Wyboston Lakes Resort creates the space for inspired learning, bespoke events and vibrant meetings; where the guest is our priority and sustainability second nature.
Set in 380 acres, midway between Milton Keynes and Cambridge, Wyboston Lakes Resort is home to two awesome venues. The Woodlands Event Centre is your blank canvas, allowing imagination to take centre stage, with hosted service and big spaces for large events. The Willows Training Centre is a place of being, a creative space for delegates to grow and learn, giving them the tools they need to be focused, immersed and confident.
We are zero to landfill for the 5th year. We are part of the MIA #20percentless plastics scheme. We have energy saving LED lighting and we are solar powered. We plant 100’s of trees every year and are home to our own nature reserve. We are an Energy Check partner.
We are a Resort with a Conscience. #NoApology. 0333 7007 667 Sales@wybostonlakes.co.uk www.wybostonlakes.co.uk
Contents A Warm Welcome September 2020
With the 1st October restart date now being reviewed, and virtual and hybrid events increasing traction, the new norm looks here to stay. The industry will bounce back, adapting and moving, but it is heart-breaking seeing so many redundancies and closures. Live in-person events are critical to building face-toface relationships and immersing delegates into a conference or product launch, yet hybrid is here to stay. We keep positive knowing the industry will bounce back in big style, hoping venues, suppliers and agencies can just get through.
New venues and refurbs are happening, and positive change is in the air, as the industry pivots away from old ways of thinking towards innovative technological and sustainable solutions. We’re down, but definitely not out.
Publisher Elliot Landy
Features Editor
Evangeline Spachis
Editorial Assistant
Our latest edition offers plenty of great features, articles and interviews: we look at how we can use recovery as a catalyst for green, creative Christmas ideas; the latest tech and our COVID heroes. We take a look at the Midlands, The Meetings Show which as we write is still taking place, and you can win an infra-red temperature gun courtesy of our friends at Cheaky Blinders, a company adapting to the situation with its innovative grid safety for outdoor events.
Stay safe, and hopefully we’ll be seeing you again soon.
Elliot Landy.
James Wilson Design Stacey Hanson-Rothery Design Assistant Adam Greasley
Senior Account Manager Adam Freedman
Contributors
West Midlands Growth Company
Conference Coventry and Warwickshire
Simon Howard
Green Shoots of Recovery
Is crisis a catalyst for change? Discover how the pandemic could be an opportunity to lead a green recovery.
Midlands Venue Focus
Boasting the highest proportion of business visits in the UK, discover why the West Midlands is the heart of the UK events industry.
Competition
Win an infra-red temperature gun to help keep your events safe, courtesy of Cheaky Blinders Events. Copyright JLife Ltd. All contents are copyright, all rights are reserved. No part of the contents can be reproduced without permission from the publisher. No responsibility can be accepted for inaccurate information supplied, & content supplied does not necessarily represent the opinion of the publisher. Editorial policies & magazine layouts are purely at the publisher’s discretion & no debate will be entered in to.
Published by: JLife Ltd. Unit 7, Gemini Business Park, Sheepscar Way, Leeds, LS7 3JB. T: 0845 052 2911 F: 0113 262 5202 E: info@nutsforprint.co.uk W: hospitalityandeventsnorth.com
Colour Ltd
No-Ho-Ho?
As Christmas hangs in the balance, we asked event agencies and suppliers how they see festive celebrations shaping up.
Space Age
Discover the ingenuity that has kept the industry ticking, as venues are forced to get creative with their events spaces.
Build for the Future
Industry leaders reveal their predictions for the future of the events landscape in the wake of COVID-19.
North In Brief
Online Consultancy Offers Free Remote Working Consultations
Hybrid teams, characterised as part office and part remote workforces are set to become the new normal for businesses post COVID-19. As UK government urges businesses to encourage their workforces to return to the office, many in the events industry have begun to experiment with flexible home working patterns.
Lorna Watkinson, founder of online consultancy Vibrant Thinking, maintained: “There are huge benefits to organisations adopting this new way of working, including increased productivity, motivation and retention of employees. But there are also challenges to set this way of working for success.”
“To create a successful hybrid organisation means moving away from old structures, processes and methods of communication and being prepared to explore a new way of working. It means being prepared to be agile and adaptable as you try new approaches to discover what works and what doesn’t.”
Vibrant Thinking is offering a free one-hour consultation for anyone facing these challenges, a move which has been welcomed as the industry navigates this fastmoving landscape.
admin@vibrant-thinking.com
Accor Appoints New Area GM Luxury Brands Scotland and Ireland
Multinational hotel group Accor has announced the appointment of John Keating as Area General Manager Luxury Brands Scotland and Ireland.
Keating retains his existing role as General Manager of the five-star Fairmont St Andrews hotel and golf resort in Scotland. Since joining the Fairmont group in 2015, he has hosted the annual qualifiers for the Open Championship in St Andrews, managed a multi-million-pound refurbishment of the hotel and conference space and implemented business and hospitality apprenticeship initiatives.
His new role extends to oversee the latest Fairmont acquisition, Carton House in Ireland, in addition to future luxury brand developments in Scotland and Ireland.
Industry Welcomes Sustainable Solution to COVID-secure Events
As COVID-19 safety regulations are tightened, a new protective screening solution offers a safe environment for organisers, exhibitors and delegates preparing for a return to large-scale events.
Expo Shields can be configured to suit a wide range of environments, providing essential protection within live events, catering areas and meeting spaces, a patented magnetic click system allowing quick and easy installation onto any desk without tools.
The lightweight and versatile PET plastic screening systems are manufactured in the UK and are fully recyclable, a feature which has been welcomed by event planners who wish to reduce their carbon footprint during a national climate crisis.
hello@exposhields.co.uk
Scotland Launches Multimillion-pound Industry Support Fund
VisitScotland has announced a £6 million fund to help kickstart its events sector following the pandemic. The fund comprises a one-off hardship grant of £10,000 to support businesses in the events industry, including suppliers working to organise, stage and deliver business, corporate, cultural and sporting events and festivals.
Funding will be awarded on a first come, first served basis and will support businesses which meet eligibility criteria and have not received Scottish government sponsored COVID-19 related funding from other schemes.
Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s Director of Events, commented: “The events industry has been devastated by the coronavirus pandemic as one of the first industries to stop and it will be one of the last to restart. There is a desperate need for support and this Scottish government fund will help a number of businesses in the short term until we can start to run events again.”
New Environmental Standards Body Leads Industry’s Green Recovery
12 leading event agencies have put their support behind the creation of isla, a new industry organisation supporting businesses to implement consistent standards of environmental impact, measurement and management of events.
isla has outlined its objective of “accelerating the event industry’s transition to a sustainable future” with collaboration between agencies, brands, suppliers and in-house departments. The organisation looks to initiate change by facilitating knowledge sharing within the events community, providing education and training, while also creating robust measurement tools, allowing events to track progress against standardised sustainability metrics.
While isla will be an independent organisation, it has already secured the support of event agencies including: Amplify, Brandfuel, Cheerful TwentyFirst, DRPG, emc3, George P. Johnson, Jack Morton Worldwide, Owl Live, Set Creative, Smyle, WRG and XYZ, who have committed to its standards of measurement. It will also be working with other third parties to reduce what it sees as the barriers to sustainable events, including the use and waste of materials and the lack of circular design within the production process.
Anna Abdelnoor, isla co-founder, said: “We’re calling for more to join our movement; from within the agency community, in-house organisers within business, and from venues and suppliers who want to help their clients in delivering sustainable event programmes. It’s amazing what can be achieved when we work collaboratively.”
HBAA Takes Stand Against Venues’ COVID Costs Burden
Venues should not have to shoulder additional costs according to industry body HBAA following a survey on venue attitudes to commercial terms following the COVID-19 crisis.
The survey of 35 member venues, including 18 venue groups and 17 independent venues, revealed that nearly all are still planning how to handle the additional costs resulting from social distancing and extra cleaning. The poll also revealed that many venues are seeking to introduce new wording that specifically addresses pandemics and government advice to limit potential loss of revenue.
Juliet Price, Consultant Executive Director of HBAA says: “This is a shared cost and one of which contributes to guest, employee and delegate safety so it is paramount today and for the future. These costs shouldn’t and can’t be automatically absorbed by venues.”
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STRIKING, FLEXIBLE, TEMPORARY COVER FOR EVENTS AND ADDITIONAL CAPACITY
Green Shoots of Recovery
H&E North invites key industry voices to discuss how coronavirus has proved a turning point for sustainable events and discovers the venues leading the fight to change the direction of global warming.
SUSTAINABILITY SPOTLIGHT
Many believe that crisis can be a catalyst for change. At H&E North, we believe the pandemic has given the events industry an opportunity to lead a green recovery. As delegates and industry staff get used to travelling less, working from home and embracing virtual experiences, there has at least been a positive environmental impact.
However, as lockdown restrictions ease, there is a risk that the protective
Throughout lockdown, Wyboston Lakes Resort has continued to work towards its self-imposed 2020 Green Objectives initiative to reduce its carbon footprint by 50% by 2025. In the last few months, this commitment to sustainability has earned it the Gold Standard with the Green Tourism Awards and the International Association of Conference Centres’ (IACC) Green Star certification. The resort joins a swell of UK venues now choosing to sign up for association-wide efforts to achieve greater green credentials. Bodies such as Green Tourism and IACC offer their members advice and practical support, helping venues conserve their local areas and economies, paving the way for a joined-up industry approach.
The resort also partnered with one of the growing number of online business energy consultancies to minimise its energy usage costs and CO2 usage. Some of the initiatives in place include upgrading the lighting across site to the latest energy efficient LEDs which are turned off by movement sensors when a room is not in use, and ensuring energy ratings are considered as part of the purchasing decision for all new heavy equipment.
The resort recycled over 20,000kg of cardboard waste in the last year, as it continues to fulfil its Zero Waste To Landfill promise for the fifth consecutive year and actively supports the mia’s #20percentless campaign to cut back on single-use plastics.
To counter the inevitable rise in fuel emissions as delegates avoid public transport due to coronavirus fears, it has recently expanded its charging capabilities to encourage electric car usage. The resort has the latest V3 Tesla Superchargers, which can recover up to 75 miles of charge in five minutes and up to 1,000 miles per hour.
equipment required to make events COVID-secure is headed for landfill, while a move away from public transport will undoubtedly put more traffic on the roads with the return of in-person events.
We hear the views of a panel of industry stalwarts, from venues, event planners and suppliers, on how the pandemic has impacted the future of sustainable events…
As clients, delegates and employees expect more from the venues they work with, such environmentally friendly initiatives are key to futureproofing our industry for the benefit of our communities and ultimately the planet.
The Panel
Anthony Chadwick
Founder of Conference Virtually
Amid the excitement around the prospect of venues being allowed to safely reopen, Jon Davies, Managing Director of sports stadia caterer Levy UK, maintains hospitality providers must not lose sight of their ethical and sustainable responsibilities:
“Sustainability cannot be seen as optional post-pandemic – now is the time to recommit to our principles, not compromise on them.
“We must look to increasingly leverage the power of our supply chain to consistently drive up food safety and welfare standards and positively impact the health of our planet. Where possible, providers should diverge from air freight and food imports and return to more localised supply networks. This will help lower carbon emissions while also supporting smaller local producers who have struggled during the pandemic.
“We must also be prepared to challenge overreactions that would make the guest experience unattractive, overly sterile or otherwise unsustainable. Single-use plastics may be seen as a ‘safer’ option short term, but takeaway-style service is not the only way to deliver safe and hygienic experiences. We cannot let a disposable culture reassert itself as a new long-term normal – nor do guests want a substandard experience.”
As Head of Conference Leeds, Claire Heap has seen all her partner venues adapt their conferencing offer as a result of the pandemic, with sustainability remaining at the forefront of their decision-making:
“Catering is one of many aspects that has been closely reviewed to ensure that measures align with government guidelines, which has meant that the day of group catering or buffet-style lunches is no longer possible, making way for single
serve portions instead. As such, venues are adapting their sustainability plans, moving from glass bottles through to using recyclable or cardboard packaging for events, to minimise single use plastic usage. The academic institutions across Leeds have been working towards a plastic-free future with some of their research and development projects and will be in a strong position to guide the venues in this respect.”
As the industry reacts quickly and positively to the challenges of lockdown, Claire has witnessed a huge shift to online events: “It was great to see a number of events across the city, including Leeds Digital Festival, the International Medieval Congress and the fourth Arabic Linguistics Forum adopt a virtual event rather than cancel completely. It has also been interesting to see the development of hybrid events since restrictions began to ease, with September’s UKickstart Event setting a great example of a successful hybrid event. Delegates attended virtually from the comfort of their own home or in-person at one of the 13 regional hubs, with the Studio Leeds having acted as the hub for Yorkshire.”
If brands truly want to innovate and demonstrate their corporate social responsibility values, Joe Taylor, director at event planning agency Evensix, agrees virtual events need to be a key consideration: “When hosting a physical event, not only does the event team need to consider the logistics of getting people to the venue, but they will also need to consider the amount of food wasted, rubbish cleared and the energy required to run that event. According to a Birmingham University study, a one-day physical event produces up to 170kg of CO2 and five tonnes of refuse waste. Through virtual events, not only can brands commit to a reduced carbon footprint in terms of
delegate travel, but delegates can feel assured that they are also doing their bit.”
Anthony Chadwick, Founder of Conference Virtually, has run his own global virtual veterinary congress since 2013 when 300 delegates registered. This year, he welcomed 10,000 delegates from over 100 countries: “I believe we have saved many million travel miles since we started in 2013. Plus, digitalising learning democratises it and we have an obligation to share our knowledge with other developing countries.”
Despite mounting industry frustration at global companies taking the decision to ban conference attendance until the summer of 2021, Anthony feels this is a sensible way forward: “Into the future, I believe that the events industry should be looking at hybrid events with small audiences and live streaming to reduce the carbon footprint of these events and keep people safe until a vaccine arrives.
“This is an ideal time to investigate technology even more thoroughly to make virtual events more interactive and interesting for delegates listening in from home. Often at physical conferences people are too reluctant to speak in front of their peers. My experience is that anonymity loosens their tongue, while use of mixed and virtual reality can give an even greater interactive experience.”
For Anthony, the benefits of this change are obvious: “Returning to physical events at the moment is dangerous and wasteful of precious resource. A reset is required when physical events can restart for the sake of the planet and our future generations. We’ve been thrown a lifeline – we must grasp it!”
Dalmahoy Hotel & Country Club, an idyllic four-star hotel on the outskirts of Edinburgh, is one of Scotland’s leading conference and events venues. Dalmahoy is an unrivalled destination for business meetings, corporate events and boasts a variety of meeting room spaces. Dalmahoy is easily accessible for delegates and has free parking onsite.
• 10 minutes from Edinburgh Airport • 20 minutes from city centre
We have adjusted all our meeting and event spaces to facilitate social distancing of minimum 1 metre. Please keep checking our Covid-19 update page at www.dalmahoy.co.uk for the most up-to-date information, based on government guidance.
COVID Heroes
Events venues transformed, hotels opened their doors and suppliers pivoted to produce vital PPE. These are just some of the industry members who went above and beyond in the fight against coronavirus.
Cirque Bijou Skills-up Industry Artists
Cirque Bijou makes shows for events in stadiums and festivals across the UK. However, like many in the entertainment industry, its creators, performers and crew were forced to close their curtains. At the start of lockdown, Co-artistic Directors Billy Alwen and Julian Bracey created the Facebook group Artists Unite – an open platform for artists and crew, some freelance, others furloughed to share ideas and support each other through a difficult time.
One of the ways they found they could best support artists was by offering free training, which they were able to do through this platform. With thanks to public funding from the National Lottery through Arts Council England they have so far supported over 30 artists with mentoring sessions focused on fundraising. Over 80 artists have taken part in online Zoom training sessions focused on areas such as improving social media presence, devising work for the socially distanced era and event health and safety training.
Cirque Bijou hopes to continue offering these sessions to help their fellow creatives move forwards and keep creating through uncertain times.
NEC Opens Event Space to Patients
Barely a fortnight since lockdown had been announced, NHS Nightingale Hospital Birmingham was officially opened by His Royal Highness The Duke of Cambridge, providing hundreds more beds for coronavirus patients.
Constructed within eight days inside the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), the new facility provided up to 500 beds for general
medical COVID-19 patients from across the Midlands, allowing existing hospitals and their clinical teams to focus on those who need intensive care. The new facility was one of seven Nightingale hospitals to be set up around the country as part of an unprecedented NHS collaboration with the independent sector.
Linda Ritchie, NEC Venue General Manager, said: “The NEC team is immensely proud to have assisted our brilliant NHS with the creation of NHS Nightingale Birmingham. The team worked seamlessly alongside the NHS and MOD to build and then support the facility, using our cross-departmental expertise to achieve a successful delivery. The project stimulated the team to produce their very best efforts and we saw the same level of desire in those from the local communities, who offered their time and services in abundance.”
NHS Workers Enjoy Weekend of Thanks Courtesy of Point A Hotels
555 workers and their loved ones took up the offer of a complimentary weekend away at Point A hotels as part of the NHS Weekend of Thanks. The initiative was organised in response to research among 250 NHS staff conducted by the hotel group which quantified the true impact of the pandemic. Not only did it strip workers of their downtime (16%), the research found that it negatively affected their relationships with family (41%), partners (32%) and friends (34%). Many saw a spike in anxiety (58%) and stress (54%) levels and one in five (19%) didn’t even have the opportunity to celebrate their own birthday.
Point A Edinburgh was joined by Point A Glasgow in welcoming 190 guests free of charge over the August bank holiday weekend with local businesses offering some extra treats and discounts including spa and tour deals, to help guests make the most of their time away. The remaining NHS workers who took up the offer will enjoy their complimentary stay in the coming weeks.
“Such sacrifice made us determined to give something back,” explained Point A Managing Director Nic Wenn. “Like the rest of the UK, we have looked on over the past few months as these healthcare heroes have
forgone their normal lives to help others. It was a no-brainer for us to welcome them into our hotels this weekend and we hope they’ve had the opportunity to relax, explore and enjoy some much-needed time away.”
Spectrum Pivots Production to Safeguard NHS
Cheshire events supplier Spectrum Plastics produces ID cards, menus and posters for various events, but when the country went into lockdown, the firm furloughed a number of its staff and the skeleton workforce pivoted to support the NHS. Using their encapsulation film as a raw material, the firm produced 180,000 visors over the Easter period, which were distributed among hospitals in the North West. Spectrum has since encapsulated posters for hospitals to make them wipeable, including one order of 39,000!
Caboose & Co Build Safe Haven for Front Line Workers
In March, events accommodation supplier Caboose & Co were proud to play their part in the rapid response to the COVID-19 crisis, providing NHS hospital staff with emergency on-site accommodation to support their rapidly changing shift patterns.
In collaboration with live event production company Visions Group, the team delivered 44 en-suite bedrooms and associated amenities such as a supermarket as part of a pop-up village, providing safe temporary accommodation for those fighting the virus on the front line.
One NHS keyworker who benefited from the initiative commented: “I normally have to drive over an hour home, as I am back again first thing in the morning. It meant so much to be able to get some sleep as soon as I finished a late shift.”
Best in the West
With the highest proportion of business visits in the UK and its central location, the West Midlands is the beating heart of the UK events industry.
Birmingham’s largest pillar free space at the city’s latest purpose-built venue, The Eastside Rooms.
Wolverhampton Grand Theatre.
Reliving the region’s industrial past at The Black Country Living Museum.
The ballroom of Birmingham’s new Grand Hotel.
The executive suite at Wolves’ Molineux Stadium.
Guest safety and comfort has always been our top priority. Today it is everything. We have been independently audited to ensure we are Covid-19 Safe, Clean & Legal ™ and have everything in place to ensure you can meet with confidence.
Host your next meeting at Moor Hall in one of our elegant meeting rooms with natural light, free car parking and free wi-fi.
Our Day Delegate Rate includes meeting room hire with equipment, stationery, lunch and refreshments, plus our exclusive Mindful Meeting package.
Moor Hall Drive, Four Oaks, Sutton Coldfield B75 6LN 0121 308 3751 mail@moorhallhotel.co.uk www.moorhallhotel.co.uk
Expo Shields is a brand new, unique solution that allows a rapid return to work, creating a safe environment for organisers, exhibitors, visitors and delegates.
It provides essential protection for offices, receptions, catering and food areas plus temporary meeting rooms and seating areas. Best of all - every component is recyclable!
Contact us to learn more about our fantastic sustainable alternative to other solutions in the marketplace: Leo Speck: 07834 954 522 • Michelle Shingler: 07855 255 277 e: hello@exposhields.co.uk • w: exposhields.co.uk
An inspiring mix of old and new, The Grand Hotel Birmingham combines original Victorian architecture with modern comforts. This “sleeping beauty” is being brought back to life to create a luxury hotel for Birmingham in the 21st century, including the spectacular Grand Ballroom and nine additional
With many major cities, picturesque villages and towns there is a wealth of choice in the West Midlands for event organisers. Each location offers its own unique culture and heritage, with many marvellous venues and attractions to entertain your guests.
The region is well known across the industry, evidenced by the recent British Meetings & Events Industry Survey 2020, which ranked Birmingham as the most popular location for business tourism events outside London. Coventry also appeared in the top 10 favourite conference destinations and Stratford-upon-Avon and Wolverhampton featured in the top 50.
The region’s unrivalled connectivity has aided its impressive performance. Whether by road, rail or air, the West Midlands’ transport network links the region to more than 400 million people across Europe. Over half of the UK population lies within two hours and 90% within a four-hour travel time.
Furthermore, despite a challenging climate in 2020, the region’s exciting mix of culture and heritage is still central to its conferences and events offer. Whether it’s the Black Country Living Museum whisking your guests back to the world’s first industrial landscape or a slice of culinary magic at one of the region’s 10 Michelinstarred restaurants, the West Midlands offers event organisers a unique experience.
Bouncing Back
Like many other areas in the UK, the coronavirus pandemic has created new challenges for the West Midlands’ economy. However, the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) has been working hard to ensure the region recovers as quickly as possible, recently putting together a three-year £3.2 billion blueprint to kick-start the region’s economy through infrastructure, skills and housing schemes. The organisation has already secured £66 million to deliver a number of ‘shovel ready’ projects.
Moreover, the region continues to plough on with big infrastructure and development proposals, which will enhance the region’s landscape. The projects include: 3.2 million sq ft of mixed-use land at Friargate Coventry; the £175 million Wolverhampton Interchange, and Wolverhampton i9; Birmingham Curzon Street Station; and the £1.6 billion development of the new HS2 Interchange Station in Solihull.
Stephanie Mynett, Visitor Economy Business Development Manager at the West Midlands Growth Company, which operates the region’s Convention Bureau, said: “The West Midlands is the beating heart of the UK with unrivalled transport links and a rich heritage that guests can explore through our venues and attractions.
“The 2022 Commonwealth Games is just one of the opportunities putting the region in a great place to bounce back from the economic impact of COVID-19.”
A Grand New Opening
The West Midlands’ new openings and redevelopments will further boost the region’s reputation as a conferencing and events powerhouse, with new hotels and events spaces adding even more versatility to an already eclectic line-up of venues and attractions.
In January 2020, the 224-bedroom Moxy Hotel opened its doors to visitors in Solihull. The eight-storey accommodation is an affordable boutique hotel conveniently located on the campus of the NEC, the UK’s number one venue for exhibitions, meetings and events.
In Birmingham, alongside the city’s famous waterways, the Grade II listed Roundhouse is undergoing a £3.6 million makeover offering new and improved meeting space inside a historic building. The venue is scheduled to open by the end of 2020.
Birmingham’s new Grand Hotel will open later in the year after a multi-million-pound investment. The 185-room hotel boasts a mix of original art deco and Victorian luxury alongside a 350-guest capacity ballroom perfect for meetings, parties and banquets.
The city is also home to the new purposebuilt conference venue, The Eastside Rooms, which will feature the largest pillarfree space in central Birmingham and is capable of holding up to 1,200 delegates.
The Consistent Choice
From fresh new openings to wellestablished venues that have served the business tourism industry for years, the West Midlands has plenty of variety. Opened in 1894, the Grade II listed Wolverhampton Grand Theatre boasts an auditorium seating almost 1,200 across three tiers. A new 200-seat performance space known as The Green Room is set to be developed next door.
In the centre of Birmingham, the International Convention Centre celebrates its 30th birthday in 2021. The venue offers event organisers 10 different conference halls and executive rooms; the largest hall can accommodate up to 3,000 guests.
Furthermore, the region’s historic universities offer extensive meeting space. Warwick Conferences delivers a full package of meeting, accommodation and dining rooms with a capacity of up to 2,010 guests for meetings; 2,037 guests for accommodation and 1,365 guests for dining.
Alternatively, enjoy the roof garden at thestudio Birmingham, which has 19 rooms spread across four floors totalling 30,000 sq ft of meeting space.
A Sporting Triumph
The global spotlight will be on the West Midlands when the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games comes to town, promising to transform the area’s reputation for generations.
Edgbaston Stadium, which became a food sorting and distribution centre during the lockdown period, has now reopened its doors for meetings and events. The venue can host up to 800 in its Exhibition Hall. Other meeting rooms include the 1882 Suite and the Chairman’s Lounge.
The region is also now home to three Premier League sides in Wolverhampton Wanderers, West Bromwich Albion and Aston Villa. Wolves’ Molineux Stadium has recently hosted some of Europe’s biggest clubs. Its event spaces include WV1 with a capacity of 550 people, and Wolves Museum, with a breakout room suitable for up to 20 people. Aston Villa’s Villa Park and West Bromwich Albion’s The Hawthorns also offer great pitch-side spaces and experiences.
In Warwickshire, The Belfry, which has hosted the Ryder Cup a record four times, offers world-class event and conferencing facilities, with suites accommodating up to 400 attendees and 550 acres of grounds for team-building activities.
The Finer Details
Crucial to every event are the smaller pieces that fit everything together. Ola Cabs has recently launched across the West Midlands and provides a corporate product that makes managing your events logistics easier.
Another piece of the jigsaw is to find the right host or presenter. Phil Oldershaw is well-known across the West Midlands, specialising in live presenting and guaranteed to bring fun, passion and high energy to any event.
The Convention Bureau at West Midlands Growth Company has been working alongside event organisers for 38 years, offering expert guidance and insight, and invaluable support to ensure that both organisers and delegates receive the best possible welcome and experience.
The Bureau provides industry professionals with a range of free services to deliver a successful event in the region. These include accommodation booking, venue location and social programme planning.
For more information, call 0121 202 5100, email bcb.conferencesales@wmgrowth.com or visit Meetbirmingham.com.
Lights,Action!Camera,
My daily routine; where to begin? It changes with every project and no day is ever the same. Throw COVID-19 into the mix, then who knows!
However, here’s an insight into some of the events I have worked on with passion, purpose and performance. As an experienced hospitality professional, with over 30 years in the business, when hired for an event I come with a huge amount of valuable insight. I have an array of skills from TV, radio, online projects, voiceover, commercials, city events, venue openings, corporate dinners and charity auctions. I have also owned and managed some pretty impressive entertainment businesses, radiating excitement, energy and success.
Event host and corporate compére Phil Oldershaw shares his experiences working with some of the UK’s biggest names, on the radio, stage and screen.
with a good hour to spare gives me plenty of time to introduce myself, meet team members, get an understanding of what is expected and the overall message of the day. Taking time to peruse the overall event setup is fundamental, ensuring I have further knowledge and information to feel comfortable when taking lead on stage. As demonstrators or celebrity chefs arrive, it’s my role to ensure they feel at ease and understand what they need prior to their delivery. Sometimes a stage manager may be present, or sometimes it is simply me and a tech team. It’s up to me to deliver a live show with audience interaction, fun and enthusiasm, ensuring the message is conveyed with warmth and clarity to what can be thousands of people.
Hosting something like The BBC Good Food Show, I would be up at 6.30am if staying local. Arriving at the venue, after reviewing the script and check-in registration, I know who to look for and where to go. Next, arriving at the stand
A city event, such as The Colmore Food Festival in Birmingham, will involve much of the above. However, as this is a live event showcasing local hospitality businesses, personal communication is key, both at their trading stands and on stage. Being set up like market stalls, I would visit the stands and talk to the owners and customers about their experience, often on camera as well as up on the demo stage. Live music is also a big part of this type of event, so I would also host the main stage artists and celebs to around 35,000 people. I’m the anchor and love helping the energy and message flow, arriving at 10am and finishing about 7pm.
sure everything appears to run smoothly no matter what. Even the best laid plans can sometimes fall apart. That’s when a good host/ presenter/ compére, whatever you choose to call them, comes into their own!
I work with many leading organisations, like City BIDS, Councils, PLCs, West Midlands Growth Company and Independents also, subsequently hosting a multitude of incredibly exciting and varied projects, at different times of the day or night, geographically spread.
I love what I do and am passionate about people and bringing events to life!
Awards and dinners are particularly exciting as guests are dressed up and in the mood to party, while looking forward to the surprises ahead. I have both presented at, and arranged many big dinners over the years, up to 1,200 people. Sometimes, I will need to arrive for a soundcheck and run-through in the afternoon, especially when extra tech and performances are involved. I love the excitement and build up. Following that, guests will generally arrive around 7pm for reception drinks, photos and nibbles. Access to the main event will follow and the show commences, in some way or another, which varies immensely depending on budget. I announce dinner, along with hosting awards, auctions, raffles and live entertainment. My job is to raise the energy, make people feel special, get the message across and make
We asked Phil his top tip for anyone looking to host a live event… I may be biased, but in my experience, investing in a decent host can make or break your event! Look for somebody with warmth, knowledge, passion, experience and an understanding of what you want to achieve. They are the glue to seamlessly holding everything together!
For more information, email phil@philoldershaw.com or visit Philoldershaw.com.
At Beeline we specialise in getting our clients to and from places as swiftly as possible in the safest and most comfortable coach in the UK. We are a one-stop-shop making booking your corporate transport a hassle-free and friendly procedure. We have worked in the coach industry for over 20 years and we strive to become the best transport provider to all of our clients "new or old" across Greater Manchester and the North of England and beyond (Europe also covered if required.)
Contactless operation and outdoor use to help prevent the spread of COVID-19
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New Dawn
As an industry-wide recovery crunches into gear, H&E North collates the encouraging raft of openings, proposals and refurbishments emerging across the UK.
Novotel Liverpool Paddington Village.
NORTH WEST
The hot news in Manchester city centre is Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo has been kicking around plans with Portuguese hotel group Pestana for a luxury 151-bed hotel. The name, Pestana CR7 Manchester, is taken from Ronaldo’s initials and shirt number and is due to open in 2023 overlooking Piccadilly Gardens.
The proposals submitted to Manchester Council involve the redevelopment of the Grade II listed Halls Building (currently home to The Piccadilly Tavern pub), while the empty building next door will be demolished to make way for an 11-storey tower modelled on the surrounding 19th century warehouses.
The property is set to feature a basement gym and rooftop bar, with retail and leisure units planned at street level, along with an outdoor seating area. The £27 million project marks the seventh property in the 50-50 investment partnership. Other hotels in the CR7 brand include sites in Lisbon and Ronaldo’s hometown of Funchal in Madeira, with more openings underway in New York, Madrid, Marrakech and Paris.
French multinational hospitality company, Accor has signed a new flagship Novotel hotel in Liverpool Paddington Village. The new-build flagship 221-room hotel has been agreed under a franchise contract with Liverpool City Council and is set for completion by spring 2022. The hotel will be managed by Legacy Hotels & Resorts, an existing Accor partner and the management company for Accor’s Pullman Liverpool located on the waterfront by the ACC.
The Novotel hotel will be part of Paddington Village, a £1 billion expansion site in the city’s Knowledge Quarter, billed as an international destination for the life-science, healthcare and technology industries.
The 16-storey tower will become the city’s highest, located opposite the new Royal Liverpool Hospital, offering access to workplaces, shops, restaurants and social venues. Novotel Paddington Village will be the second Novotel property in Liverpool and third within the UK.
MIDLANDS & SURROUNDING
With two years until the Commonwealth Games opens in Birmingham, organisers have unveiled a new venue for the event. The former site of Birmingham Wholesale Market which vacated in 2018 will become a key venue for the 2022 competition, as it is transformed into the home of beach volleyball and basketball.
Following the games, the 42-acre site located in the city’s Southside district is due to be redeveloped into Smithfield, featuring a ‘festival square’ accommodating up to 20,000 people for large-scale public events. The £1.5bn development is estimated to take 15 years to complete once work starts in 2022 and will include more than 2,000 homes surrounding a public park and transport links, with accessible green roofscape and eight storey workshop structure.
In Warwickshire, UK hotel developer Vine Hotels recently added the 70-bedroom The Charlecote Pheasant hotel to its portfolio after an unsettled period. The Stratford hotel, which was forced to shut in May when its previous occupier was placed into administration, has reinstated the jobs of 12 staff who were made redundant, including general manager John McGee and other key management positions. Additionally, the hotel has created three new posts and is recruiting further roles in the coming months.
Dating back to the 16th century, the former farmhouse is a character venue offering six meeting rooms, a bar, restaurant and landscaped gardens. Vine Hotels growing portfolio of venues includes five properties in Sheffield and the Best Western Cresta Court hotel in Altrincham.
While in the upper Bedfordshire region, one of the UK’s largest privately-owned single site conference and leisure venues, Wyboston Lakes Resort, has completed a comprehensive refurbishment of The Willows Training Centre to accommodate meetings and training events.
The result of the interior restyling is a comfortable, flexible space, offering easy to use technology, self-service options and break out areas. The refurbishment
programme encompasses the venue’s 12 meeting rooms, while an additional meeting room has been created, along with a new boardroom for up to 24 delegates, as well as a creative space, ‘Willows Parkway’, taking design cues from a London tube station.
The public areas, reception, bar, restaurant and many of the venue’s 183 en suite bedrooms have also been upgraded; The Cricket Kitchen, a self-service buffet restaurant now offering added flexibility of a moving wall to provide delegates with more options or added privacy. This is complemented by a newly created alfresco area and self-service facility by Paddy & Scott’s Cafes.
This development follows the resort’s recent £3 million overhaul of its Woodlands Event Centre, bringing Wyboston Lakes Resort’s total spend on capital reinvestment to over £10 million in the last few years.
SCOTLAND
Spanish Hotel brand Melia is set to make its first foray into Scotland following Glasgow City Council giving planning proposals the green light. Plans were submitted in late 2019 for the conversion of a St Vincent Street office block into a 149-room hotel in Glasgow city centre. The Meliá branded INNSiDE hotel will include a bar and restaurant area and a three-storey extension
Plans to open the hotel in former British Telecom headquarters on Argyll Street back in 2017 were never realised. The current project aims to reinstate the grandeur of the longstanding vacant office, returning it to its original use, with The Glasgow Times reporting the hotel will bring over 40 new jobs to the city.
Meliá Hotels International, one of the largest hotel companies in the world, currently operates four in England including one in Manchester with a further two currently under development in Newcastle and Liverpool. The brand operates as four and five-star hotels marketed at the travelling professional with high quality, contemporary and playful interiors.
The newly refurbished Willows Training Centre.
Vine Hotels’ latest acquisition, The Charlecote Pheasant Hotel.
Wireless Audio Solutions
Product
QUALITY COACH HIRE
2020 Vision
As the industry navigates uncharted territory, internationally experienced agency Mvision Events is behind you every step of the way, embracing alternative ways of connecting with audiences to deliver certainty in uncertain times.
Founder and Director of Mvision Events, Myfanwy Quine has been immersed in high-end hospitality, communications, and events management for over 25 years. Her early hospitality training in Germany gave her a solid platform on which to build an esteemed career back in the UK, running a variety of luxury hotels in northwest England. Myfanwy went on to join a visual communication company and AV technical production agency, where she was responsible for producing large-scale projects and events. With her broad industry knowledge and experience, she opened her own events management company in 2011. It wasn’t long before she was using her expertise and skill, organising high-profile occasions from gala dinners, conferences, incentive trips, roadshows, team building and product launches in the UK and across the globe. Almost 10 years on, Myfanwy’s hard work and passion has secured Mvision Events the title of Best International Event Management Agency at the 2020 Midlands Enterprise Awards.
“Successful events are all about the delegate experience,” maintains Myfanwy. “If the delegates haven’t taken away the key message, then what’s the point?” Myfanwy and her team at Mvision Events believe that effective communication is key. Wowing audiences is the easy bit. What sets this agency apart is their ability to create a bespoke communications strategy tailored to deliver the right message, in the right tone, in just the right environment.
Mvision Events recently organised a successful exhibition and gala dinner for a leading chemistry sector company. Here’s what its Communications Director had to say… Myfanwy and her team took our sketchy ideas and transformed them into a precise and spectacular reality. They worked skilfully with our senior people and gave us just the right amount of constructive challenge to make the event even better. Amazing staging, sound and lighting, and a fantastically well-managed live event –all within our time constraints and budget. It was hugely valuable to have trust and confidence in the team; they managed themselves (and me!) extremely efficiently, allowing me to focus on other timeconsuming aspects of a very busy day. The first thing I did after the curtain came down on our hugely successful event was to book Mvision Events again for next year, and I’d recommend anyone else to do the same.
In an unprecedented commercial landscape, where it’s harder than ever for people to gather together and communicate effectively, Mvision Events delivers complete creative and technical solutions, including innovative virtual experiences. As delegates have been kept closer to home, the agency has developed their ability to bridge virtual distances by providing a wide range of virtual and hybrid event options, recognising a solid communication strategy is vital to engaging delegates in the face of dreaded screen fatigue. Skilled strategists help create a dynamic agenda with concise, relevant content designed to motivate and inform, as effective communication, creativity and innovation become more important than ever.
If you’re looking for a one-size-fits-all event, you won’t find it here. Myfanwy and her team proudly take a bespoke approach to each event design. They look to understand your key objectives and unique event vision before their skilled event designers go to work, creating immersive event concepts that help engage the audience and deliver your message with maximum impact. From glitzy gala dinners at Madame Tussauds and The National History Museum, to multi-day international conferences and precisely engineered UK-wide roadshows, Mvision Events has a track record of delivering truly
visceral experiences which keep audiences switched on and interested throughout.
The Midlands-based agency offers a full management service, which includes creative design, venue finding, event and delegate management, state-of-the-art AV services, and video production – much of which can be delivered in-house for maximum value and continuity. Drawing from their portfolio of key industry speakers and talented guest presenters, Mvison Events is ideally placed to find the perfect match for all your event needs.
They benefit from working alongside a team of highly skilled and reliable AV professionals, including project managers, technical specialists, videographers, lighting designers and audio engineers, who deliver cost-effective technical solutions for events around the world.
Over the years, the agency has built up an extensive international network of trusted industry associates and suppliers who help them negotiate highly competitive rates. With 65% of projects undertaken internationally, the agency offers a wealth of regional expertise to facilitate your overseas events and help you navigate cultural and business etiquette.
While the future of many agencies remains uncertain, Mvision Events continues to fire on all cylinders, passionate about finding new ways to help your event adapt and innovate for the road ahead. With an international reputation in delivering events on time and within budget, regardless of size, scope, or location, you can rest assured, your event is in safe hands.
H&E North’s selection of all-in-one virtual solutions include everything you need to maximise attendance, engagement and ROI when hosting your next hybrid event.
In the wake of the pandemic, the industry turned to virtual events as a way to continue to engage maximise prospects when they were unable to meet in person. In the early stages, planners were forced to improvise a virtual strategy from a patchwork of disparate technologies which meant low engagement, inferior user experience, and lack of measurability.
As the lockdown has eased, conferences and exhibitions are moving to blend the virtual with face-to-face in the form of the hybrid event. With restricted venue capacities and the difficulty in forecasting how many delegates and exhibitors are willing to
Cvent Virtual Attendee Hub
Event technology provider Cvent recently unveiled its all-new virtual event solution, which so far has managed over 60,000 virtual events including its annual event technology conference, Cvent CONNECT.
Built to work alongside its suite of event marketing and management solutions, its Virtual Attendee Hub delivers a fully branded, turnkey virtual event experience. Whether you’re hosting an in-person, virtual, or hybrid event, webcasting technology allows planners and marketers to deliver high quality, secure interactive content live or on-demand.
From promotion to registration, it offers a consistent branded experience and collects attendee and digital event data including engagement scores, session analytics and dynamic surveys. Attract sponsors and exhibitors with virtual booths, video conferencing, sponsored sessions, and the ability to pre-schedule appointments.
Round-the-clock support from Cvent’s customer care team is a big plus, with webcast and speaker support, advanced video production and full management available – it even throws in a native mobile app.
Cvent.com
travel, the hybrid model offers the best of both worlds, offering exhibitors and speakers a physical presence while simultaneously expanding their reach worldwide.
Although virtual event technology is not new, the pandemic has accelerated the technology and creation of all-inone hybrid solutions designed to help planners easily deliver memorable, measurable events. With so many platforms now on the market, at various price points and levels of sophistication, we steer you through the top software tools helping planners get back to business.
OnAir
In response to the pandemic, international event management software provider EventsAIR has created a virtual and hybrid extension to its popular 6th generation event management platform. Empowering organisers to curate complex content, OnAIR uses attendee, exhibitor, sponsor, and speaker data to create a virtual attendee user interface based on your event requirements.
Multiple speakers can present to groups of up to 40 people, with sessions either broadcast live or on-demand, while interactive workshops offer the option for pre-registration. Exhibitors are allocated virtual booths and can pre-schedule oneon-one video meetings, while networking facilities allow multiple delegates to chat and exchange contact details in private groups.
EventsAIR offers a range of tools to help manage your event – from a virtual control room, live alerts, support hubs and comprehensive event analytics. Plus, the team has also created a significant amount of educational resources including an online learning management system, white papers, and intense boot camp program – all aimed at enhancing the skills of planners to prepare you for a hybrid event world.
Eventsair.com
BookMeIn2.com Congress
The latest exhibition and conference application from leading event software BookMeIn2.com (BMi2) is BMi2 Congress, providing a great place to start with hybrid events. Masterminded by Gerard Lennox of Xitagy, BMi2 Congress builds on years of practical experience in running conferences and exhibitions.
As an exhibitor, you are always available via your online video conference booth, walking visitors through presentations and sending them collateral safely. You can instantly transfer a delegate to a more relevant colleague or schedule a video meeting for another time, while lead tracking features record details of enquiries, conversations and follow-up actions. You could even have a totally unmanned stand at the exhibition, using voice-activated screens for delegates to speak with the team back at the office.
Presentations can be streamed live or pre-recorded, followed by interactive Q&A sessions involving multiple speakers who can conduct on-site and online polls before and during a session. Delegates can send questions to speakers, leading to interesting revenue opportunities by making access to the speaker dependent on the VIP status of a delegate.
Its networking facility dispenses with the need for Zoom, one-to-one meetings between delegates are facilitated with a built-in video meeting application, leaving it up to the delegate if they wish to share their contact details.
With few frills, but highly customisable and solid in the fundamentals of creating and strengthening relationships, BMi2 Congress is extremely good value for money. The platform also integrates seamlessly with Xitagy’s eVentBackOffice remote registration and administration service taking an extra weight off your shoulders.
Bookmein2.com
Unlock the Gridlock
Tony Williams of Cheaky Blinders Grid Safety reveals how he navigated stringent guidelines to host one of the first postlockdown mass outdoor events to spectacular success.
So Tony, amid tight restrictions and a burgeoning virtual industry, is there still an appetite for in-person events?
The world needs live events. I’ve been in the industry since 1986 both performing and planning for events all over the world – it’s in my blood. Livelihoods depend on live entertainment and we can’t just sit back and rely on furlough and loans. People have been starved of interactive entertainment, and the appetite is bigger than ever. However, a lot of people are worried about safety and rightly so. I wanted to prove an event could be hosted with minimum risk to give our industry hope for the future.
So on 1st August, we pulled out all the stops to throw a 1920s themed musical event at a campsite in East Yorkshire. It was an ambitious undertaking from a health and safety standpoint – individual households were seated in socially distanced squares and ordered food and drink from an app while enjoying the entertainment. The day went down a massive success with attendees and after three weeks, we disposed of everyone’s contact details and were able to report a 100% COVID-free event, paving the way for others.
How much of a challenge was it to satisfy regulators before a license was granted?
Initially the local authority wasn’t interested and came back with things like ‘you can’t play live music for over 30 people – it can only be background music.’ Things like that just didn’t make sense, which I believe was down to mixed messaging from the government, leaving rules open to interpretation.
We argued our case for implementing our own rules above and beyond government guidelines. The complete safety of not just the general public, but staff and crew was paramount. I’ve seen local festivals get away with just telling the public to behave responsibly – that’s not going to work.
Certain protocols must be observed and security has to be extra vigilante because the public must abide by certain rules for their own protection if they want to see events return anytime soon. We were guided at every stage by asking ourselves: ‘would we feel safe if our own friends and family were attending?’ Fortunately, our local authority was impressed with our risk assessments and health and safety documentation and agreed to let our event go ahead.
Tell us about the stringent measures put in place to ensure the event was COVIDsecure.
Guests could only book tickets online after agreeing our safety guidelines, so they knew what to expect from the get-go. When guests arrived masked and in their own households, we had performers use infrared guns to check their temperatures. The fact our performers were in character as 1920s gangsters certainly injected some fun!
After sanitising and signing their contact tracing details, security further explained safety risks while checking bags and then passed the group to our performers who made them laugh while escorting them through a one-way system to their own five by five metre grid. We found stakes and
ropes were weapons risks and platforms trip hazards, not to mention cost prohibitive – so our white line chalk marking system proved quick, easy and effective and we’ve adapted it for a range of terrains. Once in their grid, groups were free to remove their masks to dance, eat and drink, but required to wear them when leaving to follow the one-way system to the restrooms.
What part did the entertainment play in the event’s success?
The entertainment for this particular event was an immersive 1920s experience. The popularity of Peaky Blinders, Downton Abbey, Boardwalk Empire and The Great Gatsby mean this will hopefully remain a popular theme for many years to come.
A DJ and compère held the event together while two post-modern jukebox style solo singers along with our own themed band, The Cheaky Blinders, blew the crowd away with popular hits performed in true ‘roaring twenties’ style, complete with glamorous flapper girl dancers.
All guests were able to order food and drink via an app on their phones and the caterers provided a waitress service to grids with wheelbarrows! Character performers were used to make safety fun, using their trademark wit to convey a serious message. Plus, as they were performing walkaround entertainment, they could keep security informed of any issues.
Have you inspired others to emulate your format?
Many attendees enthusiastically took to social media to comment and local newspapers picked up our story as the first post-COVID event of its kind. We have since been inundated with requests for advice since the event, and have a heap of bookings in the pipeline. We are always available for consultation and have already helped a number of businesses in one or all aspects of their event.
We took government guidelines and used our industry knowledge to bolster them, creating a fresh blueprint that can be used by others. The Grid Safety idea was the best option available and one that can be adapted to indoor events across the sector which are struggling terribly at the moment.
COMPETITION
This could be the lifeline that wedding and corporate event planners are desperately seeking.
What can event planners take from your experience?
The situation is changing daily and the rules are changing with it, but the most important thing is that we don’t become complacent and do use companies that make safety a priority. New technology is becoming available all time, with apps making ordering food, drinks and contact tracing easy. And remember, more security personnel are always needed towards the end of an event when alcohol is involved.
The benefit of working with regular performing, security, safety, AV and crews means we’re all on the same page,
To win an infra-red temperature gun to help keep your events safe, simply answer the following question…
From which era does the Cheaky Blinders band take its inspiration?
Enter online at Hospitalityandeventsnorth.com/ competition 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 winner will be the first randomly selected on the closing date: 30th October 2020.
reducing risk and increasing efficiency. We have top security and health and safety specialists consulting for us, and our male and female security staff are all ex-police and military, making them true professionals at handling their responsibilities in a safe and friendly manner.
Despite the lift on mass gatherings on 1st October, hosting events won’t be without risk. The most important thing to remember is that if we don’t get this right from the start, everything shuts down and we’re back to square one.
For support with your next event, contact Tony at Cheaky Blinders Grid Safety on 07831 561 012 or email cheakyblinders@gmail.com. Entertainment can be found at Cheakyblinders.co.uk.
Terms and conditions apply: Maximum one entry per person. When entering the competition online, you have the option to not be entered into H&E North Magazine and Cheaky Blinders Events and Cheaky Blinders Grid Safety’s databases to be contacted about news, promotions and special offers. Postal entry data will not be saved. The winner’s name may be printed in a future edition of H&E North. Publisher’s decision is final.
Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger
As the pandemic takes its toll on our mental health,
Laura Capell-Abra, founder of industry workplace wellbeing organisation, Stress Matters, reassures us that help is always at hand.
An estimated 82% of firms have made use of the furlough scheme. An HBAA survey found that 81% of the 102 companies who responded anticipated making redundancies, and that 30.6% of the workforce are likely to be made redundant before October 2020.
For those that are still working, Stress Matters found that they’ve worked on average 22% extra hours than previously and the biggest cause of stress (77%) for respondents was the uncertainty of the future of their business or the business they work for. Hotels and venues were particularly concerned, with 98% being worried about the financial impact on their business according to a C&IT study.
To quote the wise words of Daft Punk, taking good care of our mental health makes us all “harder, better, faster, stronger.” So here are some of my top tips to help individuals and organisations through these tough times…
Individuals:
• Check in with yourself and those around you as to how you’re feeling, it’s okay to be not be okay.
• Recognise and address your stress and build in good coping strategies.
• Find yourself a ‘buddy’ through the free event industry peer support programme Buddies Matter.
• Join the event industry Support Circle on a Wednesday evening to speak and listen to others.
In the last six months have you felt sad; missed something; missed someone; felt lost; felt trapped; become irritable; cried? I know I have.
Life is seemingly coming back, our industry is slowly reopening, albeit with a lot less buzz than before and tourism is on the gradual rise, albeit no-one is quite sure whether that week in the sun will be capped off by 14 days of quarantine back at home.
Events however is the slowest of them all to come back. But it’s not been slow and steady for the people that work in this industry. It has been a rollercoaster.
Each of us have had to deal with the pressure in our own way. While some purchased bikes to blow off steam, Alcohol Change UK reported a fivefold increase in traffic to their ‘get help now’ pages compared to last year. We all have a lot of work still to do in understanding how we can recognise and manage symptoms of poor wellbeing and mental health in ourselves and others.
Working from home is now common and accepted practice. Returning to the workplace is now the new challenge for us to overcome. The level of anxiety around the safety of this is mounting and the apprehension of attending and working at live events is going to be the one of biggest mountains we will need to climb.
• When trying to understand next step career options, join The BE:DO Academy
• EventWell has information on self-care for eventprofs.
Employers:
• Don’t make assumptions about how your team are, ask them.
• As you consider risk assessments, include team and delegate wellbeing.
• Become #MHFAEveryEvent stamped to show you care.
• Bo okay in a free workplace wellbeing audit.
To discover more about the schemes outlined above, visit Stressmatters.org.uk.
NoHoHo?
As Christmas hangs in the balance, we asked event agencies and suppliers how they see festive celebrations shaping up.
Chris Warbrick, Co-founder and Director at luxury event agency Exceed Events
The Christmas season is upon us, typically heralding a last-minute scramble as companies look to secure their office party bookings. As social distancing guidelines look likely to remain in place, festive calendars across the UK are littered with question marks. This year, organisers need to be more creative than ever to ensure a festive atmosphere isn’t dampened by stringent COVID-secure guidelines.
We've got very high expectations for the coming winter months and believe employers will see Christmas parties as a way to increase employee satisfaction and improve morale. After the year we've had, Christmas is always a silver lining people can look forward to, this year more than ever. It just might look a little different than what we're used to!
We still have a strong number of Christmas bookings in the diary, which were repeat bookings from last year. We expect bookings to start up again from the end of September; but people are clearly still not sure what we're able to do in terms of events and parties. Once businesses have more information on the timeline of the current lockdown, they'll be able to start making bookings and planning with their staff.
We know how difficult it is for people to have socially distanced events – we believe the restrictions will be loosened in time for the festive season, we just don't know how much. However, if they don't start to loosen, we will always advise to over-plan for the restrictions by checking table distance, attempting to keep bubbles (or in the case of employees) teams in their own area. After the drinks start flowing at a Christmas do, we know it's difficult to keep people apart, but over-planning areas of a venue makes it easier for the staff as well as the venue owners to keep people aligned.
Kevin England, MD of special effects supplier KJE
SFX
This year, I think it is a fair assumption that social distancing will still be very much in place, with events happening on a much small smaller scale with relatively high ticket prices compared to previous years.
I feel the public will choose wisely on which celebrations they attend, ensuring they receive value for money while wanting to feel as safe as possible. It will rest on the shoulders of the event organisers and producers to achieve this. Not an easy task by any means, particularly with the possibilities of local lockdowns enforced which could potentially cripple individual events. Sadly, while writing this I have heard the news that Hyde Park Winter Wonderland has been cancelled; another indication that large scale offerings are just not viable at the present time. Therefore we must look to smaller ‘boutique’ events focusing on the experiential aspects.
I think this year we will see a rise in the ice rink offerings around the country, as social distancing should be achievable if managed correctly. I would expect ticket prices to rise due to the reduction in allowable numbers of customers for each session, therefore the event organisers will need to provide value for money. Organisers will have to ensure each and every customer has the best experience possible, utilising all of the immersive aspects of production. I don’t feel ‘just an ice rink’ will be enough to ensure a viable business opportunity. We need to bring out all the toys of production, stimulate the senses and leave people feeling safe, happy and smiling!
Oliver Lloyd, Director at catering supplier, Catering24
During lockdown, we heavily improved our online presence – a tactic we will be deploying this coming Christmas. While we have already ordered our stock, what we have seen is that some manufacturers have not gone all out for Christmas this year, and I think we will see a shortage of certain items, particularly with crackers and napkins.
While we have received several orders, a lot have come later than normal and we’re preparing for plenty of last-minute, ad hoc decisions being made. We’re going to see far smaller and more niche Christmas parties replacing the masses of company celebrations you would usually see around that time of year – purely because from a health and safety point of view, it isn’t feasible for many hotels and restaurants to host them.
I expect there are a number of changes we will see in line with that, too. There will be a very private feel to locations hosting parties, buffets will be replaced by traditional meals served at tables or in packaged-to-go format, while there is also a big demand right now for individually wrapped recyclable wooden crockery.
Christmas, naturally, is a huge time of year for the hospitality and events sector and there will be an immense amount of pressure on the industry to make sure parties and gatherings are not only safe but enjoyable.
Experiences Over Events
As the live versus virtual debate rages on, international event host Simon Howard argues what matters is making your event an experience.
A live event is not equal to a virtual event, and in turn, a virtual event is not the same as a virtual experience. So, which would win the metaphorical ‘Event Top Trumps’?
We all know the merits of a physical meeting or get-together. The atmosphere, the experiences shared and the bonds that are made simply cannot be replicated, sat alone at home staring at a small screen.
So, does that mean virtual events are pointless? No. They’re extremely valuable if delivered in the right way, but they are undoubtedly different. But what differences do we need to consider? The trending focus points around virtual events on social media are which platform is the best, complex technologies, virtual studios and how ‘flashy’ the event is going to look. Tech, tech and more tech.
The look of the event is important, but we found even the bestlooking event, not correctly managed, can deliver a dull, lifeless and unrelatable experience for attendees. Once the flashy gimmicks are removed, what’s left? Uninspired, disengaged audiences.
What then is a virtual experience? Every virtual event that the team and I have been part of, has aimed to be a virtual experience. We did not want just a gathering of people, resenting another Zoom call. Our focus has been on two things: valuable content and user experience. We prioritised the needs of the audience, as we would on live events, but this seems to be a frequent oversight on the virtual stage.
When looking at creating a virtual experience, ask yourself:
• How does the end user feel and how can we influence this?
• How can they relate to the messages portrayed?
• How can they engage while being physically distant?
• Should the conversation be one-way ‘death by PowerPoint’ or two-way?
• How can we make this fun? (Hold the front-page: virtual events can be fun!)
What should be in a virtual experience toolkit?
• A host: a good one and most importantly an experienced virtual host.
• Positivity: focus on what can be done virtually, rather than what cannot.
• Creativity: bucket-loads of it! Surprise your audience and keep them guessing.
• Fun: yes, the F-word again!
Combine the three elements above and virtual events will transform into amazing virtual experiences.
North In Brief
NewcastleGateshead Launches Campaign to Bring Back Business
Venues, hotels and events support service providers from across North East England have come together to create a new campaign to help support the recovery of the corporate events industry.
Organised by NewcastleGateshead Convention Bureau, #ItsTyneToMeetAgain has been launched to reassure organisers they can start planning again. The industry generates in the region of £150 million a year for businesses and supports thousands of jobs across the region. The grassroots social media led campaign focuses on employees in the sector creating video and photography on smartphones – showing off their events spaces, the staff working there and the safety measures they have taken to adapt to government guidelines.
All the businesses taking part in the campaign, which include Newcastle and Northumbria Universities, Newcastle United Football Club, LNER and Newcastle Castle have gained the VisitBritain We’re Good To Go industry accreditation, demonstrating they have taken measures to be COVIDsecure.
Paul Szomoru, Director of Business Events at NewcastleGateshead Convention Bureau, said: “Like much of the tourism economy, business events have been completely decimated by the coronavirus pandemic. Now that the industry has been given the green light for October, it’s imperative we work together to build confidence with event organisers, to show them that venues and support service providers in NewcastleGateshead and North East England are ready to welcome them back.”
Manchester Arena Rebranded Ahead of Renovation
As part of a five-year deal, Bolton-based online electricals retailer AO has become the new headline sponsor of Manchester Arena as operators ASM Global submit a planning application for phase one of its ambitious redevelopment.
The venue’s redevelopment plans submitted to Manchester City Council aim to improve its sustainability to become one of the lowest carbon venues in Europe, enhance its existing access to on-site transport links and act as hub
Triple Wins for West Midlands Venues at VisitEngland Awards
A trio of West Midlands businesses have won prizes at the annual VisitEngland Awards for Excellence, which celebrate the best of the country’s tourism industry.
The Hive Café and Bakery in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter earned gold in the Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Award while Birmingham Hippodrome won silver in the Accessible and Inclusive Tourism category, while The Howard Arms in Ilmington, Warwickshire, picked up a bronze award for Pub of the Year.
The venues were among 19 winners announced during a virtual event hosted
Leading Event Host Offers Free Public Speaking Masterclass
Birmingham-based events compère Phil Oldershaw will host a free Zoom webinar on 3rd November entitled 6 Steps to Perfecting Public Speaking & Building Brand Image. Phil has presented live on a range of platforms from TV to Radio; his work with leading brands and local businesses earning him recognition from the Lord Mayors Parlour for 20 years’ service to the city. He has a wealth of experience in engaging audiences to build relationships as well as helping brands understand their goals to develop their image. In this session he will share his top tips on public speaking and how to present the best version of yourself and your brand.
“You never know when a potential stakeholder could be standing right in front of you, so it is essential that you are able to communicate effectively,” said Phil. “The positivity and confidence you display could influence customer purchase decisions or investor buy-ins. Image is everything and that includes you as you never get a second chance to make a first impression”.
for its communities. Over 6,800 Greater Manchester residents provided feedback as part of an extensive consultation on the plans, with 94% voting positively on the proposals.
James Allen, General Manager of the AO Arena commented: “Marking our 25th anniversary with redevelopment plans and our new partnership with AO highlights our commitment to the future of this venue in the heart of Manchester. And after such a long period of pause, we look forward to being able to press play and welcome fans back to the AO Arena.”
by television personality Julia Bradbury. The ceremony also recognised the business events industry – including NEC Birmingham –for its work to support England’s Nightingale Hospitals as part of a special Outstanding Contribution to Tourism Award.
Becky Frall, Head of Visitor Attraction at the West Midlands Growth Company, which aims to attract visitors, investment and events to the region, said: “It has been a testing time for everybody working within the tourism sector and we continue to offer support for all of our visitor economy partners as they recover. This event gave us the opportunity to thank those across the West Midlands who deliver unforgettable experiences for the millions of people who visit the region each year.”
New Event Platform Redefines Hybrid Events
A new exhibition and conference application, BookMeIn2.com Congress helps smaller venues compete with the leading brands for hybrid conference and exhibition business. As hybrid B2B events become the norm, larger venues may no longer be cost-effective for many organisers, as the growing trend for virtual exhibition stands means the need for space is reduced. Many conferences which previously hosted hundreds of delegates are now fitting into 50 person rooms with the rest joining online.
Gerard Lennox, Co-Founder of BookMeIn2.com provided some key advice for venues looking to take advantage of the hybrid trend: “Reliable high speed Internet access is the key requirement for smaller venues to prove they are better value for all concerned, especially the event sponsors.”
Above and Beyond
Award winning chef, social entrepreneur and founder of Beyond Food, Simon Boyle calls for our hospitality heroes to receive the compassion of the industry with the help of his Made Again programme.
Hi Simon, good to chat! Tell us your thoughts about the current hospitality landscape.
The industry is facing the biggest challenges I’ve seen in my lifetime. There are new stats coming through on an almost daily basis that talk about fears of mass redundancies and companies facing insolvency. Whilst things certainly seem bleak, the positivity and determination of the industry professionals around me fills me with hope. It’s likely going to be a tough time for many but ultimately food is a great unifier and something we just can’t live without. Hospitality is a creative and industrious industry and I’m confident we’ll be able to ride this storm together.
What was the idea behind the Made Again workshop programme?
Together with the coaching team at Eyes Wide Opened, we’ve created the Made Again programme - a series of interactive, online workshops that aim to transform the lives of people who are at risk of losing their livelihood.
When we spoke to people in the industry it became clear that nobody was addressing one of their biggest concerns: how can they move forward in a proactive way to
further their chances of employment postCOVID. The vast majority of those we spoke with were also unaware of the skills they’ve honed as part of their day-to-day work. We knew our job was to help people explore their wide range of transferable skills and discover ways they can pivot and adapt to move forward with confidence in themselves and a strong support network behind them.
The results we’ve seen from our pilot workshops have been heart-warmingly positive and are testimony to what people are capable of when they have the right kind of support and a strong fighting spirit.
How will the industry need to adapt in order to survive and prevail?
What we’re not getting at the moment is clarity, which makes it very difficult to plan
for the future. As an industry we will need to push the government to provide clear guidelines for what is acceptable and safe practice for hosting guests within our establishments.
Hospitality businesses will also need to adapt their offering in order to bring people together differently and open up revenue streams. The obvious is virtual events – I recently cooked with 60 business delegates online in their own kitchens. At Brigade Bar + Kitchen, we have tried to focus on changing our customer experience, switching our message from just being a restaurant and shifting our customers’ patterns. For example, the bar has become our main usage rather than the restaurant.
There will also be a large number of businesses that will need to focus solely on quality asset and cashflow management during this time to avoid running out of money and exhausting the goodwill of their stakeholders.
What is the best piece of advice you can give to industry staff right now?
Keep updated on all the changes as they come in and seek out the support that’s available to you don’t suffer silently. Try to be as flexible as possible in the way you work and what you can offer at this time and get creative to keep yourself open to opportunities. Most importantly don’t give up on your purpose; it’s your reminder of why you’re doing this and why the effort is worth it at the end of the day.
To find out more about the Made Again workshops, visit Beyondfood.org.uk/madeagain.
Simon and the Brigade Bar + Kitchen apprentice team.
Survive and Revive
Ahead of the HBAA’s upcoming #FutureFit meeting, its chair Lex Butler claims support is vital for the future of our industry.
With meetings for up to 30 people already taking place in England and larger events due to start on 1st October, the industry is at last cautiously emerging from lockdown, however for now not to the same degree as when venue doors had to close.
HBAA members will be attending HBAA #FutureFit, our first members’ meeting since January, with 160 plus agency and venue members at Park Regis, Birmingham.
For many, it will be the first time they have met shoulder to shoulder with colleagues and peers since then. The buzz and inspiration of a major live event that has been missed so much during months of ‘virtual-only’ will be back.
As the title HBAA #FutureFit indicates, we’ll be reflecting on the here and now, on our ongoing focus as an industry and as organisations, and on what we need to do to continue preparing and be equipped
to rebuild the momentum of customer confidence and build on it for our recovery.
We’ve learnt so much about ourselves, the industry and our businesses over these challenging last few months and based on those learnings, it’s time to adapt and introduce new initiatives, diversification and new approaches. That’s what we’ll be announcing here.
Before, during and beyond this pandemic, support, relevance and proactivity are what our members need and the association’s initiatives, collaborations and campaigns, backed by our voice into government to put their crucial issues and vital needs forward forcefully. We supplied that support via our channels and will continue to underpin them in future strongly.
During our campaigns for special financial support for members, we realised and put a spotlight on the need for our sector to have
its own Standard Industrial Classification as the government doesn’t recognise us as an entity in its records, only as part of hospitality, tourism or ‘other.’
We must shine a light on the major contribution the industry makes to the economy and how many businesses and people are engaged in it and at risk. We are all massively affected and impacted today and will be for the foreseeable future.
HBAA will continue, with a united voice, to support the industry’s survival and revival.
Hbaa.org.uk
Virtual is a Reality
Jonny Ross, Founder of Fleek Marketing talks pivoting towards the virtual world in the wake of coronavirus.
You might be asking yourself where you could possibly get started when it comes to a virtual event. It certainly takes more than logging on to a Zoom meeting.
Isolation isn’t good for anyone. People are craving interaction and connection, and they want to feel a sense of normalcy.
So, how can you ensure that your virtual event is as ‘normal’ as possible? In addition to marketing it the right way, it’s imperative to make sure it goes off without a hitch, so the experience isn’t tainted for anyone who might be checking it out.
With that in mind, having event planning solutions in place will make things run much smoother. It is worth working with a marketing professional to discuss different types of event planning software.
Working together with a professional as well as the right tools can help with pre-event
planning and keeping your attendees up to date with what to expect; managing attendees during the event and reviewing the event to make changes for the future.
Creating Unique, Innovative and Unforgettable Online Features
Virtual events can help to keep your business or organisation relevant during these uncertain times. Thankfully, social media has become an incredible outlet of connection, which is why digital marketing for your event can make it a huge success.
Whether you had planned an in-person event earlier in the year, or you’re trying to think of a creative way to connect with your fans, followers, or customers, don’t be afraid to go digital. It will offer those in attendance an inside look at who you really are, while showing them that you truly care about connection.
Utilising Digital Marketing to Feel Closer
Virtual events are the next best thing to meeting together in person. Using different digital marketing platforms, you can start to stir conversations about your event, from the pre-planning stages to holding conversations on social media with those in attendance afterwards.
Unfortunately, none of us know when things will completely return to normal. In the meantime, it’s important to work with the resources made available to us. If you’re considering a virtual event, make sure you have the right tools in place and you’re utilising those resources to make your event a success from the start.
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As part of our ongoing dialogue with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, we recently presented our latest industry insight that laid bare how the business meetings and events industry has been truly decimated by the impact of COVID-19.
The financial losses, which are largely uncovered by insurance, have been devastating with the average venue reporting over £2 million of lost business during the period, which has naturally had a direct impact on jobs.
Thanks to the huge industry-wide response to our survey, we were able to estimate that there has already sadly been 126,000 job
Following the publication of its latest industry insight, the mia’s chief executive, Jane Longhurst, reveals how it is imploring legislators to urgently reconsider its support for the sector.
losses to date and, without an extension or a bespoke furlough scheme, those loses are expected to reach an eye-watering 266,000.
We know that the furlough scheme currently comes to an end before many venues are able to reopen in October, and as the sector estimates that it could take at least 12 to 18 months, if not longer for it to recover to pre-COVID levels, it’s imperative that the government steps in.
To ensure our sector is able to survive and facilitate the £165 billion of trade that takes place through business events, we feel the absolute bare minimum the government needs to do right now is recognise that our industry won’t recover just because it declares venues ‘open’.
Instead, it needs to extend the furlough scheme to give our industry the same opportunity that it has given others. Retail, for instance, is still benefitting from the furlough scheme even though it has been open for business since 15th June. If the government was to afford our sector the
Ideally located in Wigan in the heart of the north-west, The Edge is a fantastic venue and conferencing complex with capacity for up to 1,000. The main auditorium is a modern well-equipped, flexible space, supplemented with additional function rooms and seminar rooms, making it a great option for events of all sizes. Free Wi-Fi throughout.
All on ground level with plenty of on-site parking, close to the major motorways and just a short walk from two main-line train stations, The Edge is easily accessible. Full range of catering options available, tailored to suit your event.
same benefit, it would see the scheme available until February 2021 – saving 140,000 jobs. It therefore has a simple choice: to save jobs by offering an extension or fund those individuals through benefits.
Meanwhile, operators have been diligently preparing their venues, spending an average of £7,500 in safety measures that largely go above and beyond the government’s requirements, to both ensure and demonstrate to buyers that they are COVID-secure. But more is needed to reassure planners that business meetings can take place safely. A ‘meet out to help out’ scheme could encourage nervous corporates to start booking smaller meetings again, instead of relying on online platforms such as Zoom.
Let’s hope the Chancellor of the Exchequer recognises our sector’s valuable contribution to the UK economy and listens to our plea.
Mia-uk.org
Industry Initiative
As an industry on the edge campaigns for aid, should its fate rest on government intervention, or can real recovery only be driven from within?
Unlike other industries, the events sector has been unable to safely reopen and with no government support on the horizon for the event supply chain, redundancies have already begun. Research indicates that a quarter of companies will have served redundancy notices by the end of August, rising to 70% by the end of the year as the furlough scheme winds down.
Back in August, the #WeMakeEvents campaign spearheaded by the Professional Lighting and Sound Association (PLASA), issued a Red Alert day of action across the UK to raise awareness of over a million professionals working in the technical side of the entertainment industry who have either lost, or are at imminent risk of losing their jobs – 600,000 of whom deliver live events, and around 70% of the workforce are freelance.
The government’s recent £1.57 billion cash injection into the cultural and arts institutions has not reached key industry workers, and the imminent closure of the final selfemployed income support scheme on 19th October further threatens livelihoods.
Over 19 trade associations from the live events sector collaborated for the first time to help 20 UK cities host events to
raise awareness of the struggling supply chain. 715 venues from The Queen’s Hall Edinburgh, Principality Stadium Cardiff and the Millennium Forum Northern Ireland all lit up in red to symbolise this danger, while in Manchester, 200 technicians pushed flight cases through the city centre.
Peter Heath, PLASA Managing Director, said: “PLASA stands by its initial plea which is for the government to provide the entire event industry supply chain with grants as well as extensions to both the furlough scheme and the self-employed furlough scheme. From the start, government grants were not explicitly made available to the event supply chain, with only one out of six PLASA members surveyed successfully receiving grants.
“Although the furlough scheme was a great relief, the tapering off by autumn does not bode well for companies who will have not seen any business until October. The situation has been even more bleak for our freelancers who make up nearly three quarters of our industry. Many immediately fell through the gaps and will soon have no income whatsoever.”
‘Meet out to help out’ proponent, Michael Begley.
Tom Crithcley, MD of pop-up event accommodation supplier Caboose & Co is one of thousands of events businesses in support of the campaign, yet remains unconvinced government intervention is the answer: “It’s a fantastic initiative but I do worry, as every sector is calling out for help right now. I’m not going to start complaining that the government can do more; I believe there is little extra they can do when things are still so unknown and changeable.
“I agree with this plea to extend the furlough scheme, as I think freelancers are struggling the most and have little support. Perhaps the most optimistic step forward would be for government to create conditions allowing the events sector to get moving again, rewarding innovation that facilitates these over handouts.
“While #WeMakeEvents is calling for grants, not loans for businesses in the events supply chain, I think the only thing the government can do is underwrite events so they can plan as if it is a normal year. I’m hopeful we will see something similar extended to our area, and it is looking promising with more innovative ways to hold socially distanced events emerging – but that’s still a challenge.”
As Treasury statistics claim the recent Eat Out to Help Out initiative propelled August’s hospitality trade to twice last year's levels, Michael Begley, Managing Director of venuedirectory.com is just one industry figure proposing a ‘meet out to help out’ scheme. “The success of the governmentbacked dining sector promotion needs to be replicated with a campaign to boost the events industry. All sides of the industry –corporates, agencies and venues – need to unite to drive it, because the government is unlikely to back it.”
Just as high streets have received a boost, Michael suggests the events sector now needs a sales incentive scheme to generate momentum: “If people are confident enough to eat out, they should be happy to meet out. Between next month and the end of the year, I would suggest corporates need to commit to booking their next meeting or event and put down a deposit with the venue to demonstrate their commitment. If they can do this, then the venue can pass on 50% of the commission to the booking agent immediately after the booking is confirmed and the deposit paid.
“This will not only generate momentum to keep the sector moving in what is an incredibly tough trading period, it will also boost the cashflow of agencies, many of which are vulnerable at this time. To further boost confidence and minimise risk, the corporates should be able to receive a refund up to 14 days prior to arrival if they choose not to hold their event. Many businesses in the travel and hotel sector are already doing this to encourage bookings”.
With schools having returned and venues primed with Covid-secure best practice,
Michael is confident that now is the time for event planners to drive business: ”I am confident that the venues are ready – we have over 20,000 on our database who have uploaded their safety protocols. What we now need is the confidence and liquidity and that can only come from the incubator of most events – the corporate client.”
One of these venue owners in support of the ‘meet out to help out’ proposal is Nick Hartland, Director of the National Conference Centre based at Birmingham’s National Motorcycle Museum: “In these extremely bleak times facing the business events sector, it's imperative that we think outside the box and regain confidence
from corporates that face-to-face events can be held safely and provide a tangible ROI. Michael’s idea of venues, agents and corporates all working together is going to be the only way our beloved industry can rebound.”
When the events sector is just one of a multitude of voices clamouring for dwindling support from Downing Street, it is inevitable that industries must take it upon themselves to foster communities from which they can draw on their own reserves to safeguard a viable future in such times of crushing uncertainty.
Luxury beverage company ThinK has revealed its latest range of organic vegan wines, offering reduced calories and sugar without compromising on taste.
Its high-end brut wine, ThinK Prosecco and quality sparkling rosé, ThinK PinK have been enjoyed by influencers and celebrities alike at a number of high-profile events. Its wines are produced from the finest Glera and Pinot Grigio grapes from a vegan and organic certified vineyard in the heart of Treviso in north-east Italy, using 100% renewable energy sources.
Environmentally conscious events planners have welcomed the offering as more guests than ever pursue plant-based lifestyles and delegates continue to raise their expectations for socially responsible events.
ThinK offers sizeable discounts for those buying in bulk for events, as well as an affiliate scheme where suppliers can earn commission for the wine they sell. Thinkwinegroup.co.uk
CHS Birmingham Moved Until Spring 2021
CHS Group has announced the postponement of its Birmingham show until 20th April 2021, due to uncertainty around social distancing measures. Exhibitors due to attend the ICC Birmingham on October 27th have been given the option to move their attendance to the new spring date.
The organisers will now host a series of smaller buyer meetings in October to give its community access to new venues, services and information. The programme will be open to everyone, but
CHS Birmingham exhibitors will be offered complimentary access.
Emma Cartmell, Founder of CHS Group commented: “We committed ourselves from the outset to doing things live and doing them exceptionally. Right now, we can’t promise this, so we’re changing the format and will do our bit for our visitors and our exhibitors a different way.”
Organisers previously took the decision to postpone CHS Leeds at the start of lockdown, which will also take place in the spring, with dates to be announced in the coming weeks: “Our visitors are really hungry for CHS Leeds and we’re looking forward to running that show again,” continued Emma. “The aim is to give visitors and exhibitors the chance to create local contacts at two shows, but to leave a good month or so between the events to allow them to follow up and create their events.”
Tourism Minister Says Industry’s Voice has been Heard
1,419 event professionals, including 305 in person at 12 venues, came together nationwide for UKickstart, a major industry event initiated by Adam Simpson, director
of marketing at etc.venues and supported by 12 industry associations.
There was positive outlook from the keynote panel which featured Nigel Huddleston MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Sport, Tourism and Heritage at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS); Nick de Bois, Chair of the VisitEngland Advisory Board; Tracy Halliwell MBE, Director of Tourism, Conventions and Major Events at London and Partners and Simon Hughes, Chairman of BVEP.
Questioned by Calum Di Lieto, Editor of C&IT, Nigel Huddleston recognised the professionalism of the industry and the safety procedures that venues have implemented: “The pilot events have shown that you know exactly how many people are coming in and venues are equipped to deal with new safety measures. The industry has done a great job on developing the guidance for reopening.”
Huddleston went on to reassure attendees that calls for support from the events industry are not going unheard: “The events industry may have been undervalued in the past but that is not the case now; the industry has a real voice in government."
New Venue Scrapped as EventCity Reveals Closure
Manchester conference and exhibition centre EventCity has announced its closure and withdrawn plans for a new venue. The Trafford events venue opened in 2011 and was the largest in the north of England, with four halls and a combined space of 28,000m².
Plans to relocate to a new purposebuilt facility on the site of the nearby Soccerdome were approved by Trafford Council in February this year, but owners Peel Group revealed the venue will now cease trading from 31st March 2021.
In an online statement, a Peel spokesperson commented: “In recent weeks, it has become increasingly clear that the depth of the economic contraction, particularly in the events and hospitality sectors, is far more extreme than anyone could have envisaged.
“Our immediate priority is to ensure the events we have contracted will go ahead until 31st March 2021. A reduced team will operate the events until closure takes place and we will be working with colleagues to support them through this period.”
Registration Opens for Event Tech Live 2020
Event Tech Live (ETL) will go fully hybrid for the first time as it returns to the Old Truman Brewery on 4th and 5th November and online from 2nd to 6th. The show introduced a hybrid arm last year, but the 2020 model seeks to deliver more content, engagement and business value through meetings in person and online, with five virtual days running alongside the traditional two physical.
Adam Parry, Founder of ETL, commented: “There is a whole lot of frustration with COVID-19, but it’s crucial for the health of the event world that we can deliver ETL safely, for everyone. And I encourage all potential visitors, whether it’s online or in person, to register for the show and make the most of all the new protocols and opportunities in place.”
Coveting Coventry
Conference Coventry & Warwickshire explains why it has never been a better time to bring your meeting or event to the city and the surrounding Warwickshire region.
2021 sees the start of another exciting year for the city of Coventry, as it becomes the third UK City of Culture, a host city for the Rugby League World Cup, as well as playing home to the Commonwealth Games in 2022.
Situated at the very heart of England, with links to all major motorway networks, Coventry is only one hour from central London by train and just 10 minutes from Birmingham Airport. In fact, with 75% of the UK being within a three-hour drive of the city, accessibility couldn’t be easier. Coventry boasts an incredible variety of residential conference venues, offering high quality accommodation, and superb non-residential experiences to suit any budget or event size. The region is hugely diverse and along with having great city centre venues, there are also some amazing spaces in rural Warwickshire only a short distance from the city.
Coventry is a varied and vibrant city, richly steeped in history, heritage and culture. From its role as a pioneer in the transport industry – having invented the modern bicycle, the turbo-jet engine and electric taxis – to the city’s future as a 5G testbed at the forefront of digital innovation, the power to move has always been in its blood. With 2021 set to be a standout year as it celebrates being UK City of Culture, a fantastic programme of events taking place across the entire city is being created. From world-premieres of brand-new shows, to events the whole family can get involved in, Coventry is surely the place to be.
There is a wide range of venues to suit any occasion. The breathtaking Coventry Cathedral and ruins is perfect for a mesmerising dinner and the versatile Ricoh Arena with large exhibition space just a stone’s throw from the motorway and enough car parking for
The iconic Coventry Transport Museum showcases how the city has led the way for the motor industry, while the eclectic and artistically repurposed industrial space of The Box at Fargo Village is an amazing space for those product launches or fashion shows. Not to mention the adaptable venues of Warwick Conferences, with its state-of-the-art facilities set on the campus of the world-renowned Warwick University and The MTC, a unique conference venue for manufacturing and technology industries.
everyone.
Coombe Abbey Hotel.
Ricoh Arena.
Continues on page 41
Get Your Show on the Road
Ensuring an event has the added ‘wow’factor that delegates will remember for years to come is so much more than the bricks and mortar of a venue. Following a challenging year for businesses across the UK in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, having an event experience which is safe and enjoyable in equal measure is now more important than ever. That’s why the British Motor Museum is ensuring it meets all safety measures so it can deliver successful events for organisers across the UK.
Having recently been awarded the ‘We’re Good to Go’ industry charter mark by VisitEngland, the venue has outstanding conference facilities designed to be flexible to suit any event but also has all the required COVID-secure processes in place from socially distanced conference spaces, hand sanitising stations, flexible event contracts, as well as an automated counting system for its toilets. The venue has also pledged its Safe Meetings – Safe Spaces commitment which
outlines the five steps put in place to ensure delegate safety.
With safety at the forefront of the venue’s ethos, event organisers can relax and make the most of working collaboratively with the British Motor Museum’s talented events team to tailor-make an event which suits their unique requirements, all amid the museum’s collection of the best vehicles in British automotive history.
Following a £2 million refurbishment in 2019, there is a wide range of meeting, conference and exhibition spaces at the British Motor Museum, as well as an additional 9,700 sqm of hard standing external event space. However, it is the venue’s conference team which has the professionalism and ingenuity to ensure every requirement is met, which makes hosting an event at the British Motor Museum ideal.
Located minutes from Junction 12 of the M40 in Warwickshire, and set in 65 acres, the jewel in the venue’s crown is its outstanding rooftop Sky Suite providing panoramic views across the countryside, as well as a private roof-terrace and bar area: a stunning space to deliver unique delegate experiences.
For further information on venue hire and conferencing, visit britishmotormuseum.co.uk/conferences, call 01926 649 649 or email bookings@britishmotormuseum.co.uk.
The Sky Suite is just one of the British Motor Museum’s safe spaces.
Continued from page 39
2020 will also see the opening of the chic and luxurious Telegraph Hotel, located in the heart of the city centre which played home to the city’s newspaper for more than 50 years. With its seasonal rooftop bar with views of Belgrade Square, it is sure to be a great venue for those statement events. Just a short hop from the city centre lies the rural landscape of Warwickshire, equally steeped in rich history with breathtaking views and an array of stunning venues, from the purpose-built residential conference centres like Ashhorne Hill and Woodland Grange, to the iconic and memorable Warwick Castle. You will also find a wealth of transformed stately homes such as Coombe Abbey – set in over 500 acres of beautiful parkland – to Mallory Court in Royal Leamington Spa, renowned for its beautiful architecture. The dazzling variety of venues is endless, so you will never be short of options to make your event stand out.
No matter what your taste, event requirements, delegate numbers or budget, Coventry and Warwickshire really has got something for everyone.
For advice and a free venue finding service, contact Conference Coventry & Warwickshire on cwconference@coventry.gov.uk or visit Conferencecoventryandwarwickshire.co.uk.
Coventry Cathedral.
Telegraph Hotel.
Stringent social distancing guidelines have forced hospitality and events venues to get creative with their spaces. We document the ingenuity that has kept the industry ticking.
As we approach the six-month milestone of the COVID-enforced home working revolution, the downsides are beginning to show. With 50% of home working employees saying they wish they had a better work-life balance at present, operating from a flexible hotel workspace could be the perfect solution.
Savvy hotel operators are harnessing the remote working trend and adapting their space to deliver a hybrid hospitality concept to generate an additional source of income during challenging times. Research conducted by global property advisor, Colliers International, predicts that where hotels provide office space to enable co-working and interacting, turnover could be increased by up to 20%.
Such ventures from hospitality giants including Accor, Ace Hotels and citizenM focus on the mix of work and overnight stays and have already enjoyed huge success over the last few years, with many more expected to mix these functions in the future.
Space Age
Dirk Bakker, Head of Hotels at Colliers International, sees this dual function becoming a permanent form of hospitality in the future: “Hotels creating a place not only to sleep and eat but also to rent out space to meet, collaborate, socialise and work is a key way that underperforming areas within the building can be optimised from a revenue and income perspective.”
“With this mixed-use function, the hotel will become better connected to the city and the neighbourhood. Instead of just serving tourists and business travellers, it will really become part of the local community.”
Economic uncertainty has always been the driving force behind innovation, pressing venues to reorganise their space to accommodate different requirements as market conditions change. For example, the credit crisis triggered a boom in flexible shortterm contract workspaces, as companies required more room for manoeuvre in their leases.
Today, this hybrid hotel model offers companies an additional flexible workspace option for their employees without long-term lease obligations or investment in large office commitments. In a win-win scenario, this reduces business overheads while providing an extra source of revenue for hotels and meeting spaces struggling to fill surplus capacity.
Harold Coenders, head of workplace innovation at Colliers International believes hotels can fill this requirement, but it does involve some adjustment: “More organisations will switch to working from home in the future, supplemented with an office for a few days, or a smaller office, with flexible workplaces elsewhere. Enticing shared workplaces, meeting rooms and co-working spaces are required. Some of the hotel rooms should be made suitable for working, with the bed concealed, so that you can receive visitors. This is about offering a hospitality experience with personal and high-quality service and an inspiring and dynamic environment.”
Plus, with commercial space accounting for 40% of the UK’s energy consumption, this hybrid hospitality model could be the sustainable answer businesses have been looking for. With fewer property requirements and less commuting from their employees, this rebalancing of space can drastically reduce a company’s carbon footprint: “People are using hybrid hospitality spaces as their satellite or project office,” added Coenders. “We are also witnessing many self-employed professionals requiring this functionality if they don’t have an ideal place to work from.”
Multinational hospitality group Accor recently announced the launch of its new Hotel Office concept, enabling people to book their own hotel room for a premium remote working experience. At launch the Hotel Office is available in 250 hotels in the UK, with further expansion of the scheme in Europe expected in the coming weeks.
In a survey conducted by Accor, 23% of respondents who represent over 4.1 million people currently working from home in the UK, say they are less productive because of distractions. For professionals struggling to find peace and quiet to work effectively at home, who don’t have dedicated workspace or who want a change of scenery with all the amenities of a hotel, James Wheatcroft, Accor’s VP of Marketing, believes this could be the perfect solution: “With millions of people adapting to new ways of working we have been inspired to support this trend by offering a unique office experience, blending the need for quiet dedicated working spaces with all the convenience and amenities of a hotel. The hotel office is the home office only better, it ensures people can optimise their remote working experience, offering a professional workspace with room to relax in privacy.”
With city centre footfall down, many organisations are struggling to pay the rent which their previously enviable position commands. This has triggered an explosion in online marketplaces such as Occupyd, which have launched in order to help struggling venues monetise their extra capacity.
Connecting businesses and individuals searching for workspace, Occupyd caters to a number of industries across the UK including retail, hospitality and event spaces. For example, a conference centre that closes its doors at 5pm each day can advertise its kitchen space to small businesses who cater to the evening market, cutting down the financial responsibility for the occupant.
The platform is the brainchild of 29 yearold founder, Callum McPherson, who was inspired by the number of organisations which have suffered a hit to their bottomline during the pandemic: “Monetising after-hours capacity, which would otherwise be empty, or renting out supplementary workspace could be a goldmine for some companies. Taking a five or ten year lease on a building, paying a hefty deposit and having access to it 24/ 7 is not what most SMEs want or can afford. Not only do we save them money on space, but also equipment such as ovens and mixers, which would otherwise have to be bought.”
Salima Vellani, CEO and founder of similar host kitchen network, Kbox says income diversification has become a top priority for hospitality providers: “We’re seeing a variety of different venues, from pubs and restaurants to hotels, using existing spare capacity in their kitchens to branch out into takeaway food delivery, embracing a UK market that has grown by 40% in the past five years.”
During lockdown she has seen a range of venues make the move successfully, using their under-utilised kitchen to expand their customer base: “For example, in Manchester, The Holiday Inn in the city centre reconfigured its kitchen to prepare multiple pop-up food brands, while maintaining their existing on-premise offering.”
By adopting this multi-brand approach, existing hospitality venues can give themselves a huge advantage over the competition, and sustainably bolster their offering, whatever the pandemic has in store.
Stay at Home
Whether you call it a ‘staycation’ or a ‘holistay’, government advice remains that we enjoy what England has to offer for our breaks this year. Hospitality and Events North picks out some ideal hot spots for holidaying at home.
A Sea Change
If you are itching for the coast, you don’t have to travel very far to experience the salty spray of the seaside, thanks to the famed promenades of Whitby and Scarborough. Traditional English coastal towns will need our support in the coming months to make up for the vital tourist months lost, so a day trip to Whitby or beyond to Robin Hood’s Bay might be just the ticket to blow away those lockdown cobwebs.
If you choose to stay for longer, the National Trust has a number of holiday cottages scattered among some of Yorkshire’s most picturesque shores and has begun gradually opening up its accommodation again in line with government guidelines. Boatman’s Loft at Robin Hood’s Bay was formerly an old coastguard station, meaning it guarantees spectacular views and close proximity to clifftops for a refreshing walk or a ramble down into the ancient abbey town of Whitby. Perfect for a couple who fancy a change of scene within the convenient confines of the north.
Nationaltrust.org.uk/holidays
Home from Home
For the ultimate taste of quaint country living, the Cotswolds is the place to visit. With its quiet country lanes and honey-coloured cottages situated in impossibly beautiful villages, it remains one of England’s most charming destinations that can still feel pretty remote if you are truly looking to get away from it all.
Whether you’re looking for a romantic weekend away at a spa hotel in the Cotswolds, a dog-friendly holiday or a family break to help the kids roam free once more, Bolthole Retreats specialises in sourcing luxury accommodation in Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and Oxfordshire. Old Fox Cottage features a quintessentially Cotswold thatched roof and accommodates a family of four in the sleepy village of Bretforton, near the Vale of Evesham. With all the amenities you’d expect from a high-end holiday cottage, it’s ideal for getting away from it all, while also slap bang in the middle of one of England’s Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
Boltholeretreats.co.uk
In Walking Distance
The Lake District is known as ‘the adventure capital of the UK’ and is aiming to offer activities and adventures to enjoy while physically distancing this year. A world-famous UNESCO World Heritage Site as of 2017, Lake Windermere is overlooked by the former residence of Baroness Von Sternberg which is now a luxury hotel renovated at a cost of over £3.5 million in 2013.
Surrounded by an abundance of beautiful outdoor space to explore, Laura Ashley Hotel The Belsfield offers a peaceful ambiance and provides the perfect location for a post-lockdown staycation, blending style and elegance with classic British glamour and unrivalled views over England’s largest lake. Guests can enjoy the local area with a picnic by the lake or go for a cycle or a leisurely socially distanced walk to enjoy the breath-taking views of the Lake District.
The hotel’s Trust in Your Stay programme details how the hotel’s hygiene and housekeeping has stepped up a gear in the wake of COVID-19. New measures include an app for guests to use for precheck-in and registration, virtual bedroom compendiums and menus and an in-house text messaging service so guests can communicate with the hotel team without any face-to-face contact. The hotel is also offering ‘grab and go’ meals for guests to enjoy in the landscaped gardens or in the comfort of their own room.
Lauraashleyhotels.com/hotels/the-belsfield
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We Meet Again
The Meetings Show will bring the world’s meetings and events community together both in-person and virtually this October, as it hosts its first hybrid edition of the show.
The Meetings Show live event will take place on 19th and 20th October at Olympia London, where pre-qualified buyers will hold face-to-face meetings with exhibitors and be able to attend a range of education sessions, delivered live and virtually. To ensure business meetings and events professionals can remain connected and informed, pre-qualified buyers unable to physically attend will be given the chance to join one-to-one video meetings with exhibitors through a virtual platform on October 19th through 21st. Educational content, curated especially for online attendees, will also be accessible throughout the three days of the virtual show.
Headlining the show’s virtual education programme is Fyre Festival’s Andy King. The events professional turned internet sensation, (for his, shall we say, ‘above and beyond’ job attitude), will lead a virtual keynote session at 2.10 pm on 21st October. In the interactive session, where attendees will also be able to put their questions to the speaker, King will reveal how his life changed
following the airing of the Netflix Fyre Festival documentary in 2019, give valuable tips on how to turn negatives into positives and offer insight into running sustainable events.
With the events, meetings and incentives industries operating during such challenging times, The Meetings Show’s education programme has been designed to help them navigate their way to success. Hot topics include future trends, effective use of technology, measuring ROI, creative event design, designing online events, creative thinking and more, both live and virtually.
Event professionals attending the live event at Olympia London should head for the Apex Room on 19th October for the 9.50am session, Designing Interactive and Engaging Online Meetings. The discussion, led by Sascha Evans, will explore digital and hybrid meetings and give tools and techniques for designing effective online conversations.
The use of technology in events will be further explored in a number of sessions, including Gamification with Technology at Events on 20th October at 12.30pm in the Apex Room. Sessions designed to help event professionals boost their careers include How Resilient Are You? at 10.30am on 19th October and How to Get Ahead in Events at 11:50am on 20th October, while event catering trends will be challenged in Do Events Need to Go Plant-based? at 11.50am on 19th October. On-demand virtual content includes sessions on creative meeting formats, how to increase valuable connections and further use of technology to enhance events.
The Meetings Show will host exhibitors from around the globe – from destinations and convention centres, to hotels and technology suppliers – allowing visitors to find out about the latest products and services for the meetings, events and incentives industry.
Triple Covid-secure accredited conference and leisure venue Wyboston Lakes Resort will be giving visitors the lowdown on the transformation of The Willows Training Centre following a major refurbishment outlined in our New Venues feature. Other venues and hotels ready to talk through their offerings include Lancashire County Cricket Club, Newbury Racecourse, Best Western Hotels GB and Marriott Hotels International.
Shocklogic, Interprefy, Cvent and CrowdComms are just a handful of technology suppliers who will be demonstrating how their innovative solutions can aid events, while UK destinations heading for the show include NewcastleGateshead Initiative, Liverpool City Council and Visit Blackpool.
Pre-qualified buyers will be able to book and manage appointments with exhibitors through a digital system once registered and receive notifications ahead of each meeting, so nothing is missed and ensuring valuable connections can be made.
To register, visit Themeetingsshow.com/register.
Fyre Festival’s Andy King will headline the show’s virtual programme.
Build for the Future
Industry leaders reveal their predictions for the future of the events landscape in the wake of COVID-19.
With so much changing in such a short time, the industry faces many challenges. H&E North put together a panel of experts from different sides of the business to look at the immediate future. Will life ever be the same again? One thing is for sure: resilience is key.
The Panel
Chris Callaghan Event Director of the Schools & Academies Show
Nick Gold President of the International Association of Speakers Bureau
Travel Plans
According to Jason Allan Scott, founder of venue and destination finding agency MICEoffers, overseas events travel is set to decrease over the coming months: “Both for reasons of affordability and safety fears, the MICE segment is likely to shrink significantly, but I see destination events suffering the most.”
In a post-COVID world, corporate travellers are likely to stand by the brands they trust, but demand value for money as purse strings tighten: “I firmly believe people will not compromise on quality. But I see a huge uptake on budget business travellers looking for clean comfort and hygiene rather than luxury. With demand likely to slow down consistently for some time ahead, the luxury
segment has no choice but to reduce tariffs, as we have already seen.”
As lockdown has brought our health and wellbeing to the fore, Allan believes these are the travel destinations set to grow in 2021: “Health farms, spas, nature villages and esoteric experiences will all see an increase, and these are all fantastic new opportunities for those in the MICE industry to shift their focus to.”
Another silver lining for consumers will be an increase in choice and flexibility as struggling operators are forced to offer incentives to coax reticent travellers: “While the events business was booming over the past few years, many service providers had started to become very inflexible. Some of that is likely to change:
airlines, hotels and meeting spaces are likely to be more accommodating on late check-outs, postponements, cancellations and early checkins. So upgrades, extras, and freebies will not be a welcome bonus, but an expected necessity.”
As life begins to return to some shade of normality for travellers, Shane Grieve, Director of event production company, Rogue City Productions agrees the face of event transportation will look quite different: “Airlines and rail networks are going to have a long painful recovery which will impact the accessibility of more remote events. Transport to an event will also need to be thought about with restricted space now available and that in turn may impact demand for events without parking facilities.
Jason Allan Scott Founder of MICEoffers
Shane Grieve Director of Rogue City Productions
James Tucker Chief Operating Officer of GovNet
Paul Bartlett Director of Warwick Conferences
“However, with change comes development –event producers on a global scale are having to rethink the traditional format, so expect to see a lot of interesting new concepts as we move into a new event era.”
Virtual Vision
In the months since lockdown, the pandemic has accelerated huge change across the industry, and James Tucker, Chief Operating Officer at public sector events agency GovNet has been impressed by the dogged determination and innovation on display to push ahead with a new brand of virtual events: “I think it is fair to say that nobody is currently running virtual events as well as live events, at the moment at least, but there is huge scope to integrate them into our wider product portfolios once normality resumes.”
Although he believes live events will continue to receive top billing post-coronavirus, he expects to see a rise in planners embracing the best of both world via hybrid events: “I really like this concept as it will enable organisers to deliver an enhanced customer experience while simultaneously reaching a greater number of people. Those organisers opting to host more hybrid events will be able to provide their customers with more freedom, choice and flexibility. They will be able to watch the sessions that are most important to them and avoid sitting through presentations that are not so relevant to their interests. Furthermore, people from overseas, those with prior commitments, or those unable to take an entire day away from the office, will still be able to attend sessions online – driving increased engagement, awareness and revenue for organisers.”
However, for those exploring this popular hybrid approach, he warns careful planning will be needed, or physical and online audiences could be left disappointed: “It will be vital to avoid half empty auditoriums (even if thousands of viewers are watching at home), people blocking camera views and excessive AV equipment. Meanwhile, you also have to consider and cater for the needs of your exhibitors – are you able to guarantee enough footfall on the day, and will you be rolling out virtual platforms to compensate?”
If there is one thing the pandemic has taught Nick Gold, President of the International Association of Speakers Bureau, it is that virtual interaction can never truly replicate physical interaction: “One of the truisms discovered (or reinforced) during lockdown is that humans enjoy (and need) the physical interaction with others. The virtual medium is an amazing opportunity which will continue to evolve and grow, but the non-verbal interaction, the eye to eye contact, the act of being in a room with another person leaves memories and indelible marks that cannot be replicated in a digital platform. Having said that the virtual event landscape and meetings provide opportunities for greater access, for wider audiences and of course to measure impact and engagement, all of which create the space for new ways of doing and thinking.”
Safety First
There are a huge number of complications for events businesses as we return to hosting live
events, none more so says Chris Callaghan, Event Director of the Schools & Academies Show, than companies like his who had postponed their conferences or exhibitions to take place after 1st October: “Many organisers would have sold a substantial amount of space pre-pandemic for events which were then postponed. Therefore, they will now have to significantly alter their floorplans with larger gangways, features and potentially stand sizes. Meanwhile, exhibitors would possibly have to change their plans, regarding which staff are attending, marketing collateral and even the product or service that they are promoting.”
Over the coming months, he believes communication is going to be key: “This will range from PPE required on the day, or how many people are allowed on each stand at one time, to what items exhibitors are allowed to give out on their stands. We are now focusing on our November event and trying to ensure all of these changes have little impact on our exhibitors.
“Moving forward, event organisers will require a significant amount of additional space as they implement new health and safety procedures, which includes social distancing measures in content theatres and four to five metre gangways. This will impact the number of stands you can sell, as well as their minimum size, which will have financial implications.”
He also foresees a key challenge in events businesses managing potentially stretched and burned out teams moving forwards: “It is important to give special consideration to your team’s wellbeing and morale. For example, my team worked tirelessly for nine months to create an event that was originally intended to take place in April – before it was later rearranged to July, September and eventually cancelled in order to focus on our usual November event. They put hundreds of hours into securing clients, acquiring visitor registrations, creating the agenda and content that now needs to be adapted. As you can imagine, the content at the Schools & Academies Show is now heavily influenced by implications of COVID-19 in education. It will also be important for managers to consider the wellbeing of those people returning from furlough, and how they adapt to the new world of event management and re-join their colleagues.”
The lockdown period has certainly presented its challenges, and like many industry professionals, Paul Bartlett, Director of Warwick Conferences, believes the events and hospitality industry is unlikely to go back to the way it was: “During lockdown, we spoke to many of our industry peers during a series of conversations. It made us realise how close the hospitality community is, but also emphasised how much needed to change in order to adapt to this new world.”
“We have to recognise that things have changed, but it is promising to see positive conversations with clients come to the fore once again. It’s true that the pandemic has thrown a lot of challenges our way, and the way in which events and meetings are being held has evolved. It’s up to us to ensure that visiting delegates experience a safe and memorable meeting, event or conference. Working in the hospitality industry, we have to lead and build confidence.”
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