Update 20 July: The government has now confirmed that meetings of up to 30 people indoors will be allowed to resume in England from 1 August, so long as social distancing is followed and the venue can demonstrate that it meets new Covid Secure guidelines.
The guidelines for all venues include:
- Attendees must pre-book and pre-register
- Venues must introduce contactless registration systems to reduce waiting times and limit contact between organisers and guests
- A 'digital-first' approach is being encouraged to eliminate the need for physical lanyards and badges
- Paper hand-outs and gifts will no longer be offered
- Entrance to event or conferences spaces will be staggered to reduce queuing and overall capacity will be limited to ensure social distancing can be maintained
- Events will be planned around one-way systems for visitors
- Spaces between exhibition booths will be increased and aisles widened to aid social distancing
- All venues need to implement and demonstrate enhanced cleaning procedures, with hand washing and sanitising facilities at frequent intervals throughout.
UK prime minister Boris Johnson has announced that
conferences and other business events will be allowed to resume from October,
subject to “the successful outcome of pilots”, providing some clarity for the
industry after weeks of promises from the government to give guidance on the
reopening of services.
Johnson gave no other details on what these trial events
might look like or when they will be allowed to take place, though he confirmed
that weddings with up to 30 attendees and indoor performances to a live
audience will be resumed from 1 August, again subject to “pilots”. The
government will also allow trials of spectators returning to large sports
stadia in August with a view to a wider reopening in the autumn.
He said any conferences and business events must meet the
government’s Covid Secure guidelines.
However, as part of a new £3 billion funding package to ensure the NHS can cope with an expected spike in infections this winter, Johnson announced that the temporary Nightingale hospitals, many of which were set up in exhibition halls across the country, will remain in place until the end of March 2021. It is unclear whether this will impact those venues' ability to host events during that time.
The statement has been met with trepidatious optimism by the
industry, with many saying they will hold their judgement until more details
are released.
Lex Butler, chair of the Hotel Booking Agents Association
(HBAA), said: “At long last, finally we have a date to work to and the
uncertainty is over after all the hard work in lobbying and making preparations
to ensure the safety of delegates and staff.
“It’s great news, but we’re reserving our celebrations until
we see the small print.”
Michael Hirst OBE, former chair of the Business Visits and
Events Partnership, said on Twitter that the industry will “need to wait for
guidance” but that the announcement is “probably not enough to save many jobs
and businesses”.
Chris Skeith, chief executive of the Association of Event
Organisers (AEO), commented: “We are pleased to see that after months of constructive
conversations with the government they have issued a ‘go date’ for the
exhibitions industry, which plays a critical role for the UK economy,
generating £11 billion in economic activity and supporting 114,000 jobs.
“With a ‘go date’, our exhibitors and visitors will now be
able to restart their planning and engage with such a crucial trading platform
that connects them with customers and generates trade to support their
business, supply chains and the broader ecosystem of hotels and restaurants
throughout the UK.”
Jane Longhurst, chief executive of the Meetings Industry
Association (MIA), added: “The impact of Covid-19 on the business meetings and
events sector has been devastating so we are delighted with today’s
announcement that we now have a time frame to work to and recommence. It’s
positive proof that the government has been listening to the sector and
understands that we can open safely.
“We are currently awaiting the detail of the pilot events,
but we do know they are to offer Public Health England the chance to test the
industry’s ability to hold major events with large numbers of people. We also
understand that the guidance, which we can expect any day, will include the
news that Covid Secure venues can immediately open for events up to 30 people,
which is a fantastic step forward.”
Longhurst said it will be imperative for the industry to
follow the government’s guidelines as well as the MIA’s roadmap for reopening
and operating safely.