates start at £89, and Hilton Honors members can redeem their points using the Points Explorer tool. The hotel offers fully flexible booking options with free changes and cancellations, giving guests flexibility to change or cancel up to 24 hours before their arrival day.

Celebrating the launch, Andy Ainscough, Adventure Parc Snowdonia MD said: “The Hilton Garden Inn and Wave Garden Spa elevate our offer to a whole new level. Our vision has always been about delivering exceptional experiences and a flagship destination for our visitors and guests, and we’re proud to bring the Hilton Garden Inn Snowdonia and Wave Garden Spa to that mix. Our 2021 bookings are exceptionally strong, as teams look for somewhere extra special to enjoy their post-lockdown away day escape.”

Adventureparcsnowdonia.com | Hgisnowdonia.com | Wavegardenspa.com

A Demand for Suppliers

We all know events organisers have been forced to roll with the punches, but as normality resumes, we hear the suppliers’ side of the story, with Chris Warbrick, Founder of luxury event supplier Exceed Events revealing a candid view of the current landscape.

Exceed Events is a multi-award-winning Bolton-based luxury event supplier with over 30 years of industry experience hosting high-profile events for clients including MTV, FIFA, Barclays and ITV.

So Chris, how have you fared over the past 15 months?

The last 15 months have certainly been the most challenging months of our existence with a number of obstacles that we have had to overcome. We were the first industry to fully close and we’ll be one of the last to fully reopen and with the nature of our business, events have to be planned and organised months in advance, which has proved difficult for us as suppliers, but also our clients due to the everchanging and sometimes unclear guidance.

Like many suppliers, we have however used the time as wisely as possible, undergoing a full company rebrand, new website, new customer management system, better operating processes and also strengthening our core team. This will allow us to provide a better product and service to our clients while also meaning we can scale to a greater level, at a greater pace than what we could have done previously. We’re more excited about the future than we have ever been before and hope other suppliers are similarly able to come out of lockdown on the front foot!

In what ways have you pivoted the business to survive?

We’ve worked in several different ways over the last year to not only drive revenue but maintain an active business presence while supporting our venues. Throughout the duration of the lockdowns, we have performed a number of virtual events, both under our own brand and also on behalf of our clients. This saw us convert our warehouse facility into a performance area where we live streamed from while also connecting other live artists too. This generated great engagement and helped us connect with clients we may previously not have reached.

From summer 2020 onwards, we became involved in a number of outdoor events, hosting drive-in club nights and family friendly bingo events in partnership with other companies where members of the public could all join in and have fun from the safety of their own cars.

It may not have been our usual clientele, but it was an incredibly rewarding learning curve that added a new string to our bow.

Are you seeing bookings increase as we come out of lockdown, or are clients still reticent to dip into budgets?

2020 certainly saw new bookings grind to a halt and also resulted in approximately 140 events postponed until 2021 and 2022. Since the start of restrictions easing, we have seen a significant growth in consumer confidence resulting in record months of enquiries and new bookings with people wanting to get things secured and something positive to work towards and look forward to. As each month goes by, clients are coming to us with more excitement and optimism rather than the worry they had last year.

Are you offering clients flexible terms if the situation changes?

Right from the start of the first lockdown, we wanted to make sure we offered our clients additional reassurances and flexibility, therefore amended our terms so that if for whatever reason their event wasn’t able to go ahead due to the pandemic then they could move to another date at zero additional cost. We also made a business decision that any planned price increases would no longer come into effect and would be reviewed at a later date to help us be as competitive as possible in a difficult climate.

As restrictions lift, what response are you looking for from event organisers to help stimulate an industry-wide recovery?

As things return to a new normal, it’s important for event organisers to remember there may be new processes and practices for their event suppliers as part of new rules that weren’t originally there at the point of booking, and to work with them to understand if there is any impact. It is also important to remember that most suppliers will now have significantly more bookings in place due to postponements, therefore anyone wanting to move a date or to make a new booking should contact the supplier as early as possible to avoid any disappointment as we get back to business.

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Say Your Name

Branded products go a long way towards keeping your company in the minds of clients. Here are our picks for the most stand-out products on the market.

1. Flow Bag Jellybeans

Everyone loves a sweet treat and bribing prospective buyers with jellybeans is certainly one way to get them thinking favourably about your company. These 10g bags from Infinity Inc Online are filled with genuine The Jelly Bean Factory beans, and are able to have your business’s logo printed on each pack. Infinity Inc Online also offers 20g, 30g, and 40g options for if you really want to impress. Infinityinconline.co.uk

2. Yo-yo

Show that your company has a fun side with this brandable yo-yo from We Brand It. While we might all like to pretend we’re serious business professionals, few will be able to resist having a go, if only to see if we still can. The yo-yos are stamped with your brand logo on the side and are sure to bring a smile to any client’s face. Webrandit.co.uk

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Disposable Face Masks

Face masks are something that everyone needs to have ample supply of right now, so clients will think highly of anyone providing them. Buying cloth face masks embroidered with your business’s logo is a great branding opportunity, but also an unfortunately costly one.

Vistaprint offers a more cost effective alternative: disposable masks with brandable packets. Offering these out to clients shows a touch of care, as well as raising your brand awareness. Vistaprint.co.uk

4. Contour Ballpen

Pens are a branding staple, and for good reason. They’re small, easily portable, and often used. Everything you want in a brandable product. Extra pens never go amiss in an office, and their frequent use will keep your brand in the forefront of your client’s mind. These contour pens from Go Promotional have an ergo-friendly rubber grip designed specifically for user comfort, are available in two different ink colours, and 10 external colours. Gopromotional.co.uk

5. USB Flashdrive Twist

A USB drive is a useful gift to send to a client, and one that will promote your business well. USB drives are essential in every office and will ensure your business is in your clients mind every day. This offering from Promotional Goods is available in memory sizes up to 64gb, and in 10 different colours to match your company’s logo. Promotional-goods.co.uk

Have Yourself a Merry Christmas Massive

Preparations for Christmas have begun, but there are still questions about what kind of Christmas season we should expect with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic lingering.

It’s that time of year again! Christmas is coming up in a few months and it’s time to plan for Christmas parties. Last year’s office Christmas parties were a first for everyone. Social distancing guidelines saw many get-togethers happening over Zoom, and subsequently many events professionals dealing with cancellations and lost revenue. Not exactly a situation that brought Christmas cheer. This year is set to look much more joyful, or so we hope. The question on everyone’s mind is whether Christmas will be back to normal this year.

Linda Mansfield, Senior Director of Christmas Parties Unlimited, a service which allows venues to advertise their Christmas parties to businesses, weighs in: “We’ve had a big increase in enquiries coming through. We’re not quite currently at the level we were at in 2019, but we are getting there. Just between April and May our number of enquiries has doubled. Lately, we’re getting four or five a day. We are getting listings for smaller venues that only hold 50 to 60 people, but also from ones looking to fill their 200-person capacity. There are lots of companies who’ve already booked out their venues for several hundred or even 1,000 people.” This is certainly a good sign that this Christmas can make up for the disappointment of last year.

“It’s definitely very different from last year,” Linda continues, “Then we were getting a few enquiries, hopeful that there would be small tables of people as that's all they could have. Confidence is definitely back, both for the venues and also for the people that are making the enquiries. There’s definitely a feeling that where possible, Christmas is going to happen.”

Gareth Palmer, Founder and Executive Chef at luxury events catering company Vanilla Bean, is of a similar opinion: “I certainly think corporate events will be back in September and am hopeful these will continue into the winter months. It’s likely we’ll see a lot of hybrid events. Our clients have been going to the maximum capacity allowed with current restrictions in place, and as these ease we’ve seen some big celebrations come into our diary. There is a huge appetite for celebration, and events are a wonderful opportunity to bring groups together.”

With colleagues having been separate from each other for so long, this enthusiasm

for large celebrations is understandable. It seems that Christmas is going to be a much anticipated party season this year.

“It’s been fantastic to witness so much excitement and our clients have been delighted to have us return,” Gareth explains. “We’ve taken bookings for a number of corporate events and larger parties. It’s a world away from last year. We’re planning earlier this year than we usually would, already our team is busy designing and taste-testing to ensure our clients receive the very best after such a highly anticipated return to live events. Our

food stations are largely being replaced with an interactive offering, which will see us creating made-to-order canapés for guests. There’s a strong appetite to celebrate and reconnect with colleagues so we’re already designing new food and cocktail menus, with warming treats such as gingerbread martinis on the cards!”

With businesses booking everything from sit-down meals to themed soirées, all signs point to this Christmas season being one to remember, with hopes for large celebrations and people coming together to celebrate the simple joy of in-person interaction.

Back to the Good Old Days?

Jordan Tomkins, Founder of hybrid and virtual event platform Intelligo makes the argument for why virtual events are not going away.

With the hopeful easing of lockdown restrictions, the excitement at the thought of live events is palpable in the community. Businesses everywhere are throwing open the doors, recruiting event managers and heralding the return to the good old days.

“Virtual kept us going” they say, “but it will never replace a live experience”. I think they are sort of missing the point. When the car was invented, the commentators of the day shook their heads. “It will never catch on” was the consensus. “It’s a fun gimmick, but it will never replace the horse”.

Why should we be trying to replace the horse? Horses are great, and so are live events. I can’t wait to be in an arena or conference venue again, listening to pink noise over the PA, or the 400th play-through of Rosanna by Toto. But the past 12 months has taught me that there is more than one way to engage an audience, and more than one way to travel through the countryside (is the metaphor dead yet?). Audiences are catching on to the benefits of virtual and may not want to return to the good old days.

Take the UK Tax Investigations Conference (UKTIC) as an example. In 2019 and all the years prior, this was a half-day conference in a hotel conference room, with about 100 guests. They would spend their morning travelling halfway across the country, to sit in a room identical to the one in their local chain hotel. They then share the same stuffy air as 99 other people, watch someone click through a poorly designed Powerpoint presentation on an underpowered projection screen, eat some conference chicken, and then, if they are lucky, have a couple of beers at the bar before going up to their overpriced, cramped hotel room for the night. The next day they would have to immediately turn around and spend three to five hours travelling home again. In total, they have spent 24 to 36 hours away from home to watch a four-hour presentation.

In 2020, UKTIC was hosted online from one of our virtual studios. The client was concerned about the lack of engagement, so we helped them put extra effort into ensuring brilliant graphics, entertaining script elements, and some good audience interaction pieces. What happened next surprised all of us. Ticket sales not only reached the

previous year’s levels, but surpassed them by 50% (bear in mind the ticket price was not dropped either). The delegates were engaged throughout the event, chatting in the sidebar and posing questions for the speakers to answer. The post-event feedback was that it was the best version of the event that they had ever been to. Furthermore, the audience were all glad that they didn’t have to travel; they could just shut their laptops and go back to their families at the end of the conference. UKTIC is now a permanently virtual event.

Clearly, this is not going to be the case for every event we see. But virtual events are a tool, and used correctly, can easily provide greater value for delegates, and in turn sponsors and organisers, than their physical counterparts.

Virtual and hybrid events are here to stay, whether we like it or not, so it’s time we stopped fighting it and ask ourselves: ‘what is the most appropriate way to deliver this content?’. You wouldn’t take a horse on the M1 after all, so why would you force people to attend a live event when a virtual one will work?

IndustryOpinion

A Fighting Chance

The outdoor events industry is back up and running, and after well over a year of almost no events at all, this should of course be celebrated. However, the positive PR out there talking about massive ticket sales and the return of consumers, hungry to enjoy what we do as an industry, does belie a darker story for our industry.

In 2018 over 141.5 million people attended events across the UK; from musical events to cultural festivals, sporting occasions to agricultural shows. Events are a massive part of our cultural identity and we’ve clearly missed them. However, for events to happen, we need people to be incentivised to put them on, and at the moment, the risks far outweigh the benefits.

Events in the UK have always been risky business, with anything from travel disturbances to the great British weather able to make or break an event at very short notice. Now, post pandemic, these risks are even higher, and the rewards even lower.

The National Outdoor Events Association (NOEA) has committed itself to helping the industry to #BulidBackBetter, and to do

The Value of Live

Recovery and building back better for the UK business events, accommodation and meetings industry will be down to our collective responsibility. By this, I mean, there is a responsibility for everyone in the sector to demonstrate that physical face-to-face events can take place safely and sustainably, as part of a critical drive to inspire confidence and get business meetings and events happening again.

This has already started to happen with the government’s pilot events, held throughout April and May as part of The Events Research Programme. The aim was to examine the risk of transmission of COVID-19 at events and explore ways to enable people to attend a range of events safely. The pilots were run across a range of settings, venue and activity types so that the findings could support the full reopening of similar settings across multiple sectors.

After the trials in Liverpool, where more than 13,000 people attended four events,

Susan Tanner, CEO of the National Outdoor Events Association urges the government to back support measures to ensure the rewards outweigh the risks for organisers looking to build back better.

this we need to switch this incentive model so that creative people can produce the events of the future. There are a couple of ways we’re looking to do this.

Event insurance is a tough one, and opinion in the industry is divided into whether this is a pipe dream or something that is achievable in the near future. Regardless, no one is in any doubt that there needs to be a government backed insurance scheme that helps de-risk events. Insurance companies are rightly concerned about underwriting events at risk from government interventions. In our minds, the sooner this liability is rebalanced, the sooner insurance companies can give event organisers the confidence they need.

Secondly, we need a tailored package of government support. The reality is that for the last two years many events businesses have had no income. This is even worse for suppliers to major events who do not even get the benefit of pre-event ticket sales. We have lost many good businesses, and we’ll lose even more without the right backing.

Social distancing, testing and crowd control need experience from companies that were in operation pre-pandemic, and from people that have organised events all over the world and in many different circumstances. We need to protect these intellectual assets by keeping these people in the industry; to do this we need tailored financial packages for events.

The finance isn’t hard to justify. For every pound spent on this industry, we are setting free the creative processes that will build experiences for millions in the years to come. For every piece of investment, we protect quality, highly regarded businesses from oblivion, and keep their expertise where it will be so sorely needed.

So, it’s true, events are back up and running. But their future is far from set. NOEA is fighting for a more robust future, one that means that creative people can be rewarded for the precious act of bringing joy to communities.

Noea.org.uk

Juliet Price, HBAA Consultant

Executive

Director believes the industry must demonstrate that live inperson events can take place safely.

including a business conference at ACC Liverpool, the results found no detectable spread of virus. These events took place without social distancing and masks. This really demonstrates the efficiency and expertise of the UK events sector, and its willingness to go above and beyond to deliver safe events and get back to business.

These early findings are extremely encouraging as we prepare to host our Annual Forum and Dinner – one of the industry’s first major in-person events – on 15th July, after planned restrictions are due to be lifted. To enhance COVID safety, the event will offer rapid testing in advance and on-site, and use the Liber health passport platform, developed by CI Group.

Of course, we would be foolish to ignore the learnings from the past 15 months and we all now know and appreciate that virtual delivery has won a very valid place in the events world. There are many positive impacts from going virtual which include

audience reach, sustainability, budget savings and attendees’ time and these considerations will now ensure that for some meetings and events, virtual is the best solution. The upside for this approach is that live and in-person events can become more valued by attendees, and lead to greater investment from the organiser.

As one of the UK’s most prominent industry associations, we are committed to leading the way in showing that in-person events can take place, and also how they can take place in a COVID-secure, effective and sustainable way. Our venues are already showcasing their readiness to welcome us back safely through serious investment in operational facilities and procedures. This is aligned with our four pillars – resilience, innovation, ethics and quality – to ensure we are fit for purpose and ready to help the industry build back.

Hbaa.org.uk

Edgeley Park Launches Largest Event Space in Stockport as Part of £1m Refurb.

Since the Stockport County FC takeover last year, extensive work has been going on behind the scenes to significantly improve and modernise the National League club stadium Edgeley Park. As part of the £1m refurbishment, the events space has been completely renovated and now features a variety of stylish new function rooms with modern finishes and high-tech equipment. As well as upgrades on the actual venue, the events planning and catering have also now been brought in-house, to ensure all events are of the highest standard.

Edgeley Park is one of the most historic sports stadiums in the country and has been the place of many memorable moments for generations of County fans and the local community. The 1883 at Edgeley Park boasts a capacity of up to 800, making it the largest venue space in the area, offering easy access with a large private car park. There are a five newly refurbished function rooms to hire, making it the perfect wedding or special events venue and with close proximity to Stockport train station, it’s the ideal location for meetings and conferences.

Edgeleypark.com

Qube Unveils New Event Igloos for Intimate Occasions

Qube Events & Productions is a creative event decor and services company founded by CEO and luxury event planner Debbie Marks. Qube offers an extensive range of services such as planning, styling, designing, event floral design, and more. Able to provide features such as rustic bars, festive lighting, floral installation, as well as branded products that can show off your logo throughout any event you hold, all of its services are completely bespoke and tailored to each event’s individual needs. Now Qube is adding one more feather to its cap by offering event igloos.

Intimate and highly customisable, event igloos are designed to make any event feel special. Just a few possible uses for these igloos include luxury dining experiences, five-star movie nights, afternoon tea experiences, or unforgettable proposals. These igloos are ideal for holding more intimate events in a post-pandemic world, combining both open air and protection from the weather. As with all of Qube’s services, the igloos are designed specifically to suit your event.

Event-hire.co.uk

Pioneering Boutique Events Agency Brings Style to the Fore

Not only did AMT Events founder Anna-Marie Trzebinski launch her business during the pandemic, but after having a lockdown baby too, her bravery earning her a place in the spotlight at Confex 2021.

Starting her career as a fashion stylist, Anna-Marie worked for London Fashion Week dressing celebrities on the red carpet before taking her talents to the events industry. With an eye for design and using her experience of managing multimillion-pound budget events for blue chip clients including Barclays and Morgan Stanley, she started her own company where she could let her creative talents shine.

Event Planners Investigate Murder Mystery Experiences

Sara West founded Tall Tales Mysteries in 2016 when her son decided he wanted to be an actor: “I had already started writing murder mystery games to sell, so I said to him ‘okay, we’ll put a troupe of actors together and you can get some experience’. I love reading crime fiction and I’ve always wanted to write a novel, but that requires 100,000 words. The murder mystery scripts are much more manageable.”

Tall Tales Mysteries offers both online and in-person murder mystery experiences where guests can uncover dastardly plots, meet shady characters, and solve insidious crimes. The plots cover a range of themes and settings, from a silent movie murder to an art museum heist, there are intrigues aplenty to investigate. Tall Tales Mysteries hosts regular events, both online and in person, and is able to bring its murder mystery parties to a venue convenient to your guests.

“What sets us apart is that the actors we have are absolutely brilliant at drawing people into the stories,” Sara explained. “The stories are really interactive, to give guests a reason for being there, and not just watching. We encourage guests to get involved and the team really throw their all into every performance.”

Talltalesmysteries.com

New Platform Connects DMCs with Event Planners Across the Globe

Having worked in the hospitality industry for over 12 years, the lockdown gave Jo Joshi, Founder of DMC Finder the opportunity to promote the Destination Management Companies (DMCs) she had worked so hard to represent, in a smarter, more innovative way: “Our unique approach has really shaken up the industry”, said Jo, “making it easier than ever for event organisers to connect with markets across the world, which they may never have had access to before, via one simple platform.”

Dedicated to venues and DMCs specialising in the MICE sector, its easy-to-use portal allows event organisers to search for reputable partners across the world with just one click. With its database fully vetted, planners can find their perfect event partner with confidence. Rather than having to pay hefty representation fees, once the DMC is on board, clients pay an affordable monthly subscription fee, so there’s zero commission to pay.

“We’re only months into out startup journey,” said Jo, “but the platform has undergone rapid organic growth. Once corporate travel begins to boom in 2022, I have no doubt we’ll be the Booking. com of the events industry.”

Dmcfinder.net

A boutique creative agency, AMT Events specialises in corporate occasions, and prides itself on being a sustainable business with ethical working practices. Having worked on everything from virtual corporate events to luxury A-list celebrations, Anna-Marie has built a reputation for delivering uniquely styled occasions with honesty and transparency.

A pioneer in immersing conferencing into festivals, Anna believes designing the right event environment forces delegates to rethink their preconceptions: “For many years, the word ‘conference’ was a huge turn-off," maintains Anna-Marie. " But if you make it an interesting space to learn and network, you can create a more receptive mindset from the moment delegates walk through the door.”

Amteventsglobal.com

High Flying Events Crew Welcomes You on Board

The pandemic impacted the entire world, but the aviation industry was one of the hardest hit. With thousands of cabin crew being made redundant and others remaining furloughed for long periods, these highly skilled professionals with years of training and development from top airlines suddenly found themselves deprived of the work they loved.

What became of some of these immaculately groomed, confident, caring, resilient, bilingual, punctual, diversity-aware cabin crew members who were the public facing ambassadors and advocates of these big brands? Well, Jane Whittaker for one, saw an innovative opportunity in the hospitality industry that could utilise these years of experience in that market and in collaboration with likeminded colleagues, embarked on a new journey.

During endless Zoom discussions, Jane’s idea began to spread its wings. The team developed their already well-honed skills by completing Emergency First Aid at Work and Action Counters Terrorism courses and that’s how the new corporate hospitality staffing agency, High Flying Events Crew took flight.

Jane is delighted to announce that the brand is now working in partnership at Confex, with High Flying Events Crew being at your service across the two-day event.

01480 775 747 | Highflyingeventscrew.com

The Gift Girl Makes Corporate Gifting Easy

Based in Manchester, The Gift Girl is a personalised gift buying service specialising in corporate gifting. It was founded in February 2021 by Amber Barry to help save businesses time and, most importantly, to make people smile. If you wish you had more hours in the day to look for the perfect gift and you want to show your existing or prospective clients, employees, suppliers, or event delegates just how important they are, The Gift Girl can help.

Amber offers a number of different services including a monthly subscription service, bespoke gift boxes, or ‘gift-as-you-go’. The monthly gifting subscription service is perfect for showing your appreciation regularly. Bespoke gift boxes are ideal for making an impression with a handpicked selection of gifts and the ‘gift-as-yougo’ option is ideal for all your single purchase gifting needs.

Product options include flower bouquets, fine wines, and spirits. The Gift Girl will help you build professional relationships and show your appreciation to clients and employees.

Giftgirl.co.uk

See Events Offers New Breed of Team Building Activities

Team building involves activities and situations that help employees bond and develop collaborative skills vital for the workplace, helping colleagues work effectively as a team which in turn increases productivity, grows trust and builds strong professional relationships company-wide.

Taking some time out of the work environment to focus on fun, creative activities can shake up the norm, energising and motivating employees. There are many activities that fall under the umbrella of team building, from outdoor pursuits to virtual entertainment to problem solving, and more. See Events offer a wide range of exciting team building activities in the Lake District and throughout the UK, as well as virtual team building events for remote workers and has recently launched Event in a Box DIY events!

Group activities with a positive slant are more important than ever with so much uncertainty around, and experts such as See Events can offer so much value to the rebuild of your business or client base.

info@see-events.co.uk

Easy-Staffing Launches Hospitality-centric Recruitment Agency

When Reece Deignon’s former employer Rotor, previously an app-based hospitality agency, decided not to come back into the industry after COVID-19, Reece decided to use what tools he had available to create Easy-Staffing, a hospitality recruitment agency of his own.

“Rotor offered me the opportunity to use its app, which connects us directly to the clients and the staff, and we’ve been approaching all of the old Rotor partners and staff to see if any of them want to come on board,” says Reece. “The reception has been pretty good so far. We’re growing really quickly as restrictions start easing and more events are planned.

“The most important thing about us, and what sets us apart, is the care that we have. We genuinely care about the members. We look after the staff and pay higher than most other agencies. It does eat into our profit margins, but we’d rather make sure our personnel are paid fairly. Other agencies tend to have a 20% to 40% profit margin. We run at around 13% just because we pay the staff well. Nobody gets less than £8.91 per hour and most of our staff are paid £9.10 an hour.”

Easy-staffing.co.uk

A Complete Package from Sixty7 PR

Exhibiting at events is a fantastic way to increase exposure and cement a presence in the market. Understanding what an important investment this can be for brands, Sixty7 PR focuses on return on investment with its complete exhibition service, with its motto “impact, value and simplicity”.

From booking space, negotiating with suppliers and taking care of the admin and logistics, the team do all the hard work to craft professional, eye-catching, bespoke exhibition stands anywhere in the world. All clients have to do is turn up.

For an unforgettable event, the team will add value by organising a showcasing seminar, private meetings or glittering reception to create the perfect, tailored occasion and guest experience. “Right from the first briefing meeting, we get to know our clients and their brand, ensuring we understand their needs, from increased sales, a raised profile, motivated staff or client goodwill,” says Sixty7 PR Director and co-host of The Events Insight Podcast, Ellan CampbellSwann. “Our clients know they can rely on us, time after time, to deliver their complete event package.”

07977 903 684 | ellan@sixty7pr.co.uk

Travel Operator Gives Businesses Peace of Mind with Safe, Reliable Transport Option

British Blue Tours is a bus and coach company based in the heart of Merseyside. With new state-of-the-art vehicles, its fleet can cover all of your transport needs, whether it's airport transfers, private hire for events or corporate staff transfers.

Responding to emergency situations 24 hours a day, it provides passenger transport for flight delays and rail replacement, ensuring clients are never left stranded. Providing airport transfers to Liverpool or Manchester airports, British Blue Tours offers the best rates on the Wirral, with coaches accommodating one to 49 passengers, complete with USB sockets and WiFi. It currently supplies both minibus and full-size coach travel for businesses seeking to offer employees a COVID-secure workplace commute, as well as quality transport for weddings, corporate events, sporting occasions, music festivals and more.

Offering delegates and employees a safer and more convenient alternative to public transport, British Blue Tours gets you and your clients to where they need to go reliably and in comfort.

Bbtours.co.uk

North in Brief

Events Industry Leaders Debate Industry Recovery at Chelsea FC’s ReConnect

The ReConnect – The Power of the People event took place on 25th May at Chelsea Football Club. The hybrid event featured 40 events industry leaders who debated the core issues the sector is facing in its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

ReConnect kicked off with a poll asking the audience if they thought most live events would be back to normal within the next 12 to 18 months. 62% of delegates answered yes, while 23% were unsure, and only 15% said no.

The first panel of the event, titled: One Industry, One Voice #WeCreateExperiences, spoke of the importance of continuing events industry campaigns as the sector finds its feet again. Co-founder of the campaign Rick Stainton explained that One Industry One Voice had brought the industry together at a critical time, while other co-founder Simon Hughes discussed the next steps to keep the campaign going while the events industry and the lockdown end date of 21st June was still uncertain.

Events Agency Launches Student Group For Future Events Professionals

2,000 Event Management students from across the UK have signed up to Event People, a new group designed to help students build careers within the events industry. The group was launched by national events agency Massive.

Participants will benefit from access to insight and expertise from established

voices in the events industry, support and networking opportunities, and a chance to gain experience in the sector through paid and volunteer opportunities at events.

Organisers of some of the country’s biggest events are supporting Event People by sharing their expertise and offering the chance for students to gain the knowledge and experience they need to break into the industry.

So far 20 universities across the UK have signed up to work with Event People, including Manchester Metropolitan University, Leeds Becket University, and Glasgow Caledonian University.

Study Finds 25% of UK Hotel Operators Remained Open to Help NHS

A quarter of hotel operators in the UK have remained open in some capacity during the COVID-19 pandemic to help the NHS, other key workers, and the homeless, according to a study by the Hospitality Professionals Association (HOSPA).

The study was organised to look into how the hospitality sector is faring during the COVID-19 pandemic and questioned more than 60 industry members who all represented a mix of larger corporate

hotel groups, independent hotels or smaller chains.

The results also suggested that two-thirds of hotels have furloughed more than 50% of their staff, with the majority continuing to maintain staffing levels that sit somewhere between 25% and 50%, covering a range of day-to-day responsibilities such as security, maintenance, and management.

Jane Pendlebury, CEO of HOSPA, said: “The COVID-19 crisis has had a catastrophic effect on hotels’ income. Despite this, there are a large proportion of hoteliers who have continued to offer their services to those who need them, namely NHS workers, other key workers and the homeless and vulnerable. Such a strong sense of altruism in the industry shouldn’t really be a surprise given the nature of hospitality – that of looking after others. However, it does serve to underline the resilience and determination of the sector.”

Future of UK Music Festivals Report Blames Government For Another “Lost Summer”

A report by the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) Committee into the future of UK music festivals finds the sector faces another “lost summer” as a result of the government’s refusal to back insurance for events at risk of cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

DCMS Committee Chair Julian Knight MP said: “Music festivals have been treated as the poor relation by the government. Despite the huge economic and cultural contribution they make, few have benefited from the Culture Recovery Fund, and without our efforts the sector would have been left out of the pilot events programme on the safe return of audiences.

“It has been made very clear to us that the vast majority of music festivals do not have the financial resilience to cover the costs of another year of late-notice cancellations. If the commercial insurance market won’t step in, ministers must, and urgently: events need to know now whether the government will back them, or they simply won’t take place this year. There’s still time to get the music playing, but no more room for excuses.”

All New

H&E North keeps you abreast of all the latest developments in UK venues with the north’s most exciting new openings and refurbs.

Best Western Amps up UK Presence

Best Western Great Britain ended the fiscal year with the record recruitment of 60 new hotels to its brand as the impact of the pandemic year reshapes the industry.

The membership organisation has seen a surge in new signings, including the addition of a new World Hotel Distinctive Collection venue. The four-star Edinburgh hotel Ten Hill Place is a strategic development for Best Western as it moves to offer upper upscale hotels across the UK, taking its total to over 300 members.

Announced as a “statement of intent”, the Best Western Hotels & Resorts brand, which licenses to over 4,700 hotels worldwide, reveals it will have more additions to announce this year, continuing to build its portfolio as the hospitality sector looks to reset.

Bestwestern.co.uk

Iconic Coventry Press Building Transformed into New Hotel

Coventry’s Telegraph building on Corporation Street played home to the city’s newspaper for more than 50 years.

The four-star hotel celebrates the mid-20th century style of the former offices thanks to a two-year £18m investment programme. It had been due to open late 2020 but the lockdown forced the grand opening to be put on hold.

Featuring 88 individually designed bedrooms including split-level style penthouse suites, including the Lord Iliffe Suite, which reimagines the original owner’s private apartment. The hotel features an all-day cocktail bar and restaurant dining experience, Forme & Chase, accommodating guests and private groups.

The Winter Garden offers a private, glazed indoor terrace only accessible from the 11 bedrooms that surround it, while Generators, its seasonal rooftop bar with a printworksindustrial theme overlooks Belgrade Plaza.

Conferencing and events are well catered for with the Editors function space,

accommodating up to 160 guests across a range of layouts. The two private meeting rooms, Boardroom and Directors, each accommodate up to 12 people for smaller meetings and private dinners. The hotel will be operated by Bespoke Hotels, the largest independent hotel company in the UK.

Telegraph-hotel.com

Co-op Begins Development on Biggest Indoor Facility of its Kind Construction of Manchester’s Co-op Live, a 23,500-capacity arena is now underway. Situated at Manchester City FC’s Etihad Campus, developer OVG is investing over £350m to create one of the most sustainable live entertainment arenas in Europe.

The venue will launch with the celebrity backing of One Direction star Harry Styles, who has personally helped finance the project. The venue will be rooted in Co-op values, selling its ethically sourced food range and is expected to generate around £1m for its Co-op Foundation causes annually.

Manchester’s Co-op Live

The entertainment and sporting venue will join Manchester’s zero carbon agenda and tackle food poverty with a food redistribution programme. OVG has forecast the project will create 4,000 jobs when ready to host events in 2023.

Coop.co.uk/coop-live

Travelodge Enters New Key Markets

Travelodge has announced it expects to open 17 new hotels across the UK by the end of 2021, creating 360 new jobs and growing its hotel network to 597 locations across Europe.

As part of this expansion, the group is continuing the roll-out of Travelodge Plus, the group's “budget chic” hotel format. Launched in 2018, the concept is designed around the budget traveller seeking a premium experience. This year, the group is opening a further three Travelodge Plus hotels, boosting its collection to 14 properties in prime locations across the UK. This includes a further two Travelodge Plus hotels in London and the company's first property in St Albans.

The 2021 UK expansion programme will see Travelodge enter new markets with the group opening its first hotels in Boston, Newark, Rochdale and Witney. The group is also expanding its network in key business locations including two hotels in Bristol, two in London and strengthening its presence in Leicester. Ahead of the key UK staycation period, Travelodge is also opening hotels in popular holiday locations which include Kendal in the Lake District and the coastal town of Poole.

These 17 new hotels are being developed by third party investors with an approximate investment value of £175 million. It is expected that most of these will be open and trading in time for the summer season.

Worcester Regeneration Venue Acquisition

Worcester City Council has agreed to buy a historic former cinema as part of a major city centre regeneration campaign. After reaching an agreement to purchase the Scala Theatre in Angel Place, it plans to turn the Grade II listed former cinema into a 500-seat arts, theatre and music venue.

The cost of the deal has not been revealed, the move coming after a successful £18 million government bid to transform the surrounding area into an “urban neighbourhood” with new hospitality, cultural and meeting venues, with the complete cost of the works totalling £29 million.

Worcester.gov.uk

New Locations Lead Rogue City Hotel Group’s Expansion Plans

Rogue City Hotel Group has secured £21m of funding from Tikehau Capital to continue construction on its sites, The Wellington in Glasgow and The Hobson in Cambridge, both due to be completed in 2022. The group, which owns and operates Dunalastair Hotel Suites, a five-star hotel in the Scottish Highlands, has “major plans” to expand over the next few years.

The Wellington in Glasgow is a former Tribunal Court listed building, which will be restored into a 98-bedroom all-suites boutique hotel and meeting space scheduled to open in summer 2022. The Hobson will be a 56-suite luxury hotel and meeting space centred around an atrium style restaurant housed in a Grade II listed former police station on St Andrew’s Street in Cambridge’s city centre, opening in September 2022.

Roguecityhotels.com

ibis Budget UK Hotel Network Grows by a Third

Global hospitality group Accor has witnessed domestic network growth of a third for its UK ibis budget hotel network following the opening of nine hotels under the AGO Hotels platform.

The new hotels opened in Burton Upon Trent, Cumbernauld, Bromsgrove, Dundee, Bromley, Peterhead, Portishead Harbour, Lancaster and Stansted Airport following the May relaxing of restrictions.

Combined with the opening of the ibis budget London Heathrow T5, the budget brand has grown nearly 40% domestically this year and increased room numbers by nearly 25% to over 4,700.

The Wellington

The Telegraph Hotel

The Telegraph Hotel

The Hobson

The Hobson

Hinsley Hall is situated in extensive woodlands and gardens in the Headingley conservation area, just 2 miles from Leeds city centre. It originally opened its doors in 1868 as a theological college and shares the same builders as the iconic Leeds Town Hall. It was converted into a Conference Centre and Hotel in 1999 and today features 47 en-suite and 5 non-suite bedrooms, including 6 suitable for guests with accessibility

Planting the Seed

Forest of Hearts Founder Carole Longden talks about its upcoming event, Green Team Challenge.

Team building and sustainability are two key aspects of modern business, and Forest of Hearts has managed to bring them both together into one spectacular event: Green Team Challenge. The event will bring coworkers together to create a living plant wall which will then be transported to Warwick Hospital, to shelter the quiet garden on-site there. Bring your team of four colleagues and get started with an augmented reality treasure hunt through Stratford-upon-Avon to find all of the materials you’ll need. Then, work together as a unit to construct the wall, knowing that when it’s finished it will be going towards a good cause.

“It’s all centred around sustainability,” say Forest of Hearts Founder Carole Longden. “Living walls capture nitrogen dioxide, and the boxes that we use are made out of recycled plastic and have a self-watering system in them, so they don’t require huge amounts of maintenance. There’s also a corporate social responsibility aspect to it, so the teams are doing good while having fun. It’s a day out in the open air and I think we all desperately need that right now. And on top of that it’s an excellent networking opportunity.”

Green Team Challenge will take place on 24th September between 10.30am and 3.30pm, and will cost £600 for a team of four to take part. The entry includes all of the materials needed to build the wall, as well as refreshments. Green Team Challenge does

still have sponsorship opportunities available if you’d like to get involved that way, and if you can’t take part on the 24th fear not! Forest of Hearts has a whole host of team building events that can be brought to your location. Options include a Race to Zero outdoor activity to test your problem solving and initiative skills, or a power generation workshop where you can complete tasks to

create your own sustainable energy.

To find out more, visit Forestofhearts. com/events/ green-teamchallenge-24thseptember-2021

Maximise Revenue on Your Venue with The Venue Experts

If you’re a venue seeking to increase bookings, look no further than The Venue Experts. With over 15 years’ experience of working with some of the most prestigious venues in the UK – including historical properties, country estates and events venues – The Venue Experts will get you results.

Understanding the demands of heritage properties, the team can offer analysis and strategy for business growth, helping you to invest in your site and your people. From events sales masterclasses; bespoke training sessions for venue teams; and dedicated outsourced sales, right through from generating enquiries through to venue tours, they can take your staff to the next level.

Whether you have a challenge or an opportunity, using its proven track record of driving up to 700,000% return on investment, the team of dedicated and experienced professionals will help you nail your sales strategy and get your conversions soaring.

Thevenueexperts.co.uk

Loughborough’s Prestwold Hall is just one of the many prestigious properties The Venue Experts proudly represent.

New Heights

Prior to Confex, H&E North speaks to Aloft London ExCeL’s General Manager, George Diamantakis to discover more about why the East London hotel puts corporate event guests right in the middle of the action.

Hi George, tell us why your location sets the hotel apart.

Our location is perfect for the corporate events traveller, offering a great mix of work and play. Located five minutes from London City Airport, we are the only hotel directly connected to ExCeL International Exhibition and Convention Centre, located in the heart of Royal Docks. Nearby DLR and Jubilee Line stations offer easy access to central London while the Emirates Airline that runs between North Greenwich and the Royal Docks provides easy access to the O2 Arena. The hotel’s innovative design plays host to 252 guestrooms, a restaurant, bar, music lounge, meeting rooms, swimming pool, fitness centre and more.

How

does the hotel’s design inform the guest experience?

As a lifestyle brand, we aim to provide a sleek, modern and tech-savvy option for travellers looking for a contemporary alternative. Our unique East End loft-inspired style breaks away from tradition and sets us apart from the crowd. The glazed façade features a large-scale screen-printed pattern, inspired by the illusion of depth seen in some of modern artist Bridget Riley’s paintings. The material is aimed to reflect the sunshine, adding warmth and liveliness to the building’s exterior spaces. The openplan interior accessible via stunning triple height entrance hall has been designed to promote a social atmosphere, encouraging our guests to spend time in the lobby and network with fellow travellers. A place where energy flows, personalities mingle, and opportunities abound, Aloft London ExCeL delivers urban-influenced design and a social guest experience at an affordable price.

And what about the facilities, what can we expect?

For the corporate traveller open to possibilities, Aloft London ExCeL offers a modern, fun destination that celebrates the individual and gives you the freedom

to customise your work around your style. Make humdrum meetings a thing of the past with our 150 sqm of meeting space. With six meeting rooms, the largest hosting up to 40 delegates, whether you are staying to work while attending a conference, exhibition or a congress at the ExCeL, our bright airy spaces are built for creative and productive get-togethers.

Our newly refurbished Docksider Restaurant has been created with a fresh concept focused on sustainability, healthy eating, and innovation. Continuing the trend of open-plan spaces, our newly reopened restaurant and bar can be used for wide range of events from social to corporate events and meetings, to pre and post-event receptions to gala dinners or simply a few drinks, soaking up the sun on our BrewDog Terrace, which overlooks a picturesque waterside piazza.

For our visitors that are staying for a shorter period of time, our 24/7 Re:fuel Grab N Go bar aims to deliver an efficient experience that doesn’t compromise on taste or variety. The menu boasts loads of options at a valueconscious price point.

It looks like corporate guests can really let their hair down after work!

Whether you’re relaxing and rejuvenating in our pool after a workout in the fitness centre, or wining and dining in one of our restaurants, this is the perfect place to stay, plug in and play. Our W XYZ Bar has real buzz

– a playful place by day and an electric, eclectic space by night with inventive menus and weekly live music programmes. The stage for the hottest emerging artists, it’s famous for its monthly live music performances, offering a place to mix, meet and mingle while enjoying a selection of speciality cocktails.

How has the hotel responded to the pandemic?

The health and wellbeing of our guests and associates remains our paramount priority. At the start of the pandemic, we began the rollout of a multi-pronged policy to elevate cleanliness standards and hospitality norms and behaviours to meet the new health and safety challenges. As part of Marriott International’s Commitment to Clean, we have a comprehensive set of protocols that we have implemented that include everything from handwashing hygiene and cleaning product specifications to guest room and common area cleaning procedures.

We recognise that the COVID-19 virus has required all of us to be more thoughtful as we go about our daily activities. We are very grateful for the trust our guests have shown us over the years and we want them to be aware of our new measures in place, so that when they visit our hotel again they recognise that our commitment to their wellbeing is our priority.

Marriott.com

Event Safety from Nuts Digital

Track and trace sign in, temperature, auto sanitiser and kiosks

Air purification units

Our new air purification and digital kiosks are great for a wide range of environments such as:

• Hospitality

• Event Spaces

• Meeting Rooms

• Refreshment Spaces/Receptions

• Low energy usage

• Can be run 24hrs

• Whisper quiet when running

• Mobile on casters, or can be installed as a fixed unit

These units simply keep the air free from viruses and other pathogens, air is drawn into the bottom of the device, passed through a UV chamber to kill bacteria, viruses and microbes; then virus free, clear air is pumped back into the space.

Temperature and sanitiser kiosks

Floor Standing Curved Temperature/ Sanitiser/ Screen Kiosk from £17.50 pw

These units allow venues to know exactly who is on site, where they have been, who they have been in contact with and when. At the push of a button all or some delegates can easily be contacted in the event of infection, to help with infection control and the spread. The units can also be used for visual advertising on screen, as well as marketing direct to delegates’ mobiles, even when off site, via a GDPR opt in.

3 year lease rental includes:

Digital Sanitiser Kiosk from £14.00 pw Floor-mounted Digital Sanitiser Kiosk from £12.25 pw

• Auto-dispense via the built-in IR sensor

• 3.6L internal reservoir

• Cloud digital signage & pump reports

Finance agreement, ask for written details.

• Display, schedule & upload media content instantly,

including the latest WHO & NHS England media content

• View pump usage & set notification when levels are low

• Floor-standing or wall mounted option

AMT Events

Creative

Cloudside Shooting Grounds

Cloudside Shooting Grounds provides undeniably ‘the finest clay shooting in the North West of England. Unrivalled facilities for special shooting days and conferences'. Fully Licensed Bar, to enjoy after you shoot. No other venue provides the excitement of shooting in such idyllic surroundings.

A variety of shooting disciplines including Compak Sporting.

Restaurant with everything from light meals to fine dining.

Unrivalled facilities for special shooting days and conferences.

Crème Brew Lait

Specialist caterers providing quality food in your location. Breakfasts, Lunches, Afternoon Tea. For a unique promotional item, let us bake your logo into a biscuit!

North Lakes Hotel & Spa

Creative Spaces To make Your Meeting Stand Out at the North Lakes Hotel & Spa.

To get the most of your experience use a different approach which we will help design, tailored to suit your meeting objective.

Brainstorming, collaborative, interactive, utilising inside and outside space and the beautiful Cumbria countryside.

01768 868 111 | 07384 516 182 sharonbrook@northlakeshotel.co.uk northlakeshotel.co.uk

Sixty7

By understanding what drives our clients and makes them unique, our bespoke event services make them stand out, make an impact and get noticed.

07808 398 778 | julia@cremebrewlait.co.uk cremebrewlait.co.uk @cremebrewlaitcatering

Fizz On The Tyne

We are a brand new Corporate Hospitality Staffing Agency with a major difference. We are made up of professional, trained, dedicated ex/current Airline Cabin Crew. 01480 775 747

Nannies

and Events