BVEP - Business Visits and Events Partnership

BVEP Partners Update w/c 21st September 2020

By Simon Hughes, BVEP Chair - After the wave of gloom that overtook vast sections of the UK events industry as a result of the latest government rule of six announcement – and the subsequent confusion in relation to the actual impact on permitted event activity – it is perhaps time to regroup and refocus on the ups rather than the downs. One event that certainly lifted spirits across both the UK and further afield was the UKickstart Event 2020 hosted by etc.venues and supported by a number of our partners. This hybrid event linked 12 hubs nationwide with live audiences of 30 and many hundreds more virtually. Although it felt like a slim downed version of Eurovision, with glamorous hosts joining us from the ICC Belfast and Farnborough (nice jacket Carlo), the two main panel sessions hosted by Martin Fullard and Calum Di Lieto were well received, judging by the response on social channels.

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BVEP Blog - Knocked for 6

Friday 11th September 2020: by Simon Hughes, BVEP Chair - I’m not going to take up too much of your time with this update as words are failing me at the end of a roller coaster week of ups and downs. Since the announcement that introduced the Rule of Six was made by the PM, chaos has ruled in our industry. I don’t think I have ever heard so much genuine anger and frustration before, from right across the event business. Organisers thwarted and closed down by intransigent local authorities despite everything they have done to risk assess and meet Covid-19 secure standards. Venues that have staffed back up to help market Q4 now find that they are dealing with more cancellation calls from concerned clients that have got the rule of six message loud and clear – and bailed. Many of those teams will now finally get some certainty in this uncertain world. They will be made redundant.

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Guest Blog - And So Onwards to The New Season

Post by Steve Heap, General Secreatary AFO, Chairman EIF - The Covid-ravaged 2020 festival season is best put behind us for those of you who can. May I now encourage you to get moving as soon as possible on your planning cycle for 2021. Clearly, we may not know whether Covid is over and done with but if we don’t start planning now we will be too late for another season and as we all know, that would be devastating.

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Event First Steps and C&IT Launch Research on Racial Diversity in Events Industry

Event First Steps (EFS) & CIT have released a sector wide survey on Racial Diversity in the Events Industry. EFS is an initiative for industry newcomers founded by Caitlin Kobrak, Elena Clowes and Priya Narain.

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Latest mia research reveals the true cost of COVID-19 on the sector

The Meetings Industry Association’s (mia) latest research reveals the business meeting and events sector has been decimated by the impacts of COVID-19 and is urgently calling on government intervention.

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DCMS Coronavirus Impact Business Survey - Wave 2

DCMS invites you - and the businesses that you represent - to take part in a second round of a survey being conducted to understand the impact of the Coronavirus outbreak on organisations in the digital, culture, media, sport, gambling, telecoms, and tourism sectors. This survey has been commissioned by DCMS to better understand the needs of its stakeholders. Your answer will remain anonymous and will be used to inform DCMS’ preparedness efforts. The survey should take around 10-20 minutes and can be found here. The deadline for responses to the survey will be at 23:59 GMT on 8th September 2020.

VisitBritain to Start Promoting The UKickstart Event 2020

Be part of the LIVE Event to inspire our nation – Visit Britain supports The UKickstart Event 2020 (8th September 2-4pm) FREE to attend opportunity for meeting professionals to demonstrate the power of events. Don’t miss out. Register for The UKickstart Event 2020 here and share as much as possible.

#UKickstartEvent2020 #GetBritainMeeting #ProjectConfidence

One Industry, One Voice Campaign Update

Over the last couple of weeks the news from government continues to hold large scale activation across our industry back, although small steps have been taken in some areas. Both the deep frustration being felt has increased, as has the focus on the need to reassure our teams, suppliers, stakeholders and, above all, our clients that we can deliver Covid-19 secure meetings and events of all types and that we are ready to do so. Yet so much lies outside our direct control that it was inevitable that any number of campaigns to support the event industry would spring up.

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HBAA survey finds Venues will be more flexible on cancellation terms but are adding more robust contract clauses after Covid-19 experience

Venues will be more flexible on cancellation terms but are adding more robust contract clauses to cover potentially similar issues, according an HBAA 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, also revealed that nearly all are still planning how to handle the additional costs resulting from social distancing and extra cleaning at present.

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PLASA - Watch and share the latest #WeMakeEvents campaign video

While the world re-opens, the events industry is still left in the shadows without the support we urgently need.

The £1.57bn arts rescue package and the re-opening of outdoor events only addresses the tip of the iceberg and will do little to support the weakening supply chain.

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AEO, AEV, and ESSA Launch the All Secure Standard

A combined group of members from the Association of Event Organisers (AEO), the Association Event Venues (AEV) and the Event Supplier and Services Association (ESSA), led by the associations, has today launched the All Secure Standard, a risk assessment based framework of Covid-19 secure industry best practice and guidance for business events and consumer shows which take place in meetings, conferencing and exhibition centres.

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NOEA - Events Festival Industry Left on the Shelf

- Industry will lose major festival brands
- Half of event businesses face losses of £100,000+
- Job Losses could reach tens of thousands.

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Business events and conferences given go ahead to resume from 1 October

• Government to begin pilots to help plan how best to restart indoor business events.
• New guidance outlines how the nation’s conference venues can get back up and running safely.

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MeetEngland preparing to welcome back international business events following UK Government announcement

MeetEngland today welcomed the news of a timeline for the business events sector reopening in England.

English destinations, venues and business event suppliers are preparing to welcome conferences and other business events from October.

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Media Statement from Simon Hughes, Chair Business Visits & Events Partnership

“After several months of lobbying, and providing significant amounts of evidence and research to government, and working closely in partnership with our colleagues at DCMS, we are delighted that today the Prime Minister has finally announced a Go Date of October 1st for the recommencement of business events and exhibitions, subject to the successful completion of some pilot events.

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Small steps are not big enough or bold enough for the UK Event Industry

The Business Visits & Events Partnership (BVEP) the umbrella body and advocacy group for the UK’s £70 billion events industry, is now calling on the Government to save the industry from complete collapse by providing further targeted and long-term support for the sector.

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30,000 UK job losses if UK Government fails to provide a clear date for reopening of exhibitions sector from COVID-19 lockdown

30,000 direct jobs in exhibitions sector currently at risk.

Estimated £8bn loss to the UK economy if remaining exhibitions are cancelled in 2020, and 60% of supply chain companies will not reopen in October as furlough comes to an end.

Sector is able to deliver safe events using ‘controlled’ environments and can play a vital role in getting the UK economy moving again.

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EIF - Events industry welcomes guidance for restarting

The Event Industry Forum (EIF) and the Department of Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) have today agreed guidance for restarting some elements of the UK’s £30.4 billion outdoor events industry.

New guidance, compiled by EIF in consultation with Government departments, sets out how event organisers can restart some outdoor events this summer.

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Events Industry Senior Leaders Panel - Meeting Note of 23rd June 2020 Meeting

Please click here for the notes of the meeting which took place via tele/video conference on 23rd June 2020.

BVEP welcomes three new members

The Business Visits & Events Partnership (BVEP) has welcomed a number of new partners to the organisation including Unique Venues of London (UVL), International Association of Speakers Bureaus (IASB) and Professional Lighting and Sound Association (PLASA).

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PLASA launches #WeMakeEvents campaign to support the industry

PLASA has launched #WeMakeEvents, a new campaign with the aim of amplifying the industry’s voice and gaining meaningful Government support. Central to the campaign is a video highlighting the vital role of supply chain companies along with the freelance community and the devastating impact of the pandemic upon the live events sector.

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EIB - Industry leaders express urgency about naming a reopening date to Minister

At the most recent Senior Events Industry Leaders Panel held with the Minister of Tourism, Nigel Huddleston MP, industry leaders voiced their concerns, about the critical importance of a date for reopening to be given, if further damage to an already fragile Industry was to be avoided. Industry leaders said a go date was essential as for many events, at least eight to twelve weeks, was necessary for planning purposes.

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EIA - Open letter to Chancellor

Please download below the open letter sent to the Chancellor on 30th June 2020.

‘Project Confidence’ introduced as new cross association working group

The Event Industry Alliance (EIA) – the collective associations of AEO, AEV and ESSA, is pleased to introduce its latest cross association working group initiative – ‘Project Confidence’.

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