All in all, we were disappointed with announcements from the government this week. Whilst we welcome the relaxing of the 2m rule, so crucial for many in our sector, we were amazed that there was no mention of the contribution of the events industry to the UK economy, and surprised that while pubs, restaurants and cinemas can open, business conferences and meetings remain banned.
We await further clarification from the government, but in the meantime, we are forging ahead with the following measures. We are committed to supporting this cause, and care deeply about this industry and the many thousands of brilliant people we work with directly and indirectly across the sector.
We ask you, as someone directly impacted by the ambiguity of the government, to contribute to as many of these as you can, and to share them widely.
- The ‘Safer Events - A Framework for Action’ white paper has been updated to accommodate the latest government guidance and recent advice for industry associations including NTIA and MIA. We will update this regularly, so it’s always comprehensive with the latest advice. Download it once and you’ll be notified whenever it refreshes. It will enable event organisers and venues to run events safely again.
- We’ve built a quick resource where you can Email Your MP in a few clicks, something industry leaders have called for urgently. The letter is drafted - just add a quick line about why the events industry is important for you, and then send using the tool. Email Your MP.
- Alongside leading industry media publisher Mash Media, we’ve launched a petition on change.org calling for organised meetings and events to be treated in the same way as gatherings at pubs, bars or restaurants. Signing this will crucially increase visibility for our industry, and will lead to the increased media attention we require. Please sign it, please share it.
- We will be releasing a statement on behalf of our Safer Events Consultation Group, made up of corporate event planners, calling for action from the government and establishing a demand for events. If you would like to contribute to this, please let us know.
Finally, we would urge you to watch this 45-minute review of the government guidelines from Simon Hughes, Chair of the BVEP, Martin Fullard, Editorial Director of Mash Media and Rob Howarth of Event Safety Plan.
Recorded 24 hours after the government announcements, Hire Space’s Fortnightly Digest lays out how we should respond as an industry to save jobs and keep the events world moving. Watch the recording here.
We hope the above measures will contribute to this, and we will have further updates for you soon.
Meanwhile, you can watch all the content from our Business and Events in a Post-Pandemic World event series here, see daily industry news and updates here, and follow us @hirespace on social media.
Thank you, and please share with industry friends and colleagues.
Best wishes,
Ed and Will - Co-Founders of Hire Space
Author
Edward Poland
Co-founder of Hire Space. Making event planning a joy with the UK’s leading live venue marketplace.
